Newbie story/questions

[mange1234]

Nice

The 5" rod is for your steering wheel it tilts upand down.

Ouch,

Nice looking truck. I am also in love with my 1993 Explorer. Been working on it all day yesterday.

Mike

 

[mr cribb]

Got around to changing the TM today, on a bridge, dropped the crossbeam, very straightforward. After getting the old one out, it was clear that it was very much in need of replacement. I could compress it between my fingers, without much effort.

It didn't totally fix the vibration, though, but it certainly took the edge off. (It's less 'violent' now) I'll do wheel bearings and front shock absorbers next weekend, that should be the end of the vibration then. The current shocks are very worn, so I hope changing them will fix it. I checked all front bushings, they all seem soft and cushion-y, so that shouldn't be the problem.


/incoherent.

Yes mine is less violent.... a lot more tolerable now. I think my vibration still lies in my front wheel bearings/ old tires and prob the factory shocks.

By having the old TM in I could barely do 35mph... felt like the truck was going to come apart.

 

[RobertFord]

I'll try the bearings and shocks this weekend and report back. Hopefully that will be the end of both our vibration problems

 

[mange1234]

Looks like my 93 Explorer

Whow. Beautiful. Looks just like under the engine of my 93 Explorer.

I am really enjoying my truck and this site.

I am in the process of cutting a trapdoor to access the fuel oil pump.
After a few mistakes, I finally went to Home Depot and bought an Angle Grinder.

I now have access to the fuel tank and fuel pump. I was sorry to see the "duckkbill connectors" I have difficulty disconnecting them.

Also, Hole not large enough to get pump out. so, am going to enlarge it.

Good luck on you Explorer. I love mine.

Mike in Virginia Beach,

 

[RobertFord]

-

 

[RobertFord]

I want to remove the valve covers to see what's going on under there as the X makes a loud rattle, also, I'd like to tighten the lower intake manifold bolts. Do I need to replace all the gaskets when removing each of these parts? That way it sounds like a costly way to have a peek inside, right?

 

[Benjam]

If you are simply re-tightening,or re-"torquing" the lower intake, you do not need to replace the lower intake gasket.

However, if you pull the valve covers off you should really replace the gaskets. NO cork!!

Spend a little extra for the fel-pro perma-dry plus gaskets, you'll thank me later. Also when doing this, a little bit of rtv (silicone/gasket-maker) is recommended where the sealing surface isn't even. IE where the intake/head meet there is a crack in the sealing surface, dab rtv there.

Benjam

 

[RobertFord]

Thanks for the tips! I've been looking into a proper gasket set for the engine, as individual gaskets are not sold in the netherlands, but they run as much as USD 250! I'll have to seek for some cheaper ones stateside, I guess...

I've installed a shorter drivebelt to bypass the A/C, now I want to remove the A/C compressor and accumulator / hoses, as it did <no> cooling whatsoever anymore. I understood it is necessary to have your system properly drained, but if the A/C does not produce any cold air at all, are there still any fluids left in them? If not, I can just go ahead and disconnect all the hoses, right?

 

[RobertFord]

Well, it's been a while.

But! I've changed the front shocks, boy does that make a difference! Might go ahead and change the rear ones as well. I replaced the oil pressure switch as well, as I was getting low readings. Upon removal the old switch was totally clogged with crud. Also did a lot of minor stuff, but it's coming around pretty nicely and starts to feel more reliable.

Now, I do still have coolant disappearing on me. I see moisture under the car, but cannot be certain it's coolant. I've checked the heater core, but the box is bone-dry and contains dust, no signs of water ever having been in there. I retorqued the lower intake manifold a while back, so that should be good.

I feel I'm left with four options.
1) I need to replace the gasket for the thermostat as I didn't have one when I replaced it, it might be steaming out there (Unable to find any traces of water running)
2) Its the radiator cap, but still, no traces of steam coming out
3) Its the heads, for which I'll pull all plugs on the next chance I get.
4) Its still them hoses, but it doesn't look like it.

The underside of the engine is wet (from the crankshaft down) but it's not really water, and the engine is also not using any oil so I don't know what it is... I've checked the freeze/core plugs, but they seem to be okay. Apart from two minutes after a cold start, there are no exhaust-clouds..

any hints as to where to coolant might be going? I've been searching on this forum, but mostly it's visible leaks or the heads, which I'd rather it's not.