Forget the Navigator, in with a Mountaineer!

Topic: Forget the Navigator, in with a Mountaineer! (Read 1373 times) previous topic - next topic

Forget the Navigator, in with a Mountaineer!

July 05, 2012, 07:21:33 PM

Going to pick up the title and keys in a few minutes, the vehicle is here, it's my friend Steve's. He just has some new exhaust put on with a Flowmaster 40 series, sounds a lot like my Sport. He's put on new balljoints, tires, and some other minor things. I'll throw a coupla pics up when I get back.

It's a '98, 5.0 and the full time 4x4. And it's clean, ed clean, everything works, but the AC needs charged. Something I can do with a can of stuff from Oreilly.

Hell yes. Finally a vehicle that's nice, reliable...AND a

Forget the Navigator, in with a Mountaineer!

Reply #1 – July 05, 2012, 08:43:15 PM

Congrats, but the trans will be fried in a month. LOL.

Forget the Navigator, in with a Mountaineer!

Reply #2 – July 05, 2012, 09:04:12 PM

It had better not be!!! lmao

Forget the Navigator, in with a Mountaineer!

Reply #3 – July 05, 2012, 09:35:18 PM

Be GENTLE with the door handles, They are VERY delicate. Both my friends who have those Explorers (same thing) have had to replace the handles. Treat them right.

Again, I'm sorry to hear that the tranny is going to out on you. LOL.

Forget the Navigator, in with a Mountaineer!

Reply #4 – July 05, 2012, 10:16:22 PM

Looks like a 97.

I had a 98 5.0/awd, same color too. Horrible on mpgs. Always felt heavy, even after a drop and wide tires w/upgraded swaybars. Reliable, yes. Fun, no. Flipped it and got back in a Ranger as quick as I could.

Forget the Navigator, in with a Mountaineer!

Reply #5 – July 05, 2012, 10:45:44 PM

Looks very clean! A Buddy of mine has one, he likes everything but the gas milage.

Forget the Navigator, in with a Mountaineer!

Reply #6 – July 05, 2012, 11:42:36 PM

Quote from: vinnietbird;393821

Congrats, but the trans will be fried in a month. LOL.

Huh? My '97 Explorer has been rock-solid. I just broke 101k miles and the only major thing was getting the head gaskets replaced because I had a slow coolant leak.

There are a few upgrades that are possible on those vehicles

If it's '98 or up, you can put in a 6-disc radio from a 2003 ford (e.g. a van), but beware, I had to buy 3 before I got one that actually worked. If it's a '97 or earlier you'll have to make a harness adapter, which isn't all that hard as long as you follow the EVTM very carefully--though you'll also need to add a solid-state 5V regulator to provide the 5V remote wire to the radio.

If it has the factory alarm, you can get autolamps easy-peasy by adding the auto-dimming mirror. There are a few variants--95's give you more control but obstruct your view more as a tradeoff. Hint: use your steel antenna to shove the wires above your headliner from the center to the driver's side.

You can add heated mirrors, but getting power to them can be a serious PITA. It's not that the wiring is complex, it's that Ford didn't leave ANY slack at all on the fuse box wiring, so splicing it in is somewhere up there with banging your head against a brick wall and setting your hair on fire and putting it out with a sledgehammer (movie reference in there...). To make matters more complicated, the mirror connectors for heated mirrors are a completely different shape than for the non-heated ones, so be prepared to cannibalize several connectors in the process (hint: junkyards are helpful here).

There are actually two types of heated mirrors -- ones with puddle lights and ones without. They're physically different in shape and won't match, so be sure to get the same type for left and right

Another *very* useful upgrade, if you have the factory CD player, is an aux input that sits in between the changer and the radio. There is a company that sells one that is a straight plug-in between the two, and the hardest part is fitting the box under the floor console. It's doable but requires some patience.

The MPG is downright awful, though. I have the pushrod V6 and it's still under 20mpg. I'm getting 28mpg highway with the T-bird--the Explorer makes it look downright frugal.

Forget the Navigator, in with a Mountaineer!

Reply #7 – July 06, 2012, 02:59:19 AM

hell, it's gotta get better mileage than the navigator!!? (16-18mpg)
lol

Forget the Navigator, in with a Mountaineer!

Reply #8 – July 06, 2012, 09:11:21 AM

Looks really nice, hope this one works out for you guys. If not how much for the heads and intake? :flip:

Forget the Navigator, in with a Mountaineer!

Reply #9 – July 06, 2012, 10:06:37 AM

AWD system is just awesome in the snow.
My '98 gets about 12-14mpg in the city. But on the highway I've gotten as high as 23, usually 20-21 average. That's the 5.0 for you.
Even towing the convertible it managed to get about 16-17 on the py PA turnpike.

I've done nothing to it but routine maintenance for the last 6+ years.

Vinnie, I just had my trans flushed/fluid replaced at 154K miles and no issues. It was being sluggish to shift into 3rd right after a cold startup. Now, no problems. Ford revised the 4R70W in 1998 and it's the one to get, as far as longevity.

Other than it riding rough and the plasticky interior creaking and moaning, I have no complaints. It's been a great daily driver. Just wish it didn't rust so much...

Forget the Navigator, in with a Mountaineer!

Reply #10 – July 06, 2012, 05:12:48 PM

I would suggest replacing the stock transmission cooler(if it has one) with an aftermarket one. I replaced the stock one on my ranger, I couldn't even see light through it, with one rated for towing up to 15000lbs. A bit over kill but it sure did make a difference. The cooler you can keep an automatic, the longer it will last. Just my .02 though.

Forget the Navigator, in with a Mountaineer!

Reply #11 – July 06, 2012, 07:26:50 PM

^^^ i agree 200% :-)

Forget the Navigator, in with a Mountaineer!

Reply #12 – July 06, 2012, 08:49:00 PM

I was just kidding about the tranny.

Forget the Navigator, in with a Mountaineer!

Reply #13 – July 07, 2012, 12:19:13 PM

He he he Vinnie..I do know they can have some reliability issues if abused.

Gumby called it, it is a 97 model. It has a 6 disc changer in the console, tape deck in the dash. Needsm a cv axle up front, not sure which side yet. Also, the ac doesn't blow cold air, and the driver seat recliner handle is broken. I'm most concerned with the AC issue as it has been getting over 100* every day for going on 3 weeks. I'll post an idle/rev vid of the flowmaster exhaust later on, going to take a nap in a few, work was brutal last night.

Forget the Navigator, in with a Mountaineer!

Reply #14 – July 30, 2012, 03:48:53 PM

Some updates. I've got the AC working,it was low, and needed a switch. Had to replace the driver side front wheel bearing/hub. Let's see, yup, that's about it. It does love the highway over city, as far as mpg, but that's a heavy Ford with a 5.0, heh.

It's a little crusty along the rockers, but I knew that from the day my buddy Steve brought it home. It is a definite improvement over hauling the kids around in a regular cab truck. I need to get a short clip of the exhaust posted. Only other thing it needs is tail pipes ran to the bumper, Steve couldn't decide on side exit, or under the bumper, so he left off, and then we bought it.

Things in the works are a new radio/mp3 player (in dash) new speakers, and possibly a hidden sub under the back seat, if I can muster up enough motivation to build a small box..