I deliver news papers once a week in my 1997 ford explorer 4x4. about 2 mths ago it started making a grinding noise from the front when ever it hit 50mph. I have taken it to several mechanics. one of them told me it was the idle pully so i had that changed. still made the noise a couple days ago a friends husband said it sounded like the clutch fan. he told me to accelerate when the truck made the grinding noise(instead of hitting the brake like i had bin doing) and that if it stopped at around 60mph then it was. I took the truck out and did what he told me. when the grinding started at 50mph i accelerated to 60mph and it stopped. i went to turn the truck around to go home and when i put it in reverse it made the same grinding noise it had only previously done at 50mph, and the truck wouldnt go anywhere. the engine didnt even sound like it was reveing. i put the truck in drive the noise stopped and the truck goes forward with no problem. when i got home and went to put the truck in park took my foot off the brake it still rolls forward. thank god for emergency breaks! can anyone please help?

 

Only thing I can say is that sounds like something in your transmission. It is possible that your shifter linkage is off a bit and that's why it won't engage the park pawl, but other then the transmission i can't think of anything else

 

last part of the post does make it sound transmission related, but i sure dont see what that has to do with 50 MPH or the fan pulley.... you need better analysis or description of the problem. get another drivers opinion, preferably a mechanic.

 

How many miles on the 97 Explorer? My Bro-in-law,,had a 97 Explorer,,,had 250 K on it and ran Great,,only issue he had with it was the transfer-case,,something went bad in there,,,had it replaced,,,sold it for $3k,,was in good condition!

 

it has 156,000 miles on it.

 

are there any lights that come on when it happens? an have they checked the sensors in it to see if that might be it? does it smoke or leak anything?

 

no lights, leaks or smoke.

 

What engine, and what transmission? Is it the 4.0L OHV V6, 5.0L V8 or 4.0L SOHC V6? Better yet, look at your VIN. What is the eighth digit of the VIN? Is it a P or E? So, you're saying if you select D, the truck moves forward without issue, but if you select R the truck DOES NOT move backward, correct?

 

Has someone ruled out wheel bearings? I've also experienced a failed transfer case in a 1998 Explorer V6. That one though would pop and bang under light loads like accelerating normally up a 3% grade. Over time it started to get worse. Prior to removing the TC the u-joints were replaced with no change other than a slight improvement in fuel economy. Dissassembly of the transfer case didn't show anything obvious, but a used TC from the salvage yard fixed the issue.

-Rod

 

Sounds like 2 separate issues..........A belt driven item making the noise, and maybe the MLPS? switch on the transmission shift assembly.

 

Have the Flex plate checked, My 1993 ford exp. with a 4L v 6 was always cracking the flex plate, that seemed to happen after i had the transmission repaired/Replaced, it was never the same after that, also it could be your lock up torque converter going bad, have a trans shop check it out, hope that helps, Chellie

 

the letter is an "E" and its a 4.0L

 

Okay, so we know it's a 4.0L SOHC V6 with a 5R55E transmission. What is the issue with the truck currently? Does the truck fail to move in REVERSE, or in DRIVE, or BOTH?

 

only moves in drive when u shift to reverse make the same grinding noise it had only when hitting 50mph before and wont go in park

 

Assuming the vehicle fails to move when REVERSE is selected, it sounds like the Low/Reverse band has broken. I'm not a transmission tech, but I know this is a pretty common failure on this particular transmission. Depending on how much you want to spend, you may be better off putting in a used boneyard transmission in it to get you by, because the amount of money it will cost you to remove and overhaul your transmission will likely far exceed what it's worth putting into a vehicle of that age.