no brakes
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 107
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From: knoxville ,tn
no brakes
i just bought a 1990 explorer with the 6 cyl. when i went to get it there were no brakes at all. 
i found the left front brake was shot metal to metal ( it is a 4 wheel drive) and the caliper was leaking. I took a pair of vise grips and clamped the line then tried to bleed them. i could not get any fluid at all to any of the back brakes 
. i ended up driving home on just the right front brake luckily i only live 2 miles from where i bought it, also the transmission acted funny it wouldn't change first unless i let off the gas then it would change fine. any ideas would be very helpful thanks
i found the left front brake was shot metal to metal ( it is a 4 wheel drive) and the caliper was leaking. I took a pair of vise grips and clamped the line then tried to bleed them. i could not get any fluid at all to any of the back brakes . i ended up driving home on just the right front brake luckily i only live 2 miles from where i bought it, also the transmission acted funny it wouldn't change first unless i let off the gas then it would change fine. any ideas would be very helpful thanks
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 253
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From: Marietta, GA
Can you get your money back? 
There are so many things that could be wrong....how much brake & transmission fluid is in it? Has it been sitting for a while, without being driven? It could need a completely new brake system, including all the lines. The transmission could be anything from a bad sensor to needing a complete rebuild.
There are so many things that could be wrong....how much brake & transmission fluid is in it? Has it been sitting for a while, without being driven? It could need a completely new brake system, including all the lines. The transmission could be anything from a bad sensor to needing a complete rebuild.
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 805
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From: Pauline, South Carolina
One other detail, Explorers weren't made in 1990. The first model year for the Explorer SUV was 1991. '90 was the last year for the Bronco II's. Back in the '70's and '80's there were some Ford Pickups with the Explorer Badge, but I believe that was discontinued several years before the SUV production began. All that being said, quickly check the laws in your state. Many states, like mine, have a 3 day grace period where the seller is required to refund. Many people are unaware of these laws. So unless you knew of these things prior to purchase, and bought it with the intention of a fixer upper, I agree with jonm62, I'd try to get a refund.
Postmaster
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,742
Likes: 2
From: UT
If you intend to keep it as a fixer upper, I'm not real good with those particular problems, but I'll chime in with what I have learned:
Expect transmission shifting issue is in either the vacuum modulator or the speed governor, both of which, I believe, are accessible with the transmission in the vehicle. Might first check to see that the vacuum line between the engine and transmission is intact and not plugged.
As for the brakes, you could end up completely rebuilding the brake system. As for no fluid to the back brakes, did you only check at the wheel? On some of the older systems, there's a bleeder screw at the RABS module (on the driver's frame rail somewhere I think). You could check to see if you have fluid there, which could help to isolate the problem forward or aft of the module. It might just come down to breaking connections until you find where the brake fluid stops flowing.
As long as you didn't pay a lot for it, it sounds like a fun project truck.
Expect transmission shifting issue is in either the vacuum modulator or the speed governor, both of which, I believe, are accessible with the transmission in the vehicle. Might first check to see that the vacuum line between the engine and transmission is intact and not plugged.
As for the brakes, you could end up completely rebuilding the brake system. As for no fluid to the back brakes, did you only check at the wheel? On some of the older systems, there's a bleeder screw at the RABS module (on the driver's frame rail somewhere I think). You could check to see if you have fluid there, which could help to isolate the problem forward or aft of the module. It might just come down to breaking connections until you find where the brake fluid stops flowing.
As long as you didn't pay a lot for it, it sounds like a fun project truck.
