Well, got the woman's 96 Explorer (4.0) in good running order now. Changed oil with some Maxlife 5w30, 1qt of MMO, and a Fram Tough Guard filter. Replaced the fuel filter...what a pain. It should have been easy, but even with the tool to release the couplings, it the lines didn't wanna let go. Also replaced the PCV valve and fixed a coolant leak. If the old PCV valve is any idication, the inside of her engine should be pretty clean, but we'll see if the MMO does anything for it. Also changed the belt. That was scary, I was looking for the tensioner, and when I found it, it was all kinds of katywampus. Thing was ready to fly apart, I can't believe it was keeping any kind of tension on th belt. The amazing part is the belt only squealed a little bit first thing in the mornings, after that it didnt' make a sound. Replaced that and now she should be good for another 5,000. After this fill, I might give Mobil 1's HighMileage stuff a try. I was trying to avoid going with synthetic in hers to cut down on costs, but shes the type to start it up and take off before it even builds oil pressure, and she does a lot of idling and short runs, so this oil might be a better choice for her.
Fixed up the Ford
- Thread starter afoulk
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Sounds great! How are the plugs/wires?
Originally Posted By: afoulk
Well, got the woman's 96 Explorer (4.0) in good running order now. Changed oil with some Maxlife 5w30, 1qt of MMO, and a Fram Tough Guard filter. Replaced the fuel filter...what a pain. It should have been easy, but even with the tool to release the couplings, it the lines didn't wanna let go. Also replaced the PCV valve and fixed a coolant leak. If the old PCV valve is any idication, the inside of her engine should be pretty clean, but we'll see if the MMO does anything for it. Also changed the belt. That was scary, I was looking for the tensioner, and when I found it, it was all kinds of katywampus. Thing was ready to fly apart, I can't believe it was keeping any kind of tension on th belt. The amazing part is the belt only squealed a little bit first thing in the mornings, after that it didnt' make a sound. Replaced that and now she should be good for another 5,000. After this fill, I might give Mobil 1's HighMileage stuff a try. I was trying to avoid going with synthetic in hers to cut down on costs, but shes the type to start it up and take off before it even builds oil pressure, and she does a lot of idling and short runs, so this oil might be a better choice for her.
Should be running great after all that! Kind of cold for that amount of work, I'm glad I got all my stuff done, just before this cold snap. I'm going to let a mechanic friend service my transmission, I don't feel like messing with it now. I'm at the 30,000 mile mark since the last service so I'm due.
Well, got the woman's 96 Explorer (4.0) in good running order now. Changed oil with some Maxlife 5w30, 1qt of MMO, and a Fram Tough Guard filter. Replaced the fuel filter...what a pain. It should have been easy, but even with the tool to release the couplings, it the lines didn't wanna let go. Also replaced the PCV valve and fixed a coolant leak. If the old PCV valve is any idication, the inside of her engine should be pretty clean, but we'll see if the MMO does anything for it. Also changed the belt. That was scary, I was looking for the tensioner, and when I found it, it was all kinds of katywampus. Thing was ready to fly apart, I can't believe it was keeping any kind of tension on th belt. The amazing part is the belt only squealed a little bit first thing in the mornings, after that it didnt' make a sound. Replaced that and now she should be good for another 5,000. After this fill, I might give Mobil 1's HighMileage stuff a try. I was trying to avoid going with synthetic in hers to cut down on costs, but shes the type to start it up and take off before it even builds oil pressure, and she does a lot of idling and short runs, so this oil might be a better choice for her.
Should be running great after all that! Kind of cold for that amount of work, I'm glad I got all my stuff done, just before this cold snap. I'm going to let a mechanic friend service my transmission, I don't feel like messing with it now. I'm at the 30,000 mile mark since the last service so I'm due.
Yeah,those tensioners are a known problem. Ask me,I found out the hard way while driving down the highway and the tensioner decided it had enough
Glad she's up and running good! Make sure down the road to have the transmission flushed out,as it's another weak point in the Explorer.
Glad she's up and running good! Make sure down the road to have the transmission flushed out,as it's another weak point in the Explorer.
Originally Posted By: Troy_Built
Sounds great! How are the plugs/wires?
