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The A/C, according to the dealer, has a leaky front shaft seal. They tell me that you cannot replace the seal. I would have to replace the whole compressor.
you should not have to pay for more than one stat, esp. as this problem has been written up by Ford.
First, I didn't see any mention in the posts of what ENGINE you have in your vehicle. You should always start with complete vehicle information. I can give you some basic trouble shooting procedures that will work for any cooling system. You need some basic tools and you need a specialized tool that is not too expensive, an infrared Thermometer, price has come down on them to less than $100 now, and is VERY useful for Lots of other things too. I pasted a section below about checking the cooling system.
If you have an overheating problem with you vehicle, try doing a little diagnosis with an infrared thermometer. Do not depend on the temperature gauge for an accurate temperature reading. You need to know what the actual temperatures are at several points in the cooling system. This is one of the places that an infrared thermometer proves really useful. If you don't have one, borrow one or buy one. They are a great help.
First, be sure the Cooling System is Clean and Full of Coolant. If not, Flush and Clean the cooling system, and refill with new coolant. The usual recommendation is a 50-50 mix of antifreeze and distilled water for normal conditions and driving. Check for any coolant leaks, and repair any that are found. Check all hoses and belts for any signs of damage, swelling, chaffing, etc and replace any that are found defective or suspect. Check to be sure the Belt is tight and turning the water pump freely. Check the fan and fan clutch to be sure it is moving a lot of air through the radiator. The back of the radiator should have a fan shroud around the fan, to help pull the air through the radiator. Carefully placing your hand away from the fan and behind the fan and over the engine, you should feel a strong blast of air from the fan. If you have an electric fan, it should run shortly after the engine warms up and should run as often as needed to keep the engine cool. If the fan does not run enough, then check and repair the electrical controls for the electric fan. Measure the temp on each radiator tank with the infrared thermometer. Depending on the ambient temperature, and if you have the A/C off, the typical temp of the INLET tank will be the HOTTEST, at somewhere around 180 to 210 & the OUTLET tank would typically be somewhere about 10 to 30 degrees below that, maybe about 150 to 180 degrees. With the A/C on the temps will be slightly higher. Use cardboard shields to keep the infrared sensor from picking up engine heat. It will read much more accurately on dark surfaces, so paint any light or shiny surfaces you want to check with flat black paint first. Also hold the sensor under the hood for very short periods of time while taking a measurement, then pull it out quickly to keep it from picking up stray heat. Let it cool off often. Take each measurement several times to be sure that you have an accurate reading. What you want to look for is the DIFFERENCE in TEMPERATURE between the two tanks. The greater the amount of difference, the better the radiator is transferring heat from the coolant to the air, the better the radiator is cooling. I would consider 10 degrees difference to be the minimum, 20 to 25 difference to be average, and 30 to 40 degrees difference to be very good. After doing this test, you will have a better idea of where you stand, like how hot the actual coolant temperature is really getting and how much heat is being transferred to the air. If the temperature difference between the tanks is low, or both tanks are too hot, then check the system further. Check the fan & clutch & fan shroud & airflow through the radiator. Be SURE you have good airflow through the radiator first and that the radiator is not clogged with dirt or bugs. If airflow through the radiator is not strong, check and/or replace the Fan or the FAN Clutch. If it is still running hot, check water flow through radiator & engine. The primary element that affects water flow is the thermostat. Replace thermostats that do not open , only partially open, or act erratic. If you have a problem trying to determine if the problem is the thermostat or not, you can temporarily remove the thermostat and replace the thermostat housing with a new gasket, fill the system with clean coolant, and retest the system to see if the problem is fixed or not. Be sure to reinstall a good thermostat, as it is important for the proper operation of the engine and engine computer controls. The next element that effects water flow is a clogged or restricted radiator. If the system has been maintained and is clean, this should not be a problem. If you suspect it is, have it checked for proper flow by a radiator shop. Also recheck the radiator hoses. The Hose from the radiator outlet tank that carries coolant back into the engine should not collapse when the engine is revved up. Most return radiator hoses (usually the lower hose) have a spring inside of them to keep the hose from collapsing. Check this carefully.
