Want to Mod my 94 Eddie

[ReliC]

Hey all, first post!

I've owned my 1994 Eddie Bauer for about two years now, and I've finally decided to start modifying it. When I bought it ($600! A steal!), everything was stock except for the stereo head unit. The previous owner kept it maintained regularly at the dealer, which is probably why it's still in great condition. All the power options (seats, windows, mirrors, etc) still work! It has 278k highway miles, still runs great, and has treated me wonderfully. The only repairs it needed from the start were new tie rods, idle pulley, serpentine belt, and heater control valve, all of which I did myself. For those audiophiles out there, it has the factory JBL Premium Sound amp+sub (sub was blown when I bought it ). The only eyesore is that it needs a new headliner and one of the rims is missing its lug cover, but that'll come later. It also needs a new AC compressor, as the dealer told me mine was seized. 4@55 AC works fine for now :

The only issue I've noticed is that there may be a hole/leak somewhere in the exhaust system, as I ocassionally get a heck of a rattle-type sound during acceleration (usually only if I punch it). A bit off-topic, but any ideas what this could be? I've been told it could be a hole in the catalytic converter, but I haven't inspected the exhaust system that closely to try and find any holes. Other than that, she runs like a dream.

So far, the only modification I've done is to put in a new stereo HU (Jensen VM8113). The install was quite simple, although I want to redo my splices. I just spliced into the existing aftermarket wiring harness from the old HU, which had all the wires I needed. I only did pigtail splices to make sure everything worked, and I'd like to redo them as inline. Yes I know it's a hack job, but it works for me and I have no plans of selling this vehicle, I will be her final owner. The audio quality difference compared to the old HU is amazing, even running through factory speakers with a blown sub! My next steps will most likely be to remove/bypass the factory amp+sub and install an aftermarket setup. I know the speakers are 6x8".

Anyone have any recommendations for some cheap-but-decent speakers/subs/amps? My budget is pretty limited, but I know even with a cheap setup I can get much better audio quality than I'm currently getting. That and I don't mind getting down-n-dirty taking off the interior panels to do the necessary rewiring, though my existing wires seem to be working fine.

Future mod ideas include the following:
* New guage cluster
* Interior lights (i.e. neons)
* Exterior lights (i.e. Xenon headlamps, new headlight/tailight assemblies, fog lamps, etc)
* Exterior trim (i.e. chrome around doors, wheel wells, etc)
* New grill
* New headliner
* Wind/bug shields
* New exhaust system
* Anything to improve engine performance and/or gas mileage
* Rims (LAST on the list)

Also, any ideas/suggestions for some other easy/cheap mods would be great! I'm really not interested in lifting/lowering, she's just my back-and-forth-to-work and luggin'-the-kids-around truck.

TIA

 

[deamon3]

Welcome , I got a 94 eddie too.

If you want a really really cheap great sounding stereo here's what I did. I bought the little bypass cable for the amp so the factory amp/sub isn't in use anymore. I rewired the bypass cable so all four of my factory door speakers are on the "front" channel. I then took a pair of regular floor standing house speakers and put them in the back and connected them to the rear channel. I kid you not it's the best stereo I've ever heard in a car. Not only that but when you close the doors you cannot hear it outside the car so my neighbors like me. lol

The only major visual mod I did was a navajo grill and lights , teamed with a limited edition bumper and foglamps. Looks pretty good and wasn't hard to do.

 

[ReliC]

Hey all,

Been a while since my last post, and in the weeks of searching through this forum I've come to the realization that I am an utter newbie when it comes to this sort of thing. I do like to learn new things, and don't mind getting my hands dirty to do them, and the wealth of knowledge here is invaluable. Anyways, here is a list of recent things I've done to my 94 Eddie since my last post:

- Oil & filter change
- New air filter (stock rectangular filter, no cone yet)
- New plugs & wires (plugs actually looked alright, just worn. Wires were shot) * Props to whoever suggested (on this forum) turning the wheel all the way to the left to get at the PITA plug. Worked like a charm!
- Coolant system flush & fill (coolant looked like it hadn't been changed in years)
- New fuel pump relay (was having intermittent times where my fuel pump wouldn't engage when I turned the key. New relay fixed the problem)
- Seafoam into the gas tank
- Cleaned MAF sensor
- Pulled codes, got KOEO 111, then 186 & 214. Haven't done KOER yet.

I saw the biggest improvements after changing plugs & wires, and especially after cleaning the MAF sensor. Since I cleaned the MAF, my "ping" under load is GONE, and acceleration feels smoother! I've read that cleaning the MAF cleared up the ping for some, but not others. Now it's only been a few days since I cleaned it, but I haven't heard the ping yet, and it was happening just about every trip out.

