Question 4 u ford fanactics

[Mr. Stroker]

hi every one,

i might be buying a 92 explorer soon and i have a couple of questions.

the truck is a 92 with 102,000 miles on it with alot of new parts, im buying it off of an older guy at work.

the problem is he said the trans was rebuilt around 6 months ago yet the fluid is brownish-red. its not burned but smells like motor oil. could the seal between the trans and transfer case be bad or what kind of fluid does the transfer case take?

next problem the strut rod bushings are bad and so is the cross member on the passenger side. is it common for the steel around the bushing to be gone?
and how hard is it to find and replace.

ty for any advice and i look foreward to becoming an explorer owner

 

[ExplorerDMB]

Well, a rebuilt transmission is sometimes a bad way to go -- they might not of even changed the fluid to cut down on cost. The transfer case will take some type of synthetic fluid - not sure exactly what. It is usually pretty costly. I doubt the problem you are having is with the seal on the transfercase.

I guess by Strut Bushings you mean the radius arms (connect from frame to the front TTB/axle?). These are common to go out and shouldnt be ignored. Some times the bushings can be so bad, that the metal will rub metal and eat away at eachother. There are a few threads on here about replacing the radius arm bushings. good luck!

-Drew

 

[old mechanic]

Well, a rebuilt transmission is sometimes a bad way to go -- they might not of even changed the fluid to cut down on cost. The transfer case will take some type of synthetic fluid - not sure exactly what. It is usually pretty costly. I doubt the problem you are having is with the seal on the transfercase.

I guess by Strut Bushings you mean the radius arms (connect from frame to the front TTB/axle?). These are common to go out and shouldnt be ignored. Some times the bushings can be so bad, that the metal will rub metal and eat away at eachother. There are a few threads on here about replacing the radius arm bushings. good luck!

-Drew

Just curious why you say that a rebuilt tranny is a bad way to go? What other choice do you have when your tranny goes?

 

[Mr. Stroker]

btw i can get this for $2000 so even if the trans is bad is it a good deal?

 

[Bwana Bob]

Greetings and welcome.

The transfer case takes ATF, same as the transmission. You may just need a fluid change. Even the manual transnission takes ATF, not heavy gear oil. Ask to see the warranty on the rebuilt and try to find out if the trans warranty is transferable.

It can be a lot of work to change the radius arm bushings. I had mine done for about $180. The shop took the easy way: they cut the rivets holding the cross member with an air chisel, removed the crossmember, replaced the bushings, then rebolted the crossmember using the appropriate bolts. If the metal around the bushings is rusted away, that's another story.

$1500 is the going rate for a used 1st generation explorer here in NJ.

Bob

 

[Mr. Stroker]

i have yet again found another explorer

its a 91 2 door EB with a 5-speed has 87000 miles and is for $2,500

my question is if there is any problems related to these transmissions
or is there ne problems with the heads? its supposed to have new heads
(not sure if rebuilt or new castings) is there a problem with heads i had a friend in school who had 3 sets of heads on his. not sure what was at fault though

and is this a good deal im not sure what explorers go for
ive seen some really ****ty ones go for alot more

ty 4 ne advice

 

[savant]

First gen explorers (91-94) had heads with some thin spots in the castings. Might last forever, and do in some cases. They also go boom now and then, especially if the engine overheats. OEM castings may or may not cause problems on a first gen. I just replaced mine with non-oem castings when the time came for me.

The manual tranny is made by mazda, and is a real trooper. Haven't really heard anyone complain about the reliability of the 5 speed. I love mine.

In other words, sounds like a fairly good deal, depending on the condition of the thing.

 

[Mr. Stroker]

im going to see the truck tonight

btw how much does it cost for a set of new casting heads?
do you know if the new castings are reinforced in the weak areas?

ty 4 ne advice