I Have A Ford Explorer Now I Guess

[@SkorpyoTFC]

"After I'm done fooling around with it, I'm going to destroy it." You spit in the face of an old god. The Explorer will claim you first.

[@spugintrntl]

Provided the transmission doesn't slip while it's chasing him.

[@KingOfKYA]

@@spugintrntl I mean at least its not the 5.0 that would be a tragedy, those a ton of fun to drive just not around corners. My little brother has a 98 5.0 that has been passed down and just crested 980,000 a few months ago, its been dam reliable and its only ever been tow truck once for a starter.

[@danstromness5165]

Put the old Firestones back on it = WISH GRANTED!!

[@gencreeper6476]

These ones yes. Most gen of explorers are dosghit but gen 1 and 2 are great because basically theyre fully enclosed rangers. The only problem is the SOHC 4.0 was such a stupid idea the pushrod 4.0 is a kraut tank of a motor and the 5.0 explorers need no further explanation. These could be found full manual transmission locking hubs and transfer case too. Also IMO theyre cute well all of the toughest 80s and 90s fords are all so adorable to me wtf.

[@Tipman2OOO]

😕👌right bro, right!!!!

[@paulheitkemper1559]

my software painted that car. Man, I spent so many days and nights at the Louisville Assembly Plant watching cars get painted.

[@glassguzzler]

Your software painted my car (which I still drive daily) as well! You totally rock. Thank ya

[@J.R.in_WV]

Ford built some darn find trucks in Louisville back in the day, the all steel Louisville line truck cab is one of my favorites and the LTL9000 is still a well sought after class 8 truck today. I had the pleasure of driving a 75’ LNT9000 and will say it was by far the best Ford product I’ve ever driven ….and it had a GM built 318 Detroit Diesel engine in it 😂.

[@Alaskancrabpuffs21]

You painted my car, thanks!

[@paulheitkemper1559]

@@J.R.in_WV that's KTP on the other side of the county.

[@dr0zone709]

software painted my ‘98 Mountaineer. The paint clarity on this thing is incredible 25 years later. Oxford White FTW

[@turningwrenchesonoldcars4091]

this is the content my soul desires. No fancy new car, no exotic or "odd" rare things that you dont want to destroy. Just a good old fashioned Ferd Exploder to run into the ground and abuse

[@cdos9186]

That's how most of these met their end. Used like a vehicle was, abused, run into the ground, but they kept going. Sad that they are now basically all considered beaters but that was how they were treated, like a beater. Not often you'll see a nice around, they were all used up. Wonder how today's vehicles will age if treated that way, time will tell.

[@JonesNate]

Ferd Explerer...it has seven 🥎⚽⚾🎱🏀🏉🏐!

[@markm0000]

@@cdos9186 The acres of plastic will all crumble to pieces. None of these new cars will make it as far as these old beaters.

[@dylanmooney327]

Excactly!

[@BrooksMoses]

@@markm0000 : Eh, that Explorer is already well into the "acres of plastic" era. That's what all that horrible interior is made out of! (I was going to say "except for the leather", but actually I'm not convinced that the amount of finish on the leather hasn't basically converted it to plastic too.) Also remember that the first Saturns were older than this, and they generally don't seem to have crumbled to pieces any more than this one rusted to pieces.

[@samanthawick2617]

My first car was a 1996 explorer that I also had in high school. This car was passed around the family for almost 20 years and finally had a Viking funeral (donated to the fire dept for training) last year. Despite being full of rust, it really was a good reliable car!

[@barrya.6212]

The two different engines available THAT year were both bullet proof long last reliable....as your testimony confirms....I have a 95 as a beater 4X4 / backup vehicle / truck with permanent shell hauler...looks dated by today's standards but I don't care! It will climb up hills a $50,000 Lexus couldn't make it up 5 feet!

[@Ottie193]

That Explorer is never going to die. My friends parents have 2, both of a similar model year as yours, and both of which that have been run into the ground most likely w/o maintneance, and still run really well. Also, I think the older Explorers have low quaity rear wiper motors, because on both my friends, the rear wipers also dont work.

[@DemonReign23]

It's a SOHC with timing chain noise. She's toast. And I LOVE the first and second gen Explorers. It's just the SOHC motor that sucks.

[@jwalster9412]

@@DemonReign23 the best option is to find a more reliable motor that is cheaper and compatible with this car and swap it in.

[@AliceC993]

​@@DemonReign23 Since it's a 1998 there's a chance it's the older OHV model that was shared with the Ranger at the time, especially given the mention of "160 hp." Those don't have as many issues with the timing system as the later SOHC engines

[@ccllvn]

@@AliceC993 lets hope lol

[@p.informatico1320]

​@@jwalster9412 The best option is to scrap it... I'm pretty sure than if you stomp on certain parts of the floor, parts of rust would fall from the car bottom... Even if it was an old Porsche, it would be difficult to justify the amount of work needed to patch it...

[@sjhart14]

I know what took out that fog light. I owned a '97 Ranger which is essentially identical. Just after it crossed 100k miles, I parked it in a lot and started walking away, only to hear something crash to the ground. The fog light lens had simply fell off and shattered. A few weeks later the second one did the same.

[@oxwilder]

I was working as a service manager during the "Cash For Clunkers" program, and of the top ten cars that were traded in, something like 6 of them were various model year Explorers.

[@svgPhoenix]

Well it was and is the best-selling SUV so

[@jaspal666]

@@svgPhoenix and such low MPG that it qualified for clunkers. It was the most traded in vehicle.

