This explorer is a disaster

[dj2quick]

well, its a 1992 Explorer XLT, Teal, or whatever they want to call it, i call it teal. a billion problems with this thing, but first and foremost, is safety, the brakes just went out on this thing. ill try to explain the symptoms. ive already spent hours searching for some conclusion.


i think ive narrowed it down to the master cylinder, but id like to know what you all think.
ive had brake problems with it before, basically the same thing, but was over a year ago. and "supposedly" got it "fixed"

basically, engine started or not, with steady force applied to the brake pedal, the pedal eventually falls to the floor, no resistance and brakes go away.

i checked for leaks, didnt see any at all.

basically, what are symptoms of a failing MC, and if i take it off, how can i test it myself? thanks in advance.

 

[410Fortune]

sounds like the master cylinder has worn out its o rings or been bottomed out.

No leaks, good fluid level, calipers check out, and the vacuum booster is holding vacuum = most likely the master cyl is shot.

Slow pedal to the floor = new MC time
It s a great idea to go over the rest of the brake system at the same time, check and clean the front caliper slide pins, pads, and calipers. Check the rubber lines for cracking/swelling

 

[dj2quick]

wow, thank you, that was fast. is it difficult to replace the o rings in the mc? sorry, while im fairly experienced with many other things, im a newb to brakes.

thanks again.

 

[410Fortune]

new master cylinder
I would not attempt to rebuild myself

Stay away from cheap units from places like Autozone, Cragen, I have had good luck with Napa or Carquest hydraulic parts, Ford or a good quality rebuild.

 

[dj2quick]

well, i do have a second car, however, we are struggling to keep the explorer running, seems like every time we fix one thing, something else goes bad. for instance, first off, the 4 wheel drive never worked, i dont think it even has the correct tranny in it, sometimes the 4wd lights will come on and wierd things happen, the tach doesnt work, stuck at 3.5 and bounces around, only worked for like 5 seconds total, brakes go bad, get ripped off outrageously for a complete brake job and they still dont work, in fact, almost died, they went out right in the middle of a like.....6x6 lane intersection with tons of traffic , red light. (talk about scary) got them "fixed" again. replaced radiator, engine ran like shi#. replaced O2 sensors and patched a hole in the air intake tubing, ran great for a short while then went back to how it was, had to replace radiator again, replaced ignition coil pack, starter went bad, JUST replaced that, and now the master cylinder. and there is no room in the budget for a new master cylinder, as in, no money right now. and seeing as how its just going to be siting there, id like to go ahead and see what i can do with what i got. i think with enough research, reading, and help from you guys on here, i can figure this out myself. what can i do with this master cylinder myself that doesnt require a small loan haha.

 

[410Fortune]

So you are just getting started then!

No seriously you have come to the right place.

Believe it or not under there is a very reliable truck, this one has just been used to the point where it needs alot of work.

Time to decide if you want to keep it or get something else.
You CAN fix it, you can save alot of $$$ and do it properly with the help on this forum.

A 92 truck is 15 years old, being driven for 15 years will wear out some parts, but the 92's are also tanks. If you fix the real problems without just throwing parts at it, it can be worth keeping and rewarding, to me its better then a car payment, WAY better.

You already were right on the nose with the master cylinder/pedal problem, as long as the rest of the brake system check out and there are no leaks in the system it would be my diagnosis as well. I have replaced a few explorer MC's over the years for the same exact issue

 

[Jason94sport]

Sound like you need to learn how to fix things yourself, or get better parts or a new shop. No reason you should need to replace the same things over again. If I were you I'd dump it & stop wasting your $. My 2 cents.

 

[Positive Vibes]

You came to the right place for help. Just post up your questions before taking any action, this site has saved me thousands of dollars. And you already got 410's attention. He's good with advice a bit **** : but good! As 410 stated don't even attempt to rebuild your MC its just not worth it. If you can't afford a new one you could always snag one from the pick and pull but again you might get one that is on its last leg. Go buy a new one, I think I paid around $130 and installed it myself (with advice from 410, thanks! )

 

[dj2quick]

brakes fixed

thank you all, sorry for the late update.

it was the master cylinder. i just went and bought a new one. only 42 dollars about. and got 12 back for the core.
replacing it was a breeze. no trouble at all, but it was cold as a **** outside when i did it lol.
i bled the system and the brakes work.
i think ill still bleed them again when it warms up cause the pedals a bit spongey.
im sure theres probably a little air still in the system. ill post again on how that goes.

also, another quick question: anyone know what would make a loud clunking noise when slowly going over bumps, backing out of driveways at sharp turns, basically anything where there is a lot of suspension/steering movement? its on the right front wheel and kinda starting to bother me and i dont want anything falling apart over there while driving....or anytime for that matter!

 

[Albino 94LTD]

a loud clunking noise when slowly going over bumps, backing out of driveways at sharp turns, basically anything where there is a lot of suspension/steering movement? its on the right front wheel and kinda starting to bother me and i dont want anything falling apart over there while driving....or anytime for that matter!

Aha, search for radius arm bushings, another easy inexpensive fix.

Keep the questions coming

 

[dj2quick]

thank you! i will do that.

 

[Jason94sport]

"another easy inexpensive fix."

Not easy if it's never been done. The rivets can be a ***** to drill out.