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Sitcoms' 1999 Explorer Sport 4x4 SOHC v6

First Explorer; First car.

First car for a young 18 year old, hoping to last through the majority of at least his college career. She's going to go through hell, as I like to push her and Vermont winters are unforgiving on vehicles, but hopefully with some routine maintenance she can make it through it.

She's a Black '99 Explorer Sport 4x4 with the SOHC v6. Most things are stock on her currently, basically only bulbs and a new rear bumper placed on her. Hoping to touch up some of the paint/sun faded spots on the body within a few days. Below is a picture:

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Modifications will be few and far in between, due to time and funding constraints.


A new bumper was placed on, as the old one was rusting and had holes through it. Below is the before and after.


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I also will be repainting the pillars just behind the passenger's door and roof rack as they've become faded by the sun. Also debating whether I want to plasti-dip the front bumper. Some rust needs to be dealt with, just along the molding of the doors.

Another thing on the "maybe to-do list" would be about a 1" lift, nothing major but just something to give a little more stance and such.

She also is still unnamed.. Can't stick with one I like haha!
 



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So had some problems starting her recently.. was hoping it was the cold weather, but it just would not start the other day. All voltage was running correctly, etc. Finally decided to try and start while pumping the gas and she turned over, which has me thinking it's the fuel pump. Hopefully she can last until late November when I can finally get time to repair her.
 



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Before you do anything else I would check the fuel pressure.
 






Things have been rough for the explorer the past two months. Still trying to deal with the fuel pressure situation - I haven't had the time nor money to fix it.

I managed to fix a small leak in my intake today however. But now there is something electrical wrong, as my radio (Aftermarket) will occasionally just shut off while driving, and my instrument cluster lights will flicker.. but i'll keep all power and it will continue driving. Battery? Cables? Ground wire? who knows.

finally, while I was fixing that leak today I heard what seemed to be the inevitable.. I've got the timing chain rattle. It's not too loud right now, but im hoping it can last until I have the money to buy a new engine (not going through the hell of trying to fix the chains).
 






Well she's officially on her last leg. on't start if the temp is below 30ish. Can sit there, use all the starting fluid in the world, still won't start. May be the beginning of the end.
 






Things may not be as bad as I originally thought. I tweaked with a few things (Fixed another leak) and decided it was time to replace the battery. Since replacing the battery she seems to be starting fine.. Though she still does have the timing chain death rattle I think. Just hoping she lasts till I build up the funds for a replacement/rebuild.
 






Good luck. I have a 99 XLT and I have been delaying replacing the fuel pump for over a year. Truck starts fine when the weather is above freezing. But as soon as it hits around 30 or below, it's a bit of a pain to get it started. Fortunately, it has never NOT started eventually. I know the pump has to be replaced but it's usually winter when I get that reminder. Probably just cut an access through the floor as opposed to dropping the tank. One day (hopefully a nice day) I will replace it and be good to go. Good luck with yours. It's a very clean looking Sport.
 






Good luck. I have a 99 XLT and I have been delaying replacing the fuel pump for over a year. Truck starts fine when the weather is above freezing. But as soon as it hits around 30 or below, it's a bit of a pain to get it started. Fortunately, it has never NOT started eventually. I know the pump has to be replaced but it's usually winter when I get that reminder. Probably just cut an access through the floor as opposed to dropping the tank. One day (hopefully a nice day) I will replace it and be good to go. Good luck with yours. It's a very clean looking Sport.

As I posted before, brought her down to a local shop in town and he tested everything and said fuel pressure was fine but the battery was running low. Replaced it with a brand new one, but now today I went out to start her and it's the same old same old.. won't start but will crank up. I just kinda attribute this to old car + EXTREME cold (Was around 2F when I tried it).

She's fairly clean.. got her scratches and dents and her rusty rockers.. but she does what she needs to do.. most of the time.
 






As I posted before, brought her down to a local shop in town and he tested everything and said fuel pressure was fine but the battery was running low. Replaced it with a brand new one, but now today I went out to start her and it's the same old same old.. won't start but will crank up. I just kinda attribute this to old car + EXTREME cold (Was around 2F when I tried it).

She's fairly clean.. got her scratches and dents and her rusty rockers.. but she does what she needs to do.. most of the time.

Yeah, I totally understand. My truck would do the same thing in the cold weather. It would crank but not start. It never left me stranded, as usually after a few attempts, it would start. I would have to feather the gas pedal for a minute or so until it heated up.

However, since I installed the new pump and filter, the Ex has started up first try every time. And it's colder than it was when I installed the pump (talking about low single digits). The pump install went as good as I expected and the results were well worth it for piece of mind and reliability.

Edit: I replaced my fuel pump, strainer and fuel filter on Friday (Feb 12) and here is a small write up for cutting the access panel (as opposed to dropping the tank). Food for thought.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=441089
 






Yeah, I totally understand. My truck would do the same thing in the cold weather. It would crank but not start. It never left me stranded, as usually after a few attempts, it would start. I would have to feather the gas pedal for a minute or so until it heated up.