[@alkalize]

A travesty that rivals the holocaust. The parts availability in junkyards is now getting thin. Now the third gen explorer litters the jy.

[@cdos9186]

@@jaspal666 I don't believe getting a low MPG is a good enough reason to destroy the entire vehicle. There was some extremely nice ones that were destroyed, that literally looked near new, and some that were of course like this one. I'd say mainly the 1st generations were the ones that were traded in, then the 2nd generation which is the one Aging Wheels has. Extremely sad because things like Toyota Land Cruisers, BMW, Jaguars, beautiful Lincoln vehicles, were traded in.

[@jaspal666]

@@cdos9186 MPG was one of the qualifiers set up for the program. With those Explorers getting 14mpg and a few hundred thousand of them made that truck the top trade in. There’s been a few lists of cars that were traded in… it’ll make you cry. Buick Grand Nationals come to mind.

[@teenutt]

I might be able to shed some light on the missing cruise control buttons! My dad bought a '96 explorer new, and then it passed along through my family until it was my first car in high school. By about 2009 when I was driving it, the black rubbery coating on those buttons would melt on hot summer days and get on your hands if you touched the buttons. Pretty gross! I just avoided them but I can imagine opting to rip the button covers off.

[@dustojnikhummer]

So they were rubber and not plastic? Reminds me of rubber coating on old laptops, MP3 players and PDAs. After 15 years the rubber is turning back to oil

[@puckcat22679]

@@dustojnikhummer they have circuit boards with little tactile switches on them, and the covering is a vinyl material that eventually wears thin and tears off.

[@upstartfilmworks]

Haha, same. And I'm in Southeast Texas so it would get melty hot often. I just dusted mine with baby powder every few weeks. Ah, the college years!

[@lsswappedcessna]

Yikes! Ok, that takes the cake for awful interior, I've never heard of melting buttons! GM of the same era, into the mid-2000s had problems with their knobs falling off. Thankfully the higher end radio present in the 2004-2006 LT Suburban and Silverado only had one such knob, it's the one where you can adjust bass, treble, all that. I gotta keep that in mind when vacuuming my '04 Suburban. The vacuum will steal my detachable equalizer knob unless I put it in my pocket! I might end up changing the radio, though, if I can find an aux input radio that looks good in the dashboard and isn't just a giant ass screen. Otherwise I'll just tap into the XM box and make the "radio ID" XM channel into an aux in channel by soldering a whopping **two** wires together.

[@mikemorgan5815]

I have a 97 xlt and have replaced mine. I have noticed if you touch them on the bottom of the steering wheel when the lights are on they get very hot. Dimming the dash lights helps keep them cool.

[@mehagel65]

My 5.0L V8 97 Explorer I bought new off the show room floor in 96. Has 370,000 miles and still runs great.

[@sandmantk4901]

I can tell the ones that change there oil and the ones that don't. lolol I have a 2001 and a 2005 its either change the oil regular or change them timing chains and guides. It takes pulling that motor 4.0 L to get them chains and guides replaced. Both of mine have the 4.0 L. The 2001 has 298,000 mi. on it. I love the early body style.

[@brucetaylor8973]

I have a 1999 Explorer, I get comments on mine all the time, people say stuff like "I had one", or My dad/mom/brother/sister/cousin ect. had one of those". They are always stunned at how nice it looks. It's in amazing shape, the paint looks factory fresh, and yes, it has the 160 H.P. OHV 4.0L V6. A great engine, extremely reliable and dependable, no you won't win any races, but no complaints, it keeps up well enough. And unlike most of these the rear wiper works, so does the AC, in fact everything works. This one sat for over ten years under a tree unused, I dug it out last year and it fired right up and has been a great reliable truck ever since. The point of all of this is, these are pretty damn good vehicles despite all the hate. It's 2023 and I'm driving mine with everything working, did I mention, no transmission problems, no slipping shifts, nuthin’! Can't really ask much more than that can you?

[@barrya.6212]

Yep....no race cars but yeah, the 4.0 OHV engines are known to go till 400,000 and beyond....had one sold at 248K and still ran great! ....currently have 95 one with 4WD as weekend warrior..... washer dryer / appliance hauler!

[@BrendenPragasam]

I would actually like to see it turn into a cheap overlanding vehicle....

[@DeathracerXD]

Please no

[@Nick-hm9rh]

You know what screams aging wheels? A pre 2000 toyota rav4 2 door turned into an overlanding build

[@CRneu]

hell nah. you'd have to replace the entire suspension and do a lot of safety-proofing to the underside before you could take this off-road without bringing a repair team. That's not even considering the engine, fuel system, etc that likely all need major maintenance. Turning this into an off-roading 4x4 without doing major work is asking to get stranded somewhere.

[@nefariousyawn]

As long as you are willing to leave it to rot in whatever wilderness it ultimately dies in.

[@Karmy.]

@@Nick-hm9rh those are so rare though :(

[@somegreenguy]

There's something about 90s beater cars like this that I just absolutely adore, nothing beats the charm that exudes from them

[@WaveformOrcahardSam]

After spending a week at Camp Quest working with model rockets and kids, insuring that they all avoid doing what we'd really rather do with them, your sponsored segment both delights me and sets me on edge. Although I was accused of "strategically egging camp" in July.

[@Backroad_Junkie]

I'll bet it says someplace, "Not for indoor use". Am I right? Killed me that it stuck in the ceiling and the parachute charge blew it off the ceiling, lol...

