I would appreciate any help at all. I am about 2 days away from taking a trip to New York (2 hours) to finalize a deal on a 1997 Expedition XLT with the 4.6L engine. From the pictures the interior looks clean but its hard to tell from the exterior pictures, they say it is nice. Anyway, what are problem areas for these vehicles and what types of things should i particularly look for. It has 80,000 miles on it and I have never owned a SUV or truck before (currently have a 88 T-Bird Turbo Coupe). What are some prices for replacement or repair on drivetrain components or a transmission. Also what kind of towing capacity should I expect from this Expedition, with and without a towing package, and is there a way to tell if it does or doesn't have a towing package. Also, any tips for testing out the 4WD, I know nothing about it (I think it is 2WD, AWD, 4H, and 4L), all I know is a RWD T-Bird isn't cutting it in the snow. I am sorry for all the questions at once and I appreciate your help. Thanks.

 

if it is the automatic 4wd there will be no was to force 2wd, it runs 2wd until the back slips and then it engages 4wd, many members here do not like that system and prefer the 2wd, hi4, lo4 version

just make sure you drive it and are happy with the 4.6, i drove a couple 4.6 expy's and i am glad i went with the 5.4 instead.

i would just see if there are any service records and if not be prepared to drop a few hundred for some flushing and possible a timing belt

good luck and welcome to the boards!

 

A 1997 has 2wd available. That is the normal mode to use.

To test the 4wd, get into a parking lot and turn it to 4wd...you should see the dash light turn to 4x4...turn the wheel and drive forward a bit. It should groan, and you should 'feel' the front wheels binding through the steering wheel. Then, straighten the wheels out and stop for a minute. Shift to N, step on the brake and hold it, and turn the dial to 4Low. Now, you should hear a soft clunk, and the 4x4 and Low Range lights should illuminate. Shift to drive, and it should now move far slower, but take more effort to stop. THen, step on the brake and hold it, shift to N, and turn the selector back to 2wd.

Towing with a 4.6? Depends on gear ratios and whether it has any towing package. I'd say the reasonable max is going to be under 5,000.

You can look through this BBS and the 4.6/5.4 Modular Engines BBS on the Ford Truck Enthusiasts page for more info on common problems. I'd look at all of the fluids, see how the tranny feels, etc.

Check function of all power accessories, make sure it has the 3rd seat (if equipped), etc.

I'm not sure what else to tell you. You can always post questions you have.

 

Good advise from the above posts - I too am glad I got the 5.4L. As for tow package, check the hitch for info on "class" of hitch (i.e. Class I, II or III). Should be a lable on the frame of the hitch somewhere telling you that info. Also, if you are going to tow you MUST have a tranny cooler if you want a reliable transmission. It will have this if it has a factory tow package. Some people add a hitch after the fact but do not add the cooler...big mistake. Cooler is mounted up front with radiator - may need to follow cooling lines to/from tranny to verify it's the tranny cooler and not evaporator for a/c or some other cooler.

I would also crawl under the truck and really check for leaky seals or gaskets. Check rear diff, tranny, xfer case and general engine areas for leaks.

And one more thing...if it has the air suspension (LLS) be prepared for problems. I just converted mine to coil springs after smoking 3 compressors in the last 15K miles.

Good luck!

 

Thanks alot for the responses, and the detailed 4WD engaging description. Does the 4.6 have a timing belt or two belts or a chain, and if so how hard is it to change yourself. I have done one on my 4 cyl turbo engine SOHC. For towing, if it is not equipped with a towing package, is the only thing needed a hitch and a tranny cooler. Also how hard would it be to add a tranny cooler. I am sure you guys haven't had to do this because you've bought the Expedition the way you wanted it, but I have found a good deal on one or at least what I think is a good deal and if I would want to tow I would like to know my limitations and/or what I would need to do to make it able to tow if it doesn't have the towing package and knowing I am already at a disadvantage with the 4.6L for towing. My thoughts about towing are either if I'm lucky a racecar or a boat, that would be the kind of weight I am talking about. Also I drive a 5 speed manual tranny so I am not really used to how the tranny would feel in this large of a vehicle, is there any dead givaways that could show tranny problems. Should it shift hard or mush in between gears or somewhere in the middle of those. Also, how can I easily detect the air suspension system is it coils up front and leafs in the rear if it is not the air ride, and sometype of airbags on all four corners if it is the air ride. Thanks again for the help, I am trying to figure out if getting this Expedition for my majority of driving or bad weather driving and trying to eventually get an 05 or maybe later Mustang is a good idea, or whether i should just get a beater for the bad weather. Thanks.

 

The 4.6 and 5.4 each use two timing chains. Special tools are required to lock the cams and crank in place during a chain swap. Non-air suspension uses steel coil springs in the rear, air suspension uses airbags in the area where a coil spring would be located. Trans shifts should be smooth, car-like, with no mush or engine racing during shifts.

