Stupid TRUCK trick

[jtexas]

Headed home from work in my '98 Explorer V6, just slowing at a traffic light, when I heard a metallic object(s) hit the street, simultaneously with the illumination of the battery dash warning light and the failure of the power steering.<br /><br />Pulled into a parking lot & found that the accessory drive belt was totally slack. My stupid truck dropped the tensioner pulley onto the street! Last few weeks I'd started hearing a noise that I now know was pulley bearings going bad.<br /><br />I been thinking I had too much tension lately but this is rediculous!

 

[62_Kiwi]

Re: Stupid TRUCK trick

....I'll keep that in mind if I hear anything like that in my '00 Explorer.<br /><br />Have you ever had trouble with the airbag connectors under the front seats ? I ended up having to hardwire mine after constant trouble...problem fixed now.<br /><br />Thanks and good luck

 

[ColdFire]

Re: Stupid TRUCK trick

Jtexas,<br /><br />Don't feel bad it just happend 2 weeks ago on my 98 also... I was lucky I had the repacement in the cargo area with my tools Still have a nice rattle from somewhere up front, suppose I will find it when the timing chain destroys the engine.<br /><br />BTW, how do you like the disapearing dash lights in your 98

 

[jtexas]

Re: Stupid TRUCK trick

Welcome to iboats, coldfire. My dash lights don't disappear, but I do have the mystery radio, you know the one with no display. Sorry to hear you've got the "death rattle" - have you tried turning up the radio?<br /><br />g'day kiwi, what trouble with the airbag - you mean you have collisions where it doesn't deploy? or maybe it pops open when you adjust the seat height? I've heard that steering wheels are on the wrong side down under, is that true?<br />

 

[DJ]

Re: Stupid TRUCK trick

Last few weeks I'd started hearing a noise that I now know was pulley bearings going bad.<br />

Ignoring it doesn't fix it.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Stupid TRUCK trick

Originally posted by DJ:<br />

Last few weeks I'd started hearing a noise that I now know was pulley bearings going bad.<br />

Ignoring it doesn't fix it.

Sage advice, DJ. Explorers of my vintage with the SOHC V6 have a common problem which coldfire mentioned, which is poorly-made timing chain guides & tensioners. $1000+ repair. I got a bad case of HITS (head in the sand) syndrome.<br /><br />BTW coldfire, have you seen www.ford-trucks.com? Apparently if you don't fix it before it breaks, you get damage from liberated metal fragments, and the motor is toast.<br /><br />There's a recall good for up to 72k miles; my fingers are crossed that maybe mine had it done before I bought it. Good luck.

 

[JustMrWill]

Re: Stupid TRUCK trick

Ford truck...80's...had teh pulley shatter while driving down the road...brougth it back to dealer and they couldn't find anything wrong...until I handed them the fragments that I picked up from road.<br /><br />Lost display on radio in current car...everythign worked but no lcd...had disconnted battery for something..and when I put is back the display was working...guess it just needed to be rebooted.<br /><br />-JustMrWill

 

[ColdFire]

Re: Stupid TRUCK trick

jtexas, had the invisible radio... it is a simple fix with a soldering iron. Chain tensoners have been replace under warrenty, shoot after 160,000 miles I can't complain, if the rattle, and burned out dash lights are the biggest problems I am happy with the rig. So far the mech and my self have isolated the noise to the front lower half of the engine but we just can't find the culprit. oh well when it explodes I just hope it isn't while I am on the way to the lake

 

[62_Kiwi]

Re: Stupid TRUCK trick

Originally posted by jtexas:<br /> g'day kiwi, what trouble with the airbag - you mean you have collisions where it doesn't deploy? or maybe it pops open when you adjust the seat height? I've heard that steering wheels are on the wrong side down under, is that true?<br />

G'day JTexas - I must admit I never "crash tested" the air bag system... (might have caused me a few more problems ) but the Airbag-Warning light used to come on in the dash...that in turn caused the vehicle to fail it's "Warrant of Fitness" checks. <br /><br />The problem turned out to be the electrical connectors under the front seats. I got them fixed a couple of times but they would seem to play up again 6 months later. In the end I replaced them myself with good old screw-in connector blocks - haven't had a problem since. <br /><br />Yes, my steering wheel is on the "right" hand side Our down-under versions of the Explorer obviously have a few differences, judging from the "Export" stickers that I notice on various parts around the vehicle. It's very nice of Ford to make these ones specially for us

 

[Snookster]

Re: Stupid TRUCK trick

Jtexas --- had a simular encounter when my harmonic balancer fell off my 350 balzer while it was running!! Honest to God -- can you imagine seeing the harmonic balancer rolling away from an intersection while you're sitting in traffic -- very strange.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Stupid TRUCK trick