[@zedalba]

Dude, that was genius leaving in his genuine reaction.

[@stevenmetcalf4571]

My parents had a 96 they bought brand new. Last year at 230k miles it literally rusted in half.. the driver door could no longer close completely as the entire body was bending. The rear hatch had rusted itself shut years prior. Still ran great though! Someone bought it for a parts car.

[@makaylaserniotti1474]

“This glorious piece of American craftsmanship-yes that is sarcasm” The laugh I let out startled my cats, well done

[@raven4k998]

it has third degree burns and it's interior is gross

[@mromatic17]

hey its almost 30 years old and has 250k miles and has been ran into the ground. I'd say its really well made other than the cheap shit in the interrior and paint and what not. plus its still going and would probally go another 5-10 years.

[@barrya.6212]

It is AMERICAN CRAFTSMENSHIP....if it has the 4.0 ohv or the famous 5.0 V8, (not the 4.0 sohc) both of those engines are solid long lasting reliable! and the trans with the 5.0 is as well! Both of these engines easily will make it to 300,000 and beyond with basic maintenance ....

[@fexploder3281]

@@barrya.6212 It couldn't be anymore true, my dad has a Ford Explorer Sport from 1996 that has probably around 400,000 miles on it and he is still driving it today. That really shows how much of a cockroach these engines can be if you take care of them.

[@barrya.6212]

@@fexploder3281 Exactly. On side note I've never heard the term cockroach as a compliment until now....is that because they survive in the worst conditions, like cockroaches ?

[@ladylilithparker]

After hours of telling myself to go to bed fercryinoutloud, I saw the notification for this pop up, and the ad read alone made it worth the insomnia. I kinda want to see a wee rocket glued into the ceiling insulation in every future video now.

[@polleyjw]

I, too, was going to bed when I saw the new email. 😮‍💨

[@ctoacu6188]

Reliable as hell free car... I'm sensing a perfect Lemons racer build right here my friends.

[@robertberger8642]

Yes, excellent idea!!! A Lemons racer!!! Love it!

[@yucannthahvitt]

You would probably have to notch the frame to get it low enough to meet cg requirement for any sort of track duty. If SCCA autocross has a rule for cg vs width lemons probably does too

[@puckcat22679]

This one has the SOHC engine (you can hear the timing chain rattle when it starts. It's not reliable. Also, the transmissions in these were made of glass or something similar. There's a reason you don't see these anymore. They're awful cars. The OHV V6 engine was great, but again... Terrible transmission and really bad interior material quality.

[@yucannthahvitt]

@@puckcat22679 The OHV 4L cracked cylinder heads like it was going out of style and made laughable power. I had one of the manual transmission 4L OHV explorers and it fouled plugs on one cylinder so consistently that I bought the highest heat range plug possible just to stop the fouling.

[@paxhumana2015]

@@yucannthahvitt , some customization and aftermarket/custom parts could totally eliminate those problems in the vehicle.

[@Crazy_Borg]

Man, this may be the only channel where I am looking forward to the sponsoring segment. It's always hilarious, so Kudos to the sponsor for letting Robert run his creativity free for those, because the clip will definitely stay in your head for a long time.

[@jayhom5385]

Even though I knew it was coming I just started lmao when the parachute stage exploded.

[@mojave5661]

P1: "Hey, have you heard about this sponsorblock thing?" P2: "Yeah, I think that's the thing that skips our sponsored segments" P1: "We gotta do something about it" P2: "I have an idea. Let's start talking about sponsors in the comments, like how funny they are. That'll make sure everyone knows about us"

[@notanavrageloser]

I laughed almost as much as Robert did!

[@theelectricmonk3909]

@@mojave5661 I take it you didn't watch the sponsor section, then? You should try it, on this channel at least.

[@mojave5661]

@@theelectricmonk3909 seriously?

[@oweng3763]

Haha I just bought one of these!! 1996 5.0 AWD XLT. Absolutely everything on the truck works. 101k miles in amazing shape. Needed a little love, but it’s doing great now

[@Oddman1980]

"He drove it so long because he couldn't figure out what new car to replace it with" I wasn't expecting to get called out on Aging Wheels today, but here we are. That's wild about the engine, but I remember those days. Now I have a truck with a 3.7 liter engine that has almost twice that much power and better mileage.

[@astralsilverwind5478]

its amazing how smaller engines these days have more power than the older bigger ones do. my dads jeep liberty has 3.7l v6 and it trumps my 4.0l v6.

[@paxhumana2015]

@@astralsilverwind5478 , the older and bigger ones could have even more power if they were rebuilt, customized, and modified correctly. Sadly, most people are too cheap, too unwilling, lacking in experience, lacking in skills, lacking in time that is available, lacking in money, lacking in mental strength, lacking in emotional strength, and lacking in physical strength to put forward the efforts to do those things to those engines, as well as to the vehicles in general.

[@astralsilverwind5478]

@@paxhumana2015 yeah, when I heard that 4.0 v6 only has 160hp, I was like," sooooo, that's why I have no get up and go when I'm at a red-light and it turns green." I just assumed it was because my vehicle was is all steel and weighed about 1000lbs more than nowadays vehicles. So in reality it's really just because it's old and doesn't have a turbo and stuff on it.