As the factory towing package consists of the receiver hitch, trans cooler, and trailer lighting harness, you shouldn't have any difficulty duplicating the capabilities of the package. However, I would advise you that the 5.4 engine, in addition to being more powerful, comes with a stronger rear axle and transmission. In terms of driveline strength (not frame strength), think of a 4.6 Expedition as akin to a F-150 pickup, the 5.4 as akin to a F-250. pickup.

 

Air suspension - besides the above info you can also look for an on/off switch on the passenger side kick panel under the dash.

Adding a tranny cooler is not too difficult if you are somewhat handy and have tools. When towing, never use the overdrive gear (unless going downhill) to save wear and tear on your tranny.

 

Everyone thanks alot, your information has definitely helped me out. This seems like a smart and responsive forum and I appreciate that (one similar has helped me out with my Turbo Coupe). I just have one more question, in comparing a 4.6 driveline with a F-150 and a 5.4 driveline with a F-250, what is the max towing with a F-150 or 4.6 driveline, FarmLaw metioned earlier under 5,000 lbs just trying check its limitations, would 4,800 lbs be to much? Thanks again.

 

These might be helpful:
1999 Expy Specs

which lists towing capacity as 6K.

And also:

1999 Expy Review

Which lists towing capacity for a 4x4 4.6L expy at 5.5K. This assumes that you have 1 person in the truck, 1/2 tank of fuel, perfect conditions, and a complete disregard for frontal area (drag) from the trailer.

So the answer is: yes, with 4800#, you will be within vehicle specs provided that you keep your vehicle loading down (not load the truck itself with tons of luggage/passengers/etc.). With 7 passengers, their luggage, a roof rack, and a 4800# trailer, you'll be outside of the specs.

As a practical matter, will the 4.6L pull a 4800# trailer? Assuming that it isn't 20' tall and 10' wide with a flat front, yes. Will it be a racecar? Nope. Will it downshift to 2nd going up steep grades? Yup. WIll you occasionally have to drive slower than you want to? Probably. Will it "work"? Yeah...it will work. And if you are nice to your Expy, it will take care of you. Proper maintenance and some common sense while towing will go a long way. As previously mentioned, you're gonna need a tranny cooler, and an oil cooler wouldn't hurt either. Towing ability will also depend in great measure on what gear ratio the expy has in the axles.

To see if it has the factory tow package, there are 2 simple tests:
1. It will have a factory receiver hitch on it (i.e. no "U-Haul" or "Draw-Tite" or other mfr stickers on it).
2. It will have an oil cooler and tranny cooler. Look through the grill openings at the radiator. If you can see the whole radiator--no tow package. If you see what look like 2 little (maybe 1' square) radiators in front of the big radiator, it has the tow package. Those are the tranny and engine oil coolers.

Every review you read about Expys says get the 5.4L if you can. I stand behind that recommendation. That said, a lot of guys have good luck with the 4.6L, and I have no reason to doubt them. If you find a nice one, and it is what you can afford, I'd go for it. Just realize that, if you want the truck to last, you'll have to occasionally surrender a bit of towing speed for vehicle longevity.

With all of that in mind, here's the big disclaimer: my advice on what you can and cannot tow may or may not jive with Ford's advice. To be legal, stay within Ford's limits, and the vehicle's GVWR, GAWR, etc. A trailer that is listed as weighing 4800# (dry) may in fact way 1000-1500# more (wet). And no one can tell you how much your Expy will tow. On one occasion, my expy helped an 80,000# semi out of a snow bank. Technically, I've towed 80,000# with mine . That doesn't mean my Expy "will tow" 80K. Build in a margin of error, start slow, learn your towing technique and see how the vehicle feels. And if you buy it and aren't happy with how it tows 4800#, remember, above all else...Farmlaw said get a 5.4 . So don't come back and

(But I think it will work)

 

Oh, and I should note, the F150/F250 comparison is apt. Besides different engines, there are several other different components at use, including, most importantly, a different tranny. The 5.4L uses the 4R100 4 speed, which is the tranny that Ford uses in all Superduties before the torqueshift came out. That means the 4R100 has been used behind the 5.4L v-8, the 6.8L v-10 and the 7.3L powerstroke diesel. The 4.6L expy uses the 4r70, which is not quite as heavy duty.

 

Thanks alot, maybe ill be posting more often if I end up getting the Expedition. I heard someone mention that you can turn up the line pressure in the transmission so that it shifts with less slip while towing anyone ever hear of this.

 

There are valve kits from companies like B & M that perform this function. I've never used one, can't comment on pros and cons.

 

Re: Towing capacities, note that rim size makes a difference. All other things being equal, an Expy with 17" rims has a lesser towing capacity than one with 16" rims. This has to do with the 17" rims using taller tires that effectively raise the overall gearing, thus slightly impacting low-speed towing performance.