Didn't do any work on the Explorer but did buy some goodies for it today. Since yesterday was my birthday, I got a few gift cards and put those towards the purchase of a new stereo for the Explorer. Got a Kenwood DPX501BT to replace the factory tape deck unit in there now. Also ordered a new radio/HVAC trim bezel off eBay since mine was a little rough.

So once I get the wiring harness all spliced up, I'll be rocking some new tunes!

 

I replaced a drivers rear wheel bearing and hub today. Kind of proud of myself because while I have changed bearings in 3rd gens a bunch of times by removing the knuckles and letting someone else press them, this is the first time I have attempted to press them myself. Last year I bought a 20 ton press and finally got to give this job a go. My symptoms were loud airplane sounding growling with the feeling of being on mud tires. There was no play at all when shaking/prying on the wheel either. Once I got the old bearing pressed out, I could tell it was bad as it was rattling pretty good when I shook it. Surprisingly it came out without separating the inner race, so I got the pleasure of prying it apart to see inside. I was quite surprised to see the race in this condition. It has another spot just like it about 100 degrees from this one. You can tell it got hot from the scorch marks on the back side. It took me a while to get the knuckle in just the right position for pressing and it does take a few pieces of scrap steel to jig up just right so things don't go south when pressing in the new hub. All quiet now and saved some cash!

 

Got this all finished up this evening. I soldered the wiring harnesses together yesterday and that's about all I could accomplish then. I noticed that a piece was supposedly missing from the faceplate adapter kit so I took it back to Best Buy for an exchange but when they brought another one out, it was lacking the same piece. So I did without it. Got the faceplate/bezel secured to the unit and then had to find some screws that hold the radio into the dash frame (the originals were not there). Opted not to pay $15 per screw from the Ford dealer and found the right size screws at the local Ace Hardware.

Got everything plugged up, routed the Bluetooth mic, and fired it up...it works! I think the passenger rear speaker is bad though...I noticed it was rather faint, but I'm pretty sure it was like that before the swap.

Waiting on the trim bezel to arrive and then I'll change that out.

 

Had a wonderful time changing the valve cover gaskets, interesting how you have to remove the plenum just to remove the right valve cover after the bolts were removed. Then remove all of the rest of the wire harnesses and vacuum lines. Not finished yet, ran out of light but not mosquitoes. Replaced the plugs after destroying the plug wires which were baked on, also had to remove the EGR pipe just to be able to remove the remainder of the #4 plug boot. The inside of the engine is clean and the tensioners look good for 100k miles. First time I have seen a water heated PCV valve. Was able to get a new one from the local stealership along with a wire set, thermostat and radiator cap.
The last time I lost this much blood was at the V.A. for a check up.
I love it!

 

If you haven't already, dont forget to clean around the butterfly on the throttle body. They get filthy and mess with the idle. That intake is a Booger.

 

How's your mounty running with the new engine?

 

It is running fantastic for having 150k on it. Thanks for asking. It has developed a cold engine chain noise though now that the temps are dropping. It only rattles when the engine is cold and at idle, otherwise quiet. It's good motivation to get this engine on the stand repaired.

 

Catching up. I spend most of my time in the 6.0 forum.
Just finished up brakes all the way around, front ball joints, and passenger side hub assy replace. Then the day I finished the driver side rear window regulator broke. Just ordered a new one and waiting for it to show up.

2005 2WD Explorer 132k

 

Yesterday I received the radio trim bezel that I ordered and just switched it out this morning. The original one was in decent shape but had a couple scratches and had some paint peeling off below the radio opening. I got the replacement in much better shape than my original one. It's the fake carbon fiber looking piece.

Next on the list is another oil change and a tire rotation. Overdue on the oil slightly...rotation is coming up in the next few hundred miles.

 

Drove our 2010 from Texas to central Arkansas and lost a water pump 30 minutes away from the nearest store. I think 125k is way too soon for a pump to start spewing coolant from the snout. Only one in stock was a reman cheapo....oh boy. Got it changed with a rental tool for the clutch and hoping it at least lasts long enough to get back home. Oh I also put a new 16 pound cap on. Not the crazy 20 pounder from stock.

Update: made it back to Texas with no leaks and running great. Monitored temps with obd2 and they were rock solid. I think I will leave this reman pump in place and see just how long it lasts.

 

Put on my shackles I fabbed up



At new ride height with 3" lift shackles





Bolting shackles on

 

Tore into my old 04 Mountaineer engine. I was surprised to see a broken rear chain tensioner because this engine was quiet. #4 was the one throwing misfire codes on startup and may have been the one pressurizing the cooling system, but I don't know. None of them just look way different like other blown gaskets i have seen. The heads will eventually get sent off to a machine shop to get a full checkup/cleaning/planing or whatever they need, and I will source the correct timing tools and Ford timing components. I would have pulled the timing cover but I don't have the proper bolts for my puller to get the balancer off. Next week.

 

Another tire rotation yesterday, slightly overdue but only by 1000 miles. I can't believe that in the year I've owned this truck, I've put more mileage on it than my Mustang in the same timeframe. With the truck, I've put over 13,000 miles on it since buying it last October. For the Mustang, I've only put about 5,000 miles on it since last October.

I guess having the 'stang down for a month and a half waiting for the radiator didn't help. And the winter mess.

 

We purchased a 2002 Sport trac. It's our 2nd Explorer. We had a 96 AWD model ( similar color ) and sold it instead of fixing it and regretted doing so in favor of a newer ( 05 ) Hyundai Santa Fe. Now, while the Hyundai was a good vehicle to us, the wife never felt as safe or felt it had a proper command of the road like the old explorer did. So, we looked at a Sport Trac, and then we looked at a few others and found this one and fell in love with it. We got not only an awesome topper with it, but the hard top tonneau cover and bed extender. It has a block heater, but I can't seem to track down the actual plug on it....I assume it's somewhere on the passenger side, but I can't seem to figure out where it got routed to.

 

Last night, I modified the grille and front bumper of my '03 with the "deer mod."

Yep, crushed a deer crossing the road at 50 mph. Sucker just popped up, I had zero time to react...really didn't know it was there until impact really. Sigh.

Radiator is definitely busted as coolant was pouring out from underneath the front there...grille is crushed, bumper too, and the passenger headlight. Unknown what else is wrong under the hood as the hood release wouldn't even pop. The engine completely shut off upon impact and I had to coast off the road.

It got towed away...claim has been filed and insurance will supposedly check it out Tuesday. Guess I'll know its fate then.