[@veganmonter]

2:00 - This has to be one of my favorite sponsor segways. They are either so telegraphed to be groan worthy, or they're super abrupt and jarring. This somehow made me go, "yeah what is that black spot? Oh I did not expect that...."

[@DeviantOllam]

Cheers to you, ringing every last drop of fun out of a car that probably has an MC Hammer or Backstreet Boys cassette tape still in the dash. 😁👍

[@Danger_mouse]

7:54 That is the collective opinion of many thousands of people also. In Australia where the Explorer's competition was the Nissan Patrol and the Toyota Land Cruiser... this junk was named the Exploder as they were not at all suited to Aussie conditions. Most of the Patrols and 'Cruisers are still driving around, most of the Fords are not 🙂

[@puttster2003]

Only ever seen one in the wild, just a typical piece of american crap. Not hating on the US but they are not known for good cars.

[@obeseperson]

@@puttster2003 I mean yeah American cars aren’t very good but like, these ones are. Maybe not if you’re interested in style.

[@justincarawan-carawanco.pu1639]

0:18 PLEASE tell me you got that to happen on the first try because that timing was beyond perfect! 😆

[@agingwheels]

Editing 😁

[@justincarawan-carawanco.pu1639]

@@agingwheels My second guess. 😊

[@gabrielf2432]

My first car ride (home from being born) was in an Eddie Bauer edition first generation Ford Explorer, so I'm vaguely fond of them. The second generation, on the other hand, I think looks like it's permanently confused.

[@alkalize]

Same but with the second generation, still runs with the original engine at 339,000 miles.

[@barrya.6212]

@@alkalize Which engine do you have? ...the 4.0 ohv? or the 5.0 v8 ? No internal engine work done?

[@frankandstein8618]

Wow. I don't remember what kind of car I was brought home in when I as born.

[@2packs4sure]

We bought a new white Explorer V6 in 1999 put 220000 HARD miles on it in 8 years and that was the best vehicle we've ever owned.. We had a power mirror switch fail early on, CD changer died around year 5,, and the front end rebuilt at a 160000 miles.. There were no other mechanical failures or problems.. I wish I could buy another brand new one..

[@NorthShoreScout]

i love my explorer! well its a mountaineer 1997 V8 AWD! turning it into an overland camping build and bad weather monster! 32in tires, 2in lift kit, new suspension all around! ya it gets 16mpg at best now... but it can drive through 10-12inches of snow! dont worry about the body... just work on the running gear!

[@misterakt]

i had a 1997 Explorer when i was in college. it was my late father’s - after he died, it sat at my grandparents for about seven years before i finally decided to get it running again. even after sitting for several years, it fired right up (but did need a new water pump). mine also had the Cologne V6, and used a 5-spd automatic. i love seeing these old Explorers. a lot of them were destroyed in the Cash-for-Clunkers scheme of the 2010s.

[@zogworth]

Cologne V6. The finest engine tech the 1960s could offer

[@ColbyJohnson303]

my girlfriend has a 96 Explorer with the 4.0L V6, it's got 281000km and still runs surprisingly well! only leaks a bit of oil lol

[@ColinTheBoss]

I have a 2000 Ford Explorer Limited with the 5.0l Windsor. I would love to help you out with this project if you have questions. My Explorer has 300k miles and still runs amazing.

[@drewzero1]

I had a '95 Grand Marquis with a very similar interior and it was one of the most comfortable cars I've ever been in. All smooth lines and mushy plastics. Maybe I'm just nostalgic for 90s cars though.

[@jan-hendrikbussmann4644]

YES! This is the car content I am looking for on KZbin. I just love the everyday car thing, as well as the odd car thing. I love the ongoing series about early EVs and exotic, almost forgotten cars. Good luck with your Explorer!

[@Lurker-dk8jk]

0:23 - Love the duct tape armrest! I do the same thing with my desk chairs, because they always fall apart after the first three months. 1:59 - Brilliant! [Cackle, Cackle] Your ad spots NEVER fail to impress.

[@JaysTrain08]

Fun fact: the 5.0 equipped version of these explorers are extremely desirable, but not for the car itself, but just for the drivetrain. There is a massive group of people (myself included) that pull the 5.0/4r70w trans out of these and swap them into similar year ford rangers. It’s practically a drop in swap, with little to no wiring depending on the year ranger.

[@callhoonrepublican]

I bought one of these about (same year) 2 years ago with 266,000 miles for $500. It had been meth-headed out, bad. I cleaned it, cleaned it some more, pressure washed the carpets. replaced the seats with ones that only had about 50,000 miles on it. fixed the lights, some of the door trim. replaced the air filter housing (as it had meth-headed off and destroyed.) replaced the broken center console (again meth-head took it apart and broke/lost a lot of it) replaced the crank sensor, the MAF sensor. replaced the brake pads and rotors (new pads, rotors of the 50,000 mile parts car with no engine i already had) replaced the fuel pump and filter. replaced the front wheel bearings. Fixed the luggage rack with the parts car parts. fixed the door hinges on the driver door. fixed the driver door handle ( from meth head locking himself out and ripping it off before he tried the un-locked passenger door). fixed the tern signal windshield whipper multi switch with the parts car. put four new $70-ish wallmart AT tires on it. fixed the radio antenna with the parts car. replaced the radio with a new stock one I got for free. Adjusted the torsion suspension on the front to make it level and not raked and have the right camber on the front wheels. changed all the fluids. finally got it soled. Before the dude could pick it up, DIFFRENT meth-heads that lived next door at the time tried and failed to steel the catalytic converter. They did saw through a part of it so it had an exhaust leak and would need a new one to pass emissions at the time. I dropped the price down to only $2,000 just to be rid of it. Now, i really wish i'd kept it, i miss that thing lol.