If you still can’t find the overheating problem, then take it to a competent radiator shop to have the system checked.
You can also go to batauto.com/ and post your problem there, as they have many helpful mechanics there waiting to help you.
Good Luck
Big AL in Sunny FLorida
Last summer I noticed a pinging while cruising at highway speeds and with the AC on in my 2000 XLS with 4.0 OHV engine. I was using Hess fuel at the time, but this winter switched to Citgo due to their overwhelming presence in my neighborhood. I notice the pinging is not as prominent as it used to be, but it is still there. I'm running 87 octane. One of my buddies who used to work as a mechanic said I should run 89 octane because of the added power demands during this time. I know the owner's manual makes a pretty strong point to stay with 87. Any thoughts?
Trying going to the following website to see several possible solutions:
http://www.glue.umd.edu/~singletn/web/pages/ping.html
I remember that years ago, limited slips required special fluid, and now Ford says to use the same oil for both Conventional and Traction-Lok differentials. I wonder if this is something that is new and improved, but really isn't, like permanently sealed for life bearings.
What bugs me is that the axle worked fine until I changed the fluid, which is standard maintenance for 100,000 miles.
Since you said that the light won't light I am lead to believe that it is in fact the fuse. I have a friend who had a very similar problem, but with a different brand of vehicle. Besides, a fuse would be a cheap first attempt at solving the issue. If that doesn't fix the problem, then go to the shift motor contacts, these seem to be a common culprit for the 4WD not engaging. Goodluck!
kheintz:
I honestly can't believe that they had your truck for 3 weeks! I also think that Ford made a mistake sealing up these trannies with 150,000 mile life expectancies. I think that one positive aspect is that you were able to get it replaced under your warranty. Some people never use it and complain for having purchased it. However, you probably got it for peace of mind, and in this situation you have some (at least for not having to pay and arm and a leg). If this incident has really burried your trust in your Explorer, then getting a 4-runner may be a good option. Then again you still have all of those miles on your extended warranty, so it may be worth your while to keep the Explorer. If you haven't had a lot of problems with the Explorer, then it may be a good truck, that just got a bad transmission? Anyway, I wish you luck with the transmission issue. Hopefully they will get it fixed and ready faster this time :-)
Only other thing wrong with it is an exhaust leak in the engine, its a great little truck. Got a great deal on it and traded in my Chevy K2500 with transmission problems.
Only way I can get it to work right is to put it on auto, if I push defrost, vent, panel or any of those it goes right to heat.
They are going to look it on the 18th, will cost me an hour labor to have them figure out what the problem is then go from there I guess. Said it could be a vacuum line, could be the head unit, could be the heater door....lots of things, frustrating no doubt.
Since you're using the A/C, does that mean you made it to the Lower 48?
Steve, Host
Nah, I wouldn't buy anything from this Ford dealer if they were the last one alive, I'd drive a Yugo first. However, they do have a good service department.
Any info. would be greatly appreciated as I don't want my friend's bank account and sanity to run dry!!! I want her to be able to speak intelligently about the source of the problem so that she doesn't get "taken". Thanks in advance for your help.
I own a 2002 Eddie Bauer V8, 10k miles - overall, very happy with it.
there is a detail web site on where the hassles are in this radio display, pay for info, at
http://www.shareamemory.com/radio
and I had to do it all, including fixing the display lands from the VF display and resoldering parts on the display board itself before it came back up.
tried to order the pioneer parts kit, their goofy web site says they have 'em until you register to allow ordering, then, so sorry, we have none. so reuse the boards you have.
Regards to the recall - is it related to the cruise control, or something else entirely?
but if you have a real question, and you haven't been cussing your dealer service department roundly and loudly every time you go in, they can look 'em up by your VIN to see if there are any recalls against your truck.
Steve, Host
Thanks,
Bioman