[photo diary] My 1994 explorer

[Fordexplorerguy1]

Thanks man I actually had a ase certified mechanic that i knew personally tell me that i didnt have the ability to do a rebuild on my own... He has a 1986 Monte Carlo with the trans out and its taken him 3 years to even tear down his. But anyway all i have to deal with is an exhaust leak and Get the engine running better and ill be set. oh yeah and deal with the shifter in the trans

 

[Fordexplorerguy1]

kinda had another random idea.... I have this old shag carpet type material ill post a pic later... but I have my headliner removed because i dont like it and its just annoying.. So i have this blue cloth material and i was going to use double sided duck tape and use that as my headliner.. This is just my truck to do whatever with so i think itd be cool... or even use the confederate flag i have on my wall... thatd be cool too... what do you guys think? i mainly wanna do this to keep the inside temps down. and im too lazy to fix thee old one and if i ever sold it i would put the original back anyways..

 

[Fordexplorerguy1]

So not much has been going on with dexter lately, just been chilling where it sits... i did get it running very well actually besides the idling problem its had since i owned it... still have not gotten to fi the trans z link yet because its been raining lately. I did fix the rear tail gate and i did some work on the door panels. I went around the entire car and replaced the latch busings with rubber busings BIG difference all the doors close with one finger instead of having to slam it. here are some photos...

0408011253.jpg by Justinsdiy, on Flickr

0408011315.jpg by Justinsdiy, on Flickr
Until i fix something else....

 

[red.EDDIE.4x4]

So i have this blue cloth material and i was going to use double sided duck tape and use that as my headliner.. This is just my truck to do whatever with so i think itd be cool... or even use the confederate flag i have on my wall... thatd be cool too... what do you guys think?

I think yhe confederate or even a big pirate flag would look badass! Just make sure the size is right, you wouldn't want to get down to attaching it and realize the flag is too small for your headliner. I wouldn't use any type of tape, with heat and time the adhesive on the tape will sag and come apart. Use special headliner spray adhesive.

And where did you find the info on the door latch/lock bushings?

 

[Fordexplorerguy1]

I think yhe confederate or even a big pirate flag would look badass! Just make sure the size is right, you wouldn't want to get down to attaching it and realize the flag is too small for your headliner. I wouldn't use any type of tape, with heat and time the adhesive on the tape will sag and come apart. Use special headliner spray adhesive.

And where did you find the info on the door latch/lock bushings?

I probably will do the confederate flag, And the door busings i just kinda did on my own all but 2 were missing so i just took some thin walled rubber hose and slid it over them all. it allows for less play in the door and you can close it with one finger. i can post pics if you want..

 

[Fordexplorerguy1]

trying out the low range :

0205011422.jpg by Justinsdiy, on Flickr

Restored paint up top the right is the old the left is it repaired.

0130011659.jpg by Justinsdiy, on Flickr

downsized_0129011254.jpg by Justinsdiy, on Flickr
I think it looks good without the front damper...

0211010726.jpg by Justinsdiy, on Flickr

0303011735.jpg by Justinsdiy, on Flickr

took care of the holes on the bottom... and painted over them.
these are old pics like 2 months old... just thought id post them

 

[Fordexplorerguy1]

Big update! i was going to fix my truck but instead i worked on my garage and....

0412010005.jpg by Justinsdiy, on Flickr


I HAVE A PLACE TO PUT MY TRUCK! and somewhere to work on it!

heres a pic of a grand am in the garage....

0411012133.jpg by Justinsdiy, on Flickr
its like 5 in longer so my truck will fit with little or no problem! just gotta fix the reverse


till then!

 

[Fordexplorerguy1]

0411011654.jpg by Justinsdiy, on Flickr


oh and heres what it looked like when i was cleaning it out...

 

[Fordexplorerguy1]

Well today i got my shop cleaned up more so my truck will fit and....

0412011647.jpg by Justinsdiy, on Flickr


guess where dexter is?