[@BreatheHydrogen]

I laughed so hard at this video. The audio clip and sponsor spot were just hilarious.

[@somedudenamedzack]

That door latch sound (I know, oddly specific) brings back so much nostalgia. My Grandpa had a 1988 Ford Ranger with those “clicky” door latches. Now he has a 1990 Ranger. ✨Progress✨

[@michelinman8592]

1. That generation of Ford Explorer has the same problem as the Ford Ranger: no matter how hard you try, it's hard to make them die! 2. That sponsored segment has got to be the BEST I've ever seen! Rob, never stop being awesome. 🙂

[@tom165983]

It’s a good car! I had 2 of them 7-8 years ago now… never broke down or left me stranded in the snow. Ford did well with that car

[@YurandX]

i really dont know why but i jumped off my chair laughing when you pressed Play on the voice memo thingy and the 'message' played hilarious :D the honda civic destruction is what brought me here, im so excited that theres gonna be another one i wish you all the best mr TechnologyConnections double

[@speedcap_]

My dad’s got a 98 explorer sport with the 5 speed manual, the thing’s just as much of a wheel barrow but it’s still going strong at almost 370k miles. He intends to keep driving it until something breaks that’s worth more than the car itself, those anemic things just don’t die

[@padillaxA]

4L explorers and rangers: the car you dont expect to or even want to last, but does anyway. ive had several and i have a healthy love/hate for these

[@ricochetey]

That truck was clearly trashed and beat on like a rented mule. These are luxury compared to a yugo or the competition of the era and well thought out in design and interior. Also materials were good and still hold up well granted they were taken care of. These Exploders especially with the V8 5.0 were bulletproof and known for 300k miles stock engine trans

[@barrya.6212]

And the 4.0 ohv....a few videos on youtube on them turning 400,000 LIVE on video !

[@dw-xy9vm]

It's really nice to see you pick up an explorer to enjoy, my families recently died after a solid 20 years running and a lot of problems (maintenance problems it seems mostly). I hope you enjoy it! They're tough when they need to be, spacious, and (I think) comfy.

[@dw-xy9vm]

Also! Transmission rebuilds are common even on more modern explorers (early 2000's). Disk slip as you mentioned being the big killer.

[@donaldprater5099]

i use to have a 98 explorer that was pushing 298k on the clock until i flipped it last year. it was pretty much exactly the same lol. the interior was falling apart, trans was rebuilt, a little 4.0 v6 that only saw oil changes it's whole life still using the original sparkplugs and wires from 1998 but it got you from A to B reliably

[@DaveSomething]

my friend has one, she bought it from my dad... it's a POS, but it's got a quarter-million miles and oddly still runs!

[@barrya.6212]

If it has 250K and still runs it's not a PO... probably interior etc are junk now...

[@DaveSomething]

@@barrya.6212 it's got a few speed holes and the interior isn't too bad, except for the driver seat. I am impressed with how much abuse it's taken.

[@richardcrouthamel4397]

OMG the best car I ever owned was a 1997 Explorer. I eventually gave it to my son, he drove it until it hit 270,000 and then he sold it to a kid in high school. I am currently driving a 2008 Explorer with a little over 200,000. And yes, it has the Cologne V-6. Those 4.0’s were robust to say the least. And the tranny also had to be rebuilt at 125,000.

[@davidwilliams5497]

4 liter V6 that made 160 horsepower. Reminds me of the old Top Gear joke about how American car makers manage to put so little power in such large engines. (My small Japanese car has a 2 liter, 4 cylinder engine that makes 198 horsepower.)

[@ScarlettStunningSpace]

My 1994 Nissan Pathfinder has a smaller engine than the Explorer but makes the same amount of power, when they were new.

[@theelectricmonk3909]

Assuming the Cologne comment is accurate - the same basic engine (2.8/2.9 litre V6) in the UK produced around 130bhp when fuel injected - a little less with a carb on it IIRC. So... 30bhp for an extra 1.1 litres seems accurate. In fairness, the Cologne engine was always a dog compared to the Essex V6.

[@benbauer1257]

Okay now tell us where it makes that power in the rpm range

[@tacticalidiot175]

It makes way more power than your car lmao. 210 horsepower, will last longer too. American cars have more power and reliability than any other market.

[@ScarlettStunningSpace]

@@tacticalidiot175 They're all the same, it's just which flavor you prefer.

[@goopah]

[shrugs] I had no idea these had bad reputations. My '97 still runs great, and I love the thing. I'm in ND, so the 4WD part is crucial for me, and it always starts, even at minus 30F, without being plugged in.

[@Julian-cb1fl]

Love your down to earth creative approach. Your sense of humor and video editing make any subject and ad entertaining. Please keep it up.

[@zarrendragon]

My mother still has her '99 with the v8. I learned to drive with it. took it to high school, college, and first couple years of my first job. Occasionally have to borrow it. It still goes down the road with no problem, but i swear the front right wheel is going to fall off any day now. only got 90k or less on the odometer. Leaks every fluid known to man, yet the paint looks brand new.