However, since I installed the new pump and filter, the Ex has started up first try every time. And it's colder than it was when I installed the pump (talking about low single digits). The pump install went as good as I expected and the results were well worth it for piece of mind and reliability.

Edit: I replaced my fuel pump, strainer and fuel filter on Friday (Feb 12) and here is a small write up for cutting the access panel (as opposed to dropping the tank). Food for thought.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=441089

thanks for posting the link. Hopefully sooner rather than later it'll get done.

Tried to start it today (Current temperature at 1:27 pm is -9F here in Vermont) and it tries to crank but you just hear the pulley & other things making screeching sounds and not really working at all.
 






thanks for posting the link. Hopefully sooner rather than later it'll get done.

Tried to start it today (Current temperature at 1:27 pm is -9F here in Vermont) and it tries to crank but you just hear the pulley & other things making screeching sounds and not really working at all.

Can you hear the fuel pump trying to prime? It's a low hummmm that comes from behind the driver side rear (from the gas tank obviously). If you can hear it hummm, then you know it's priming. What I would do when I was having the issue...I would key up the ignition (not to the point of cranking it, but to the point of being able to hear the fuel pump prime). If I heard the fuel pump prime, then I would go ahead and try to crank it. 99% of the time the vehicle would start if I could hear he pump prime. I would just keep keying up the ignition and wait to hear the pump prime. I would be good to go. I had been delaying replacing the pump for some time, mainly because I didn't want to drop the tank. However, I finally got the funds and time to do it. Haven't had a problem starting it since (knock on wood).
 






Can you hear the fuel pump trying to prime? It's a low hummmm that comes from behind the driver side rear (from the gas tank obviously). If you can hear it hummm, then you know it's priming. What I would do when I was having the issue...I would key up the ignition (not to the point of cranking it, but to the point of being able to hear the fuel pump prime). If I heard the fuel pump prime, then I would go ahead and try to crank it. 99% of the time the vehicle would start if I could hear he pump prime. I would just keep keying up the ignition and wait to hear the pump prime. I would be good to go. I had been delaying replacing the pump for some time, mainly because I didn't want to drop the tank. However, I finally got the funds and time to do it. Haven't had a problem starting it since (knock on wood).

Yup, I hear it prime and have for a while. It starts perfectly fine when it's not EXTREMELY cold, but oh well.
 






Yup, I hear it prime and have for a while. It starts perfectly fine when it's not EXTREMELY cold, but oh well.

Yeah that was the same with mine. The pump would function fine in temperatures that weren't horribly cold. The truck would start up fine as well. However, when it's extremely cold, like now, the pump doesn't work as effectively. From what I understand, the brushes in the motor wear out over time. In the extreme cold, the worn down brushes do not make a good contact, therefore the motor does not work. During the normal temperatures, the brushes make contact. This explains why the pump won't function in the extreme cold. At least this was the case in my truck.
 






Haven't posted a picture of her in a bit. Fuel pump still needs to be done and I think I've got the beginnings of the timing chain death rattle. The problem with being a college student in an extremely cold weather area - no money for parts & no where to work on her if I could! Hopefully once we get some better weather some more stuff can be done to her.
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Update: Timing chain rattle continues, and now the CEL has come one. assuming it's just an O2 sensor since it still starts and runs the same. Will have codes read soon.
 






Codes have been read, and as I guessed it's Bank 1 sensor 1, which hopefully will just require me to replace the 02 sensor there. Shouldn't be too bad. Engine will still need to be pulled for the damn timing chains though.. Also probably going to fix my rockers and dog legs as they've literally become paper thin.
 






I feel you on that death rattle. I had two 99 Sports and one 97. The 99s held up well but that damn 97 let go about 3 months after I got it. Put a used SOHC in it and that didn't even make it out of the shop the chain snapped. Put one last one in and sold the crap out of that. That broke me from getting another SOHC Sport. Sweet vehicles other than that.
 






I feel you on that death rattle. I had two 99 Sports and one 97. The 99s held up well but that damn 97 let go about 3 months after I got it. Put a used SOHC in it and that didn't even make it out of the shop the chain snapped. Put one last one in and sold the crap out of that. That broke me from getting another SOHC Sport. Sweet vehicles other than that.

I wish these SOHCs weren't so prone to it. I'm not gunna risk it with a used SOHC - I'm going to take the time and do the chains and water pump myself.
 






I don't blame you there. When I had that '97 I didn't fully understand the problem with the chains.
 



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I don't get around to posting as much as I should but a little update. All is not good.
Timing chain guides are going soon. They're so loud before the ex warms up. Literally shaking the car from the vibrating. RPMs while idling at a stop like are only at like 600ish.
Replaced Bank 1 Sensor 1 O2 to resolve CEL, and then it popped back on after about 50 miles for the second O2 Sensor.
Someone broke the glass covering my fog light on my drivers side. Either a rock popped up while on the highway and smashed it or something.

May have finally found the source of the rattling noise underneath.. Looked at one of the exhaust clamps and it was loose as all hell.
 






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