0412011648.jpg by Justinsdiy, on Flickr FOUND IT! I had to drive over the curb with no reverse and i almost ran out of gas but i got it there!

after i put it there i decided to pull the pan too... I came to a conclusion that when i filled the trans i didnt pre fill the tc so I didnt have enough fluid which explains why my truck slipped real bad.. Im letting it drip overnight and tomorrow ill get under it and fix the shifter. Also the fluid smelled new and there was no clutch material in the pan too! yay! : So as soon as i can afford to buy more fluid and gas ill be able to drive dex for the first time since like october of last year

 

[Fordexplorerguy1]

Good thing my shops clean..... So i fixed my trans sorta. It chugs in and out of reverse and park and reverse are backwards on the collum. And to make things worse i dropped a bolt into the lower intake.... so i have to take the lower intake off Grrrr

 

[Fordexplorerguy1]

good news i got the bolt out... it was resting in the head of the drivers side manifold.. Cleaning all the intake parts now.

 

[FrdExp92]

on a scale of 1-10 how hard was the tranny rebuild? My 92 just began having a tranny problem yesterday. When I drive it to bout 25mph it wont shift, then it finally will, then it does it again around 40-45mph but shifts a little easier. Really worried as i dont have the money to have a shop fix it.

 

[Fordexplorerguy1]

so you are having a 1-2 flare and a 3-4 flare? eh a tranny rebuild is not too bad id say its about a 8 or a 9 .. it just takes time... if you really want to rebuild it Get the master rebuild kit off of ebay. Also whenever you rebuild a trans use a new torque converter... i lucked out because i managed to flush my converter out with consecutive fluid changes. also read glaciers manual on how to rebuild the a4ld. But in your case it sounds like a solenoid to me and the governer. both are easy to get to without removing the transmission.

 

[Fordexplorerguy1]

well for a while now i have been thinking about pulling the lower intake plenum and cleaning it out real good... due to dropping a bolt down the intake it gave me the perfect chance. Not too hard.. just a lot of spaghetti to put back..
i also managed to break one of the intake gaskets.. no biggie some red rtv fixed that. here are the pics-

0415012203.jpg by Justinsdiy, on Flickr
pulled all the intake out

0417011625.jpg by Justinsdiy, on Flickr

dirty valve cover :

0416010149.jpg by Justinsdiy, on Flickr

Cleaned intake! compared to before this thing is awesome!

0418011257.jpg by Justinsdiy, on Flickr

for some reason that looks awesome to see a clean part on such a grimy engine bay... Need to clean that.. but i found a good way to clean really greasy and grimy parts... I filled up my sink with hot water and just poured dish detergent (the cascade powder) and it literally melted through most of the grease! and i used a tooth brush too.

 

[wood1]

I would do the same thing, I've been seen washing pistons in the kitchen sink... looks great.

 

[Fordexplorerguy1]

thanks man I wish i coulda gotten it cleaner but i only have so much patience to sit there with a brush

 

[Fordexplorerguy1]

thought this was kinda interestin ... this is our other car a 2002 grand am owned since new... and the other day i took this..

0417012040a.jpg by Justinsdiy, on Flickr

 

[Fordexplorerguy1]

So besides my truck needing to have its engine all put back together... I have a couple problems with it... The first its the front windshield... the black outer part is peeling up on both sides... anyone have that happen?

0412011949.jpg by Justinsdiy, on Flickr
it doesnt leak so im not that worried. the second is this...

0413011626.jpg by Justinsdiy, on Flickr
the back right body mount. All the rubber was gone and when i tried to remove it i would up breaking it seen in the pic above. My question, where can you get that nut and bolt? will i have to get one from a junker or do i have to get a new one?

 

[Fordexplorerguy1]

Well good news! my engines all back together! my new problem is i have to remove the trans again.. somehow park and reverse got switched
anyways this fri my buddy brandon is going to help me pull it again and this time my explorers in a garage so it wont be that bad

 

[Fordexplorerguy1]

Well Im procrastinating till wed when i can borrow some jack stands... so i decided to pull the bumper off, found a lot of sand. And i took the mounting plate that attaches to the actual bumper off....

downsized_0424011719.jpg by Justinsdiy, on Flickr they were both rusted to the point i didnt feel safe using them. one of them i could actually bend with my bare hands so i got one plate separated its down to the other one and the bolts are rusted on. and the heads are stripped so i guess ill end up cutting them. I got some stiff angle iron im going to use in its place Im supprised the bumper held on.