[@casonmcleod625]

Ive got a 2000 with the 5.0 as my daily and I love it, Ive never had any issues, and it has taken me from western NC to central FL and back over the summer with no fault. Also the rear wipers like to seize up if not used often. It gets me where I need it to and its fun to drive along the way

[@ScarlettStunningSpace]

5.0? You're good to go

[@vacuumchannel213]

I got a 95 explorer passed down from my dad, same car that took me home from the hospital when I was born, has an oil leak, but still I put oil in it and it always starts everytime. I also have duct tape on the middle console like this one and the hood is oxidized lool still I love the look of these

[@octane613]

This explorer gave that man many many miles of safety and lasted this long. It didn't deserve to be treated like this...

[@Parsaval64]

It absolutely did its done being a vehicle

[@SRQmoviemaker]

Okay so you're the only creator where I replay the sponsored segment! Loving what you do!

[@mceajc]

I wish I had the right words to convey my enjoyment of ... whatever this is. It's GREAT! More, please.

[@rj29productions]

My dad had one for 14 years, worked great, loved it

[@mw8246]

Best ad spot yet.

[@Press1for]

I actually have the same model. Bought it back in 08 in last eco crunch. Paid 550 for it. Still have it, 175,000 miles and runs like a champ.

[@Demache92]

I know the feeling of those exterior door handles. It like the door release isn't connected but somehow the door magically opens.

[@astralsilverwind5478]

just those 90s door handles in general were bad. the whole handle u had to check for spiders or wasps that were trying nest up under them...

[@Darwinpasta]

A friend of mine's parents have one of these. The BW4405 transfer case started slipping into neutral a while back. It wasn't worth fixing, so we gutted the shift mechanism, welded the selector into high range, and put it back together. The damn thing's still going AFAIK.

[@alexp6016]

That’s actually the SHOC 4.0, which made 210 hp. Still feels just as slow as the OHV that made 160. It’s a miracle that the timing chains only just started rattling.

[@criticaltexan2334]

Yup. I've had both engines, the SOHC in a 2001 Ford Explorer, and the OHV in a 1996. The SOHC died with 250k miles due to the notorious timing chain problem. The OHV had over 400k miles on it, and ran perfectly fine when I gave it away to a friend.

[@alexp6016]

@@criticaltexan2334 The OHV is a great engine, it really will run forever. I just did the rear chain cassette on my dad's '04, that truck went through 3 engines with the previous owner (my aunt) due to that issue. Aside from that, the SOHC 4.0 is pretty good too.

[@blue06lt]

My parents had a 1997 Mercury Mountaineer V8 AWD. It would pass everything but a gas station. 12 city, 17 highway. To this day it was the best snow vehicle I have ever driven, it was a beast. The interior was meh but so was everything else on sale back then.

[@zorilla0]

I love how, despite all that trouble and the mess you made, I still had to go back and watch the rocket six or seven times to convince myself it wasn't just amateur CG hahaha.

[@BFLnCO]

I bought my 2000 Explorer V6 two years ago for $2,800. Best investment ever. They truly dont build vehicles like this anymore, simple to a fault.

[@jeremyhershberger3012]

I love driving vehicles that are in this condition. I have several of them and daily drive whichever one is currently working.😂

[@mrq1]

Sorry, to correct you, but that is the 4.0L Cologne Single Over Head Cam V6. It was a rework of the overhead valve design that you are referencing which was discontinued in 2000. The SOHC version put out 210 HP at 5k+ RPM. However, one of its biggest drawbacks was the timing chain rattle where the oil pre tensioners failed causing the front and/or rear chains to slap the guides. These guides would eventually break if the tensioners were not repaired causing the chain to jump time on this interference engine. (Regular synthetic or blend oil changes and use of the Motorcraft filter with the drainback valve can usually extend the life of the tensioners by thousands of miles) You also have the 5 speed 5R55E automatic (first auto 5 speed ever used in a US vehicle) with a Borg Warner 4405 electric transfer case, dana 35 front differential (most jeep d35 gears and parts work), the venerable semi-float Ford 8.8 rear. Fuel pumps are prone to go out on these (I have replaced too many to count) until I found the secret. Keep the tanks half full if you park them for a while, don't use cheap pumps, and don't run the tank on empty. (The pumps are cooled by the fuel, and they will overheat and prematurely fail if run like that) The cruise control buttons on this use a rubber like material that gets gummy after being in the heat. They tend to tear easily so they get discarded, but it's not an expensive or difficult repair. Frame is based off a Ranger but is obviously not the same. When treated properly these Explorers will easily put a quarter million miles on the clock. If you get to the end of this, you will probably have noticed that I am a fan of these vehicles. I have owned 5 (2 of which I still have), my parents have owned 2, by brother has owned 2 and still has one that he daily's. Two of my friends have owned approximately 60 (yes that's right *six-zero*, and no they aren't a salvage yard, they just really like 'em) including a Saleen XP8, a Jurassic Park Explorer, and just recently a German spec 1994 Explorer they had shipped over from Europe (@BanditCustoms).

[@swissnewwave]

I also still drive a 1991 Ford Explorer.

[@polleyjw]

I owned a 97 Exploder and it wasn’t bad, for its time. After seven years, I replaced it with a Prius which is a bit like “shifting paradigms without a clutch.”

[@BrooksMoses]

Haha, yup, I know that paradigm shift. I have an '88 Bronco (which I've ridden in since new, and driven since college), and recently got an Mitsubishi i-MiEV. The nice thing is, between the two of them they do an excellent job of nearly everything except long road trips. Unlike "Ken", I've actually taken care of my large Ford, and it's lived in California for all but the first decade and it only has 199,000 miles on it, so it's doing pretty well. Except, again, for the clearcoat on the hood.