Found a fix for the radio display! Haven't decided whether to try it myself or not...<br /><br />"By opening up the radio you will find a narrow display power board within the left side of the radio (faceplate toward you). This board has a metal cover soldered to it, with a toroid (wire wound doughnut) inside on one side, and a bank of surface mount resistors and capacitors on the bottom side. One end of the board (SCR heat sink) is screwed to the heat sink at the back of the radio, the board is secured with 2 metal bend-tabs, and it has a white mini connector on the other end which connects to the faceplate. Remove the board from the radio.<br />On the bottom of the board look for surface mount components R1057/C1071/R1058/C1083/R1064. The colder these resistor/capacitor chipsets get, the brighter the display. I left the car out in the +5 f degree weather and the display worked until it warmed up a little. <br />That is how I was able to track it down to these temperature sensitive parts. Freeze-it also helped after I narrowed it down to a few components.<br /><br />The fix that worked for me was to re-molten the solder for each end of these surface mount components. Be very careful if you try this, as a big soldering iron, or a lot of heat will destroy the components and board. And don't do this with the radio plugged in. If you're not comfortable doing this take it to a friend who is. So far this fix has kept working for a week, I hope it is permanent.<br /><br />===========================<br />The part that I had to do was to un-solder and then re-solder the connections on this board. It really doesn't take long to do. Just do both steps and it will save you from having to re-do it like I did. Good luck"

 

[NYMINUTE]

Re: Stupid TRUCK trick

Thanks for the heads up, I will check my Mountaineer tonight. Has an 8, but never thought a tensioner would fail.

 

[Northern Eclipse]

Re: Stupid TRUCK trick

Hey Kiwi can you tell me exactly which connectors under the seat for air bag The SRS light just came on on my 98 explorer (exploder) I also had the timing chain tensoner replaced also, has well has a hood latch and now I have a recall for seat bolts for the recliner, but other than that its been a trouble free truck and I have 103,000k on it, I find it to be a tuff little rig.

 

[demsvmejm]

Re: Stupid TRUCK trick

Originally posted by 62_Kiwi:<br /> ....I'll keep that in mind if I hear anything like that in my '00 Explorer.<br /><br />Have you ever had trouble with the airbag connectors under the front seats ? I ended up having to hardwire mine after constant trouble...problem fixed now.<br /><br />Thanks and good luck

BAD IDEA Kiwi! Those airbag connectors are designed a certain way for a REASON! And not just because. Best be puttin' 'em back da way ya found 'em. Or you could be sorry.<br /><br />On second thought, the widow would inherit the boat, right

 

[demsvmejm]

Re: Stupid TRUCK trick

Originally posted by Snookster:<br /> Jtexas --- had a simular encounter when my harmonic balancer fell off my 350 balzer while it was running!! Honest to God -- can you imagine seeing the harmonic balancer rolling away from an intersection while you're sitting in traffic -- very strange.

The harmonic balancer/dampener is a relatively common problem. It can happen on any vehicle where it is rubber bonded to th einner hub. It can and will cause a horrible clatter with no seeming ill effects. That is until it either comes off and goes for a walk like yours did, or slides back and cuts into the timing cover. with the engine off, try and turn the belt back and forth while watching the crank pulley. if the belt moves at all without the engine turming over, your harmonic dampener is toast. This is one problem that teases most mechanics, and then when they find it the slap themselves.

 

[demsvmejm]

Re: Stupid TRUCK trick

Originally posted by Snookster:<br /> Jtexas --- had a simular encounter when my harmonic balancer fell off my 350 balzer while it was running!! Honest to God -- can you imagine seeing the harmonic balancer rolling away from an intersection while you're sitting in traffic -- very strange. <br />The harmonic balancer/dampener is a relatively common problem. It can happen on any vehicle where it is rubber bonded to th einner hub. It can and will cause a horrible clatter with no seeming ill effects. That is until it either comes off and goes for a walk like yours did, or slides back and cuts into the timing cover. with the engine off, try and turn the belt back and forth while watching the crank pulley. if the belt moves at all without the engine turming over, your harmonic dampener is toast. This is one problem that teases most mechanics, and then when they find it the slap themselves. <br /><br />Oh, and I have 194,400 on my '95 S-10 Blazer with relatively few problems, water pump, A/C compressor, tune-up, balljoints, and idler arm. Not bad. Knock on wood

 

[jtexas]

Re: Stupid TRUCK trick

Originally posted by 62_Kiwi:<br /> ...but the Airbag-Warning light used to come on in the dash...

I have found black electrical tape to be of use in this situation.

 

[matthew hardman]

Re: Stupid TRUCK trick

hey my 96 ford explorer just did that about a week ago i was on my way home from work listening to lex and terry on the radio when all of my dash lights came on and my thermostat went to the top it sucked mine was the idler pully i thought it was my tentioner pully easy fix anyway i have 150k miles on the old ford so somthing was bound to go wrong

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Stupid TRUCK trick

david<br /> what does the balancer ring have to do with drive belts?<br />over the years I have replaced many balancers but I have never seen one with the drive belts attached to the ring, only the hub.

 

[rayjay]

Re: Stupid TRUCK trick

[/quote]Ignoring it doesn't fix it. [/QB][/quote]<br /><br />You just need show more perseverence when ignoring a problem. <br /><br />Then you will discover that ignoring a problem long enough does indeed cause the problem to be fixed.