Funny you should mention that, it needs them. It has 101,000miles on it and i think its running on the originals yet. She doesn't have the money for them right now, and I just dropped $100 on all the stuff I did to it today. You can tell it idles a little rough, but other than that its still running ok. I'll probably service the tranny the next oil change too. She bought it with 93,000miles on it and her dad had just rebuilt the tranny in it a year before she got it at the Ford dealer he works for, so the fluid should be in pretty good shape yet, but it is starting to take on a darker shade to it. It also doesn't have that "fresh" atf smell to it anymore either.
Sounds great! How are the plugs/wires?
Funny you should mention that, it needs them. It has 101,000miles on it and i think its running on the originals yet. She doesn't have the money for them right now, and I just dropped $100 on all the stuff I did to it today. You can tell it idles a little rough, but other than that its still running ok. I'll probably service the tranny the next oil change too. She bought it with 93,000miles on it and her dad had just rebuilt the tranny in it a year before she got it at the Ford dealer he works for, so the fluid should be in pretty good shape yet, but it is starting to take on a darker shade to it. It also doesn't have that "fresh" atf smell to it anymore either.
Originally Posted By: DragRace
Yeah,those tensioners are a known problem. Ask me,I found out the hard way while driving down the highway and the tensioner decided it had enough
Glad she's up and running good! Make sure down the road to have the transmission flushed out,as it's another weak point in the Explorer.
Yeah, and they aren't all that much fun to change either. Had to do it from down below, and there really wasn't enough room for me to fit my fat hand in there between the tensioner and the fan and start the bolt. A found that if you talk dirty to it, it helps
Yeah,those tensioners are a known problem. Ask me,I found out the hard way while driving down the highway and the tensioner decided it had enough
Glad she's up and running good! Make sure down the road to have the transmission flushed out,as it's another weak point in the Explorer.
Yeah, and they aren't all that much fun to change either. Had to do it from down below, and there really wasn't enough room for me to fit my fat hand in there between the tensioner and the fan and start the bolt. A found that if you talk dirty to it, it helps
Originally Posted By: afoulk
Originally Posted By: DragRace
Yeah,those tensioners are a known problem. Ask me,I found out the hard way while driving down the highway and the tensioner decided it had enough
Glad she's up and running good! Make sure down the road to have the transmission flushed out,as it's another weak point in the Explorer.
Yeah, and they aren't all that much fun to change either. Had to do it from down below, and there really wasn't enough room for me to fit my fat hand in there between the tensioner and the fan and start the bolt. A found that if you talk dirty to it, it helps
What I've noticed is,explorers with 100,000 mile mark,all have their tensioners on borrowed time,as I bought my explorer with 150,ooo miles and yeah,it wasnt fun changing it,
afterwards help calm the anger!
Originally Posted By: DragRace
Yeah,those tensioners are a known problem. Ask me,I found out the hard way while driving down the highway and the tensioner decided it had enough
Glad she's up and running good! Make sure down the road to have the transmission flushed out,as it's another weak point in the Explorer.
Yeah, and they aren't all that much fun to change either. Had to do it from down below, and there really wasn't enough room for me to fit my fat hand in there between the tensioner and the fan and start the bolt. A found that if you talk dirty to it, it helps
What I've noticed is,explorers with 100,000 mile mark,all have their tensioners on borrowed time,as I bought my explorer with 150,ooo miles and yeah,it wasnt fun changing it,
Originally Posted By: L_Sludger
Originally Posted By: afoulk
After this fill, I might give Mobil 1's HighMileage stuff a try.
Don't!
Why not?
Originally Posted By: afoulk
After this fill, I might give Mobil 1's HighMileage stuff a try.
Don't!
Why not?
Originally Posted By: afoulk
Originally Posted By: L_Sludger
Originally Posted By: afoulk
After this fill, I might give Mobil 1's HighMileage stuff a try.
Don't!
Why not?
It won't make any difference at all in that vehicle, and the extra $20 you spend is wasted.
Originally Posted By: L_Sludger
Originally Posted By: afoulk
After this fill, I might give Mobil 1's HighMileage stuff a try.
Don't!
Why not?
It won't make any difference at all in that vehicle, and the extra $20 you spend is wasted.
I figured the extra calcium in it would really help clean things out. Its either that or I'm just gonna stick with Valvoline Maxlife (syn-blend) and just use MMO every once in awhile
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