Traded my Jeep for an X, got some quick tech ?'s

[ANMAN]

Got out of my 93 GC into a 98 XLT, ran through the search engine here, GREAT site!, but I can't seem to weed out some things.

Fourth day I had it, there was INTENCE SCREECHING from the right rear...believed it to be a rock in the brake or something, it went away, but this was WAY too loud for the brake "Squealer"(any ideas???).

This my be COMPLETELY unrelated but later in the day I noticed that accelerating from a stop in a turn, my rear tire/s will spin on pavement making an annoying tire spinning on rocks noise. Is this normal? (This is my first AWD, instead of 4x4) a sharp turn will give me some tire noise...do I need to rotate tires or something?

Any classic oil leaks I should know about? I get burning oil smell outside.

As a minor item, what's up with the gas pedal? It's far from the classic rotating pad on a metal lever, this thing is like a crow bar 'J' but with the tip cut off...and with gobs of low end torque on the 5.0 (which I am still getting used to) No matter how soft I try, it always seem to sink FAST lol and I accelerate hard. Can I change that? I got a big size 13 with work boots on half the time, I am helpless!

I am getting a louder than usual front suspension *thump* when i go over the perfect partially buried rock as well as other quieter thumps from other bumps. Is this normal???

I searched long and hard on the AIRBAG LIGHT, I got an OBD 2 sensor, it pulls nothing, but the light comes on and I have NO under seat controller/yellow wires because it's a 98. Is there a simple fix? (Other than a postage stamp size piece of electrical tape. lol) or do I start deciphering blinky codes?

Turns out this ride was NOT maintained...I have seen bad air filters, but this was more dirt and leaves than filter + The antifreeze was BLACK probably factory At 145,000 miles! Should I start draining/replacing fluids everywhere? Or am I being paranoid?

Any help will be appreciated, thanks!

 

[RangerX]

Turns out this ride was NOT maintained...I have seen bad air filters, but this was more dirt and leaves than filter! + The antifreeze was BLACK probably factory! At 145,000 miles!! Should I start draining/replacing fluids everywhere? Or am I being paranoid?

I would check/change everything you're capable of doing. Not paranoid at all.

As for everything else, I can't help, sorry! I don't know later models or AWD, but if you're patient, people who do know will chime in. Weekends here are slower.

Welcome to the board, glad you like it.

 

[AlanGoering]

hey, i have a 98 XLT and sometimes I get a intense screech from my brakes too. I was told it is dirt in there. When taking a corner the outside tire has to cover more distance than the inside tire so one peels out a bit if you have a limited slip or a locker, my 98 came stock with a limited slip but I put a real locker in there. It always lays one tire in corners even before I went to a real locker and had my limited slip in. I also suggest changing the oil at least. good luck with the new truck. You will get addicted to modding your truck if you stay on this site very long. Everyones truck here makes me feel bad about mine so I am obligated to make it cooler all the time when I read about new things they have or did.

 

[CDW6212R]

Quote: "...Turns out this ride was NOT maintained..."
I think you just learned more about your truck than anyone except the previous owner can tell you.

Assume that everything needs servicing. Change all of the filters. Drain and replace as much of the brake and steering fluid as you can. Use the best quality brake and power steering fluid.

Check the brakes, including the parking brake. If the parking brake is weak, you may have to change those special pads. Clean under the hood with an engine degreaser, using a normal water hose sprayer. Add fuel system cleaner with the next couple of tanks of gas. Make the first fuel additive one of the more expensive types. You are hunting water, as well as trying to clean injectors, etc.

Do all of the big maintenance stuff, before trying to diagnose all of the symptoms that you have. When you get the chance, use the search feature to find subjects of interest. Welcome and good luck,
Don

 

[ANMAN]

Hey thanks for the input.

Got the oil+filter changed and the coolant flushed.
As to looking onto bigger and better things, I do get a whine from the engine, and from what I have heard from explorers driving by it's not to uncommon. Perhaps it is a power steering pump? I am worried the person before me may have put in the wrong type of oil, that's classic.

For another question, I may be putting in new shocks, replacing the old aftermarket ones installed. If I am messing around in there, is there any cheap/easy way to install a lift?

Also, it's time for new tires. I am really not in love with the teardrops, and with this standard lug pattern, I wonder with some spacers, I could throw on some pull offs from a Lexus! lol they are remarkably cheap on ebay (too bad the 2005 F150 pull offs don't fit, get a full set for under $400!). Any input would be gladly accepted.

 

[410Fortune]

Your bolt pattern should be 5 on 4.5" circle.