[@BurchellAtTheWharf]

7:48 still better then half the new cars on the road, but its still a floored exploder

[@PIchillin456]

This is basically how I treat my 97 Mountaineer. It's my winter beater so it gets only the bare minimum in maintenance. Still starts every time after 5 years of ownership. Can't beat that for a car I paid $450 for. The V8 models are really hard to kill.

[@NathanBeatty]

Talk about a nostalgia hit. My best friend’s family had a Ford Explorer, same model, only it was “forest green.” So many hours getting hauled around in that hunk of metal, plastic, and pleather.

[@CoreyDeWalt]

Every one of those engines needs timing chain guides now...best part is theres some on the back of the engine too...woohoo. also I dont think any of those rear wipers have worked since the mid 2000s. I'm surprised the power door locks still work.

[@alkalize]

I'd be surprised if the rear wiper ever worked on an 2nd gen explorer.

[@BillLaBrie]

Weird that our ‘97 has a working rear wiper and door lock (for the most part).

[@FlauntyToaster]

im out here with a 03 explorer in 22 things almost old enought to drink. Still going after 242,000 miles.

[@SirBoden]

I’d turn it into a “convertible” “bronco”.

[@CerberusProject]

I have been driving my first car since 2012, and I still daily it. My 2004 Grand Cherokee has 260,000 miles, but still runs great. The AMC/Chrysler 4.0L is bulletproof.

[@barrya.6212]

Have one of those too....and one of these....both 4.0's are solid rellable (ohv version on the Ford)

[@slidewaze]

You know? That little rocket might help give you the acceleration you need on the Exploder. Got duct tape?

[@jamescaldwell2095]

Those engines were honestly pretty good. I know of two that went almost 500k. The issue is that people never did the timing chains. I had a few come through my shop where the mechanic said they did the passenger side chain but didn't actually. Some were saved, some exploded. But alot of people just didn't want to bear the cost again and scrapped them. And then there's the tire issue. Which is what they're known for unfortunately.

[@2H2521]

They’re excellent.

[@JConnollystudio]

Just... You are part of my " can't wait for next video" KZbinrs short list! Thank you for the work.

[@FormerArea51]

That has to be The Best Start to any you tubers advertising I had ever had the pleasure of witnessing!

[@UnfocusedRacing]

That sponsor spot. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@robertmacdonald8447]

First time I never skipped a ad, keep up the good work!! Got my souvenir desk thingie, looks great, thanks!!

[@ZGryphon]

Ah, that '90s Ford paint quality.

[@BrooksMoses]

Ayup. I used to have some of that hood paint too. Still have the truck, just not the hood paint.

[@PIchillin456]

To be fair I can't think of many car companies that DIDN'T have paint issues in the 90's. Ford, Honda, GM, Toyota, and Chrysler all had problems. Hyundai and Kia get a pass because they were throwaway cars anyway but they also had bad paint. I think that the German cars faired better but then again they had those fun biodegradable wiring harnesses so the trade-off was hardly worth it. My guess has always been that there were some regulatory changes during that time that resulted in lesser quality paint formulas. I have absolutely zero evidence to back this up though lol

[@BrooksMoses]

@@PIchillin456 : Your guess is partly correct. Part of the issue was that basecoat/clearcoat paints came in during the 1980s, and that was a durability problem all by itself -- when single-stage paint gets "old", that's because the surface layer oxidizes, and you can just polish that off and get it back to like-new shape. But clearcoats fail throughout the layer, and can't be rejuvenated except by repainting, and the manufacturers were aiming for a 5-year design life of the paint job. And, as you guessed, in the late 1980s and early 1990s there were also many new regulations limiting the VOC content in the paints, which apparently led to lots of experimenting with new technology (urethanes, for instance) to meet the new regulations, and it took a while for all that to settle out into something that worked. (The 5-year design life of the paint job was apparently a notable improvement over the previous single-stage finishes, which did oxidize in a couple of years. Or so the article I found claimed, anyway. It didn't mention the fact that late-1980s blue GM cars and trucks often had the paint peel off the hood in sheets due to poor adhesion.)

[@ZGryphon]

@@BrooksMoses Acid rain mitigation measures didn't really get going in the US until the mid-'90s, which presumably didn't help.

[@samwoodward9817]

I used to own a 1995 Explorer Expedition edition 2-door, and currently own a 2002 Explorer Sport 2-door. They are/were my daily drivers, and other than the questionable maintenance record they got me where I needed to go. They have their personalities, thats for sure lol.

[@robertberger8642]

I’m looking forward to what you’re going to do to that thing! Maybe an oddball electric conversion? Maybe make it a true exploration vehicle? Maybe both?