Also, I pulled the codes before cleaning the MAF. So after I cleaned it, I cleared my codes (pulled the jumper during code output). After work today and for the next few days, I'll pull my codes to see if 186 and 214 are put into memory again. I had no idea pulling codes was so simple! All I needed was a paperclip :

Here is a list of mods/maintenance that will be coming in the very near future:
- New fuel filter
- Throttle cable zip-tie mod (I have a decent amount of slack, but I still need to check to see if my butterfly opens completely at WOT before I do the mod)
- Clean throttle body
- Seafoam through the intake system (thinking either the brake booster or the IAC vacuum line)
- 5.0 MAF
- Conical air intake
- New intake tube
- Replacement 6.5" subwoofer (no custom system.... yet)

Daemon3, if you don't mind me asking, how much did that grill and bumper cost? They look great.

 

[deamon3]

The grill and bumper were cheap at the junkyard. The front bumper new on the net is pretty expensive , and the grill isn't online at all you have to pull one. There's one at a junkyard nearby here if you want me to snag it.

 

[YBCold]

different interior maybe. tinted windows. i want CBs in my truck. maybe put a high output alternator. or engine dress up stuff. like billet things IDK

 

[ReliC]

After work yesterday, while still in the parking lot, I checked my throttle cable. Sure enough, I had some slack (about 0.25", she's got 280k on the clock, so it's to be expected). I put one zip-tie on, and I must say it's amazing the difference a $0.02 part can make! After work today I will be pulling off my intake to check my butterfly. With the difference in throttle response and acceleration at WOT, I'm guessing my butterfly didn't completely open at WOT, but I'm still going to check to make sure. All I know is now I have less "play" in the pedal, making it much more responsive. I also pulled my codes again and got 111 all the way around, so cleaning the MAF seems to have cleared up my KOEO 186 and 214... for now.

With the intake off, I also plan on cleaning the throttle body. I've read the best method is to remove the TB for easier cleaning. I'll be using a can of Throttle Body Cleaner (don't remember the brand, picked it up at Advance) and a wire brush. Hopefully it's not too gunked up, but it very well could be as the first air filter I changed when I bought her was in pretty bad shape.

Along with that, I'd like to Seafoam my engine. After searching the forums and reading quite a few heated debates about the best insertion point, I think I'm going to try one method I saw that feeds the Seafoam directly into the throttle body. This would make sense as the seafoam would then follow the airflow from front to back, hitting all cylinders. Perhaps I'll try a round through the TB, then a round through the brake booster vacuum line, see which one gives me more smoke : Again she has 280k on the clock. I know I've never Seafoamed her in the 2 years I've had her, and with the conditions of fluids and such when I bought her I doubt the original owner ever did either. So I should get a heck of a smoke show!

Hopefully while I'm on vacation next week, I'll be able to swing by the local scrapyard to browse. I'd like to find a 5.0 MAF from a ~93 Mustang, as I've heard those are just a simple bolt-on replacement for the stock 4.0 MAF. If I can find that I'd also like to find a 66mm TB so I can really modify the intake system, as I plan on adding a conical filter and a new intake tube. Is it best to attach the oil breather hose to the new intake, or just add a breather filter onto it? I've seen many pictures on this forum where they simply added a breather filter.

Thanks to everyone on this forum for their wealth of knowledge on all things Explorers!

P.S.: If anyone comes across a working AC compressor & clutch (1994 4.0L OHV), it'd be awesome if you drop me a PM! I'd rather not spend $600 for the dealer to fix it :
P.P.S: Daemon3 - If I don't find the Navajo bumper at the scrapyard next week, I may be interested if there's still one around in your scrapyard. I assume I'd need Navajo light fixtures too?

 

[deamon3]

When you pull a navajo front end you need the grill , lights , and the supporting plastic frame.

 

[ReliC]

Well, this weekend I finally got around to replacing my blown stock subwoofer. I found one on Amazon for $21.99; it's a Lanzar VW64 6.5" 600W (120W RMS). The install took all of 5 minutes. All I did was pop the screen out from the sub panel, which gave full access to the sub, and just did a simple remove/replace. The Lanzar sub was a drop-in replacement, no mods needed. Thanks to whoever posted the tip regarding the screen, I was all ready to start pulling my rear trim off, and that tip saved me all that hassle/time!

