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:

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.

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!

 

[Sitcoms]

Billet Grill Installed.

 

[Sitcoms]

Light bar (22 inch) installed behind the grill.

 

[Sitcoms]

Might be getting to the end of the Explorer. Timing chains still rattling, who know how long they'll last. Power Door Locks have completely gone on all doors. Unlock/Lock button doesn't work at all, neither on my key fob or the doors themselves. When you hit lock twice the horn sounds but the doors do not actually lock. Also, because of this problems, I can't open my back hatch. The key will go in, but will not turn the lock at all, and I need that back hatch badly.

 

[Sitcoms]

So there's a broken wire somewhere that's causing the fuse for my power door locks to blow every time. I just don't have the time to fix it right now.
Still one hell of a squeak when turning right at all though. Not sure what it is.

 

[FPGT24]

This "hard start/no start" issue is 100% your intake plenum gaskets, a NOTORIOUS issue with the 4.0 SOHC V6 in the 97-01 years. I'm surprised no one has said that yet. I've owned over 50 of them and I've had several that had the no start/hard start in cold weather and rough idle once started, it was always the intake plenum gaskets leaking. Replace them and your motor will start like new. It's not a hard job at all. And as far as the chain death rattle, using synthetic oil (I usually use Supertech synthetic) along with Lucas oil stabilizer and Motorkote will all greatly extend the life of the chains and tensioners.

 

[chefduane]

FP, you beat me to it! The SOHC upper/lower intake manifold gaskets are known to shrink over time and eventually not maintain the plenum seal. In cold weather they remain shrunk and you will throw a vacuum code. Symptoms are hard cold starts and rough idle - if she remains running at all! Heck, I'm in DFW and was getting hard cold starts. Man, it gets down to upper 20's here occasionally! Brrrrr!! Changed the upper AND lower mani gaskets and all was fine. No more hard starts or rough idle.

I also have some chain rattle, not real bad tho. I did find some cassette guide chunks in my pan. See attached pix.
I have been running Mobil-1 full syn with a Mobil-1 Extended Performance filter. 211k miles so far and about 15k since
I found the guide cassette damage.

View attachment 91887

View attachment 91888

 

[Sitcoms]

@FPGT24 and @chefduane thanks for the info guys. I've been running full synthetic since I got the truck, and I've had the rattle for nearly 8k miles now, still running, at least as of now.

And I didn't even know about the issue with the manifold gaskets. I'll have to look into it when I get some more time (My classes just started up for the semester). Anyways, as I said, thanks for the info guys!

 

[Sitcoms]

I've really neglected and haven't put much towards the Explorer since I got back to school. Only put probably 250 miles on it since the beginning of September, just haven't really needed it and when I do use it, it's just for the 15-20 minute ride into town. Timing chain guides are slowly getting louder, not a good sign, but overall she's still running.

 

[Sitcoms]

Just as @FPGT24 said, continued hard start/no start in cold weather has reared it's ugly head back up. Looks like I'm going to have to do those plenum gaskets ASAP, I can't not have a vehicle up here in Vermont for the winter.

The Explorer might be getting sold soon though.

 

[Sitcoms]

Has surprisingly started well, but it's really getting time to move on. But for now, a picture of explorers doing explorer things.

 

[Mike65]

Sitcoms, what I do on cold mornings when the chains would make more noise I will crank the engine a few times in short bursts & then start it & I notice it almost if not always quiet on start ups.

 

[Sitcoms]

Sitcoms, what I do on cold mornings when the chains would make more noise I will crank the engine a few times in short bursts & then start it & I notice it almost if not always quiet on start ups.

It has been surprisingly good this winter! These Vermont winters are harsh, and we've had quite a few days well into the single digits and below, and she hasn't really given me too many issues starting up - and it seems to be an intermittent thing with the chain guides rattling.. Some days they're REALLY loud and will stay like that until I drive 30-40 minutes, and other days they're quiet right on first crank and startup.

 

[Sitcoms]

Anyone know what could cause this following problem:

Has had timing chain rattle for ~ 15-20k miles or so. Not sure if relevant to the problem.

Had been driving my usual drive back to my school - about a 4 hour drive.
Was running how it normally does for about 2/3 of the ride, however, about 45 mins from my destination, there was what felt like really hard downshifts/shifts in general as I entered an area where the speed limit drops from 70 to 45 gradually. I thought, maybe for some reason I had accidentally shifted too far & put it into 2, rather than drive. I puled over, and put the truck in park, and moved it back over to drive. Then the truck started sputtering, and was almost like revving itself between 700ish and 1300ish RPM. I try pressing on the gas (back in park) to see if I could rev the engine, and it got to about 2000 rpm before the truck just died - CEL and battery light come on. I try starting it a few times - and again that same sputter/revving between 700 and 1300. Everytime you step on the gas, it sputters out and dies again. I pop the hood and tried the same, only this time manually doing it with the throttle.. and same result.
I finally remember I have starting fluid in my kit in the back, grab a can of that, spray it in, and start her back up. I go back to using the throttle, and she's running slightly better. She was started and I was able to make it to my destination, and she rode fine as long as I stayed at about 65-70+.

Got into the parking lot, checked everything out, and it looked, sounded, and performed as per usual. Any idea what could've happened/is happening? Are those timing chain guides finally going?

 

[Sitcoms]

Well, I think this is the end. I can't get it started at all. Starting fluid, doesn't matter.. won't stay running. Will probably have it towed into town at some point this week and have someone tell me if it's even worth it to fix. I'll probably be looking to sell my taillights soon.

 

[Greg Kosmo]

Damn best of luck to ya Sitcoms, hopefully it's good news back from the shop. Wish I had some suggestions, if she is a goner I'll sell ya my SOHC so I have a reason to do a 5.0 swap... haha. On a side note, Rhode Island looks pretty sweet! Probably more elevation in that one pic than the entire state of Nebraska

 

[Sitcoms]

Damn best of luck to ya Sitcoms, hopefully it's good news back from the shop. Wish I had some suggestions, if she is a goner I'll sell ya my SOHC so I have a reason to do a 5.0 swap... haha. On a side note, Rhode Island looks pretty sweet! Probably more elevation in that one pic than the entire state of Nebraska

Haha, I still haven't had her towed down - I'm a full time student, so it's rough!

And maybe not quite! Rhode Island is pretty flat - That picture is from Vermont - I go to college up there!

 

[Greg Kosmo]

I'm a full time student, so it's rough!

I hear ya man, I just got done myself.

And maybe not quite! Rhode Island is pretty flat - That picture is from Vermont - I go to college up there!

Well what can I say, I didn't major in geography... still cool though!

 

[Mike65]

Sitcoms, so sorry to hear of the problem with your Explorer. Hope you get it fixed & it is not to major a repair.

 

[Sitcoms]

Sitcoms, so sorry to hear of the problem with your Explorer. Hope you get it fixed & it is not to major a repair.

Had it towed down to the shop - ICV needed to be replaced, and had them clean the throttle body & put in new battery terminals. Starting right up now!

 

[Mike65]

Good thing it was not anything major.