[@marv8481]

I have a 1996 Explorer, it’s one of my favorite vehicles, cause I absolutely do not care what happens to it so I have zero care for it. But to the “won’t start itus”, these were plagued by the relay box connections being terrible and the crimps not making good contact. I took every connection in the relay panel and soldered them, done that to many of Explorers for friends and co workers, fixed that “no start itus” you could probably just pull the contacts out for the fuel pump relay and solder them, and it should be good. If it doesn’t start and you don’t feel like doing that work, just pop the hood, and give the relay box a smack or 2 or until you hear the fuel pump run (leave the key in the on position) and I could nearly guarantee the fuel pump never needed replaced, id say it’s that fuel pump relay connection, the people ive helped out with that have all had their fuel pump “diagnosed” as bad, and then had it replaced and it would still randomly cut out or just not start on them, it’s always been that relay box not having a good connection on the wire crimps, in my experiences with them and my friends and co workers. Also put a battery disconnect switch on it, they get a terrible parasitic electrical drain when they get this old. And if the locks start going nuts, locking and unlocking randomly like they’re haunted, the ecu is probably about to go out. Right before my ecu went out the locks acted like they were possessed. And I’m really surprised it hasn’t had a headgasket job done. There’s a whole list of issues these were plagued by. And for the intermittent trans issues, throw an extra half quart or full quart of trans fluid in it. That may stop those intermittent issues, did for mine and many peoples I know. I’ve had mine for quite a long time lol there’s not much that’s still Ford on mine now, in its life. And yea, I know you plan on destroying it, but just in case that changes or someone else reads this that’s having the same issues, it may help a bit.

[@mitchellmartinez]

I would drive it it beats the 363,000 mile Honda I currently drive

[@zd533]

Your ads are probably the only ones on KZbin I don't skip through... Very entertaining!

[@EnderMalcolm]

Yeeeeessssss, An Exploder! I had a 2000 Exploder as my first 'vehicle', and loved every second of that driving scrap pile. The engine ran on 2 cylinders, the shifter linkage was looser than pudding, and the exhaust was, well, nonexistant. But it was wonderful, got me everywhere I wanted to go, in any conditions. I miss that thing.

[@jedidethfreak]

I had a 1997 Explorer with the V8. Great little truck.

[@Sniffing_HC]

Once you've finished working on the building you should call it the Bus Dungeon of Supreme Maintenance

[@dylanmcmillian1735]

Miss my grandmas 98 explorer, pratically grew up in the back of that thing. She had the Eddie Bauer trim with the 5.0.

[@JessicaKStark]

So question is, did the sponsor pay enough to repair the holes in your roof? XP

[@Alfadragon17]

I just bought a 94 Explorer with 4wd and a manual transmission 242k on the odometer. It overheats (no it hasn't blown a head gasket or cracked a head...) B/c the radiator is bad and when I got it it didn't like starting when hot. I paid $1000 for it and after fixing the hot stall with some junkyard parts (MAF, IAC and Throttle Body) and cleaning it runs like a champ! I bought it as a work vehicle to haul stuff, tow stuff and move stuff and be capable of off road and snow driving. For a grand I'm happy.

[@katydid5088]

I love this thing. My parents had one of these and we drove that thing into the ground (with better maintenance). That timing chain rattle is the death knell though. Putting the tensioner in and keeping them in good shape is a pain. (I say this as the Explorer was a 4× car that was not a 4x, for yard/farm work). They kept waiting for the car to die, it sounded like loose change bt kept ticking. Finally, they got rid of it when they found a newer F250 truck, also for the same purpose.

[@bebopwing1]

My first car was a 1996 explorer, and I loved that car! It was over 300,000 miles when I crashed it into the back of a pick up... Oh well! And those shallow cup holders will spill all manor of drinks during stopping or turning!

[@joannaatkins822]

I want to see this and the durango, attached by a chain to each vehicles engine, reversing as fast as possible in opposite directions

[@TenchiFox]

My man, I hate you for not allowing me the desire to skip an ad! 🤣 That was brilliant! Rocket Money needs to run that as a TV ad campaign!

[@DigitalJedi]

2004 Explorer checking in here. 238k on the odometer, 1 transmission rebuild, 1 rear wiper motor, lots of Bondo, some structural duct tape, and she's still kicking. Mechanically everything is fine, but the body and interior are going to fall apart around the frame at some point. The plan was to take her out to the 4x4 park and just send it until something either explodes, falls off, or she just don't run no more. We gave up on trying to kill it after it not only survived, but pulled the escape Jeep out too. It will forever haunt my shed as the brick and shit hauling truck. God curse this thing.

[@chriskalkman3815]

As a person whose parents (and Grandparents) have owned a 1999 ford Explorer Eddie Bauer Spruce green for a combined total of 15 years( My parents owned it for 12 of those 15). It was a reliable shitbox. It definitely had a loose timing chain, and a stuck piston, but nothing else (motor wise) during the 85,000 miles we drove it. it most certainly had an entire exhaust replacement, and two major AC repairs. it went out a third time, but we sold it. Everything worked up until the end. It lacked a rear wiper for about five years, as it was ripped off in a car was run, before by Brother decided to get a whole new assembly, but the motor still worked! The motor, the same one in the video, started to burn oil about a year and a half to about two years before we sold it in the fall of 2019. We had to add maybe two quarts about every one to two thousand miles, but we managed. Due to the timing chain, and it being parked outside for a total of three years (in use), it would periodically have trouble starting in the winter, but it would always start eventually. The fans would whine at first, but subside over time. 4WD never had problems and the transmission never had problems. The overhead console display randomly stopped working due to some internal circuit board trace fracture, because when I would smack it, the display would come back to life. There were no cracked solder joints or visible cracks on the board, as well as corrosion on any connectors. The vehicle had a little over 203,000 miles when it was sold in 2019. The price was $1,000 flat. We called it the "Spruce Moose" Oh yeah. we are in Michigan, so of course the running boards were hanging on by a thread. There was also a rust hole in the floor in rear passenger wide wheel well that wasn't discovered until 48 HOURS before the vehicle was sold.