Getting ready for a 500+ mile road trip this week, and this sub (while not the best I've heard) definitely sounds MUCH better than the hisses/crackles/pops of the blown sub. 10+ hours each way won't be so bad now :

Hoping to find a 5.0 MAF and 66mm TB while I'm on vacation, too. I'm just itching to do my intake!

 

[ReliC]

Brake Issues

Well, we made it back home in one piece. The road trip was interesting to say the least. About two hours into the trip (in VA beach no less) my brakes started acting up, randomly pulling to either side. It felt like the calipers were sticking, and occasionally I would feel a "clunk" and the pull would straighten out. I assume that was the caliper(s) releasing. Anyways, after a little while of this I come to a red light and notice smoke coming from my front wheel wells, so I pull into a parking lot to check it out. There was a very strong burning smell, and everything was red hot. I would imagine this is from the brakes being engaged while driving. So I let her cool down for about half an hour, took her for a quick few laps around the parking lot, and everything felt fine again. We get another few miles down the road and the strong burning smell and random pulling come back. I stop at another red light and more smoke from the wheel wells. This time I decided she needed some professional attention, so we pulled into a hotel. As I'm pulling into the parking spot, the brake pedal went all the way to the floor, no resistance, my brakes were gone. Thank god they didn't go out while I was in bumper-to-bumper traffic on I-64, or while we were going over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, that would've been a nightmare.

The next morning I had AAA tow the truck to a nearby shop. As we were loading the truck onto the flatbed, we noticed brake fluid leaking all over the place. The shop diagnosed that I had blown the diaphragm in my brake booster, as well as cooked my master cylinder. Luckily they were dead that morning and got me right in. A few hours later and we were back on the road. The repair (new booster, new master cylinder, brake system flush/fill/bleed) cost just under $800, was that a fair price or did I get ripped off? Made it the rest of the way no problem (about 375 miles).

So now I'm driving around where we were vacationing (Northeast PA), and my brakes start showing the same symptoms again, I'm like WTF?! She was pulling randomly, more smoke from the wheel wells, and it felt like the calipers were randomly grabbing and letting go, so I thought it might be a pressure problem. Took it to a local shop, and they said that there was a "plug" in the brake system that "wasn't pushed in all the way", and this was causing major pressure issues in the brake system (anyone ever heard of this?). All they did was adjust that plug (for free!), and the symptoms completely disappeared. We drove around for a few days and made the 500+ mile trip back home no problem at all, and now my truck stops on a dime!

One of the first things I'm going to do is put some new brake pads on. I'd imagine driving around with the brakes engaged wore down my pads much quicker than usual, not to mention the smoke. Should I have anything else checked out (or could check out myself)? Calipers, rotors, lines, etc?

In short, the trip was fun (repairs aside), but I never got a chance to hit the local scrapyard. If anyone comes across the following at their local yard, let me know and I'll most likely buy them if the price is right (and shipping isn't too bad). Again, I have a '94 Explorer EB:
- 5.0 MAF housing
- 66mm throttle body
- A/C compressor & clutch
- Navajo grill & headlights
- Limited Edition front bumper w/fogs
- Limited Edition running boards

Thanks everyone, hope you found the story a little entertaining at least :


tl;dr - Brakes gave out, blew the brake booster and master cylinder. Repair cost $800 (new parts, good price or ripoff?). Brakes went again later on. Shop said a "plug" in the brake system "wasn't pushed in all the way" (anyone ever heard of this?). They adjusted the plug, and brakes are great now. What else in my brake system should I check? Calipers, rotors, pads, lines, etc?

 

[deamon3]

Repair cost $800 (new parts, good price or ripoff?).

Well considering you probabaly could have bough another entire explorer for 800 I would consider it a ripoff.

 

[ReliC]

Well considering you probabaly could have bough another entire explorer for 800 I would consider it a ripoff.

Yeah, that's what I was figuring, heck the truck only cost me $600 when I bought it! If we weren't under a time constraint (had to be at a wedding) and were closer to home, I would've just towed her home, ordered the parts, and did it myself. They quoted about $180 each for the booster and master cylinder (brand new), and about the same each for the labor including the brake flush/fill/bleed, so I guess I was more paying for the convenience as they did get me back on the road within a few hours. They had me kinda "over the barrel" so to speak.

Anyways, I never did get to hit the scrapyard. Was that the Limited front bumper or the Navajo grill (or both) at your local yard, Daemon3? Any A/C compressors in there too? :

 

[deamon3]

The IS a navajo grille , no limited bumpers. TOns of ac compressors , no possible way of knowing if any of them work though. These are literally just road cars that are thrown in this yard.