You can do a simple torsion bar twist and shackles in the back for approx 2" of suspension lift.

The 5.0L V8 power steering pump is not knows for it's whine, but it is possible thats the source of the whine. With the rack and pinion and AWD it is a great idea to flush and fill the PS system like once a year (I'm a maintenece freak)

Welcome to the wonderful world of the Explorer! Jeeps are great on the end of tow straps hahahahaha just kidding of course.

 

[BuffaloXplorer]

I am getting a louder than usual front suspension *thump* when i go over the perfect partially buried rock as well as other quieter thumps from other bumps. Is this normal???

More than likely you'll need to replace your torsion bar adjusters - you're probably due if nothing else has been done @ 145k.

For the airbag light, it blinks out a code when you start your truck - record the code and search it out here.

Good luck!

 

[CDW6212R]

I am curious about those torsion bar adjusters. I replaced my bars, to get the stiffest "B" bars. My adjusters have no kevlar pads on them. I do not believe that they ever did. They look fine, unmarked, and undamaged.

The idler pulleys are common to go bad. Unless you know that they are new, buy a new belt, and the two idler pulleys. Check the AC clutch bearings when you have the belt off, as well as the power steering pump.

If the power steering fluid does not look perfect, you might consider draining all of it. I won't start another argument here, but I believe that only power steering fluid should be used in a power steering system, especially one with a rack and pinion. Forgive me, but I don't care what the manual says. Use power steering fluid, and add an additive by Lubeguard. It's great stuff. Good luck,
Don

 

[ANMAN]

Wow thanks for all the info. Been sifting through the website for other things I should do/install, one was a transmission cooler...

when I went to examine the underside of the vehicle before I purchased it, I already had one! I was initially worried that it was stock and the cheap low pressure tubes used were a sign of a metal line being cut, then replaced after a transmission replacement/overhaul.

SO maybe my transmission has never been pulled, and if there's an aftermarket cooler, perhaps there was more maintenance performed on it than I thought...but should I still be worried about the rubber hoses to the cooler?


hah jeeps at the end of a tow hook...I live in the Champlain Valley in Vermont, it's all clay and if you're lucky blue clay bubbles up in spots. The problem here with the trails on our farm (Which has 1000 acres of swamp) is that they're either too easy, or just way over the top impossible where you'd have to be more BOAT than truck. Seriously, take an 5' stick and sink it all the way into the ground this time of year. Just don't go through any reed canary till July. And definitely don't walk through the mud or you'll be atleast 20 pounds heavier!

 

[Mountaineer97TM]

You should have a transmission cooler with the V-8 5.0 AWD. They come stock.

 

[BuffaloXplorer]

I am curious about those torsion bar adjusters. I replaced my bars, to get the stiffest "B" bars. My adjusters have no kevlar pads on them. I do not believe that they ever did. They look fine, unmarked, and undamaged.

Thinking more about it, i believe that i read somewhere that 98+ had the pad on the housing as opposed to the adjuster itself. I'd look into it more within that provided thread, maybe someone had a fix...then again, it could be something else completely.

 

[CDW6212R]

Thinking more about it, i believe that i read somewhere that 98+ had the pad on the housing as opposed to the adjuster itself. I'd look into it more within that provided thread, maybe someone had a fix...then again, it could be something else completely.

Interesting, at the time I didn't know that there was supposed to be any "pad."
I was concerned with removing the tension from the bars.

The factory trans coolers have rubber lines from just in front of the engine, to the cooler. The important thing is that the steel lines do have a lip to keep the rubber hoses from blowing off. Just be certain that the hose clamps are tight. Don't make them too tight, but they often are relatively loose after 75,000-150,000 miles.
Don

 

[SoBeLover]

I live in the Champlain Valley in Vermont, it's all clay and if you're lucky blue clay bubbles up in spots. The problem here with the trails on our farm (Which has 1000 acres of swamp) is that they're either too easy, or just way over the top impossible where you'd have to be more BOAT than truck. Seriously, take an 5' stick and sink it all the way into the ground this time of year. Just don't go through any reed canary till July. And definitely don't walk through the mud or you'll be atleast 20 pounds heavier!

Hi there! I know all about the clay in the Champlain Valley. I was up there this past August for the 4 Wheel Jamboree and our club found some trails to go wheeling, there were lots of mud and water pits. check out these pics from our trip, especially the group picture http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=124975&page=5.

I'd like to welcome you to join our club, New England Explorers. We're a small group but we have a lot of fun. Here's the membership information if you're interested. http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=141908

Welcome and see you around the site

 

[410Fortune]

You might be the smartest person I have ever met on this forum

Enjoy the X