Automotive Assistance Questions

[Nobody]

I have asked a few times, as well as others, various questions involving auto repair. I know there are a few mechanics here, but I think it would be easier to just keep a thread going for it instead of opening a new one every time.

That being said, what the **** is this part called? Mine has a dry rotted section on the bottom of it, and it's causing nothing but problems for me and I need to replace it. The problem is, I don't have the foggiest idea what the damn thing is called. Any takers? I've looked up parts diagrams for the vac, air cleaning and cooling systems, this doesn't appear on any of them. And this one isn't mine, it's a stock photo.

View attachment 479

 

[Nobody]

98 Explorer XLT

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Intake hose.

Intake manifold hose, more specifically.

 

[Nobody]

That was my first guess, but when you go on google shopping it only brings up $200+ performance crap I don't want, and going on automotive retail sites, it brings up nothing.

Found it. Engine air box hose. That was my next guess

 

[riggins44]

If you have the 5.0L V8 you need F77Z-9B659-EA, which is obsolete and not replaced. This means getting from junk yard or aftermarket. It retailed for $125.

Let me know if have any other questions.

 

[Nobody]

I have a 4.0 V6 X vin.....the 98 explorer almost nobody has. It makes it a pain getting anything for it. I checked a few junk yards, but the ones that had it had it in worse condition. I could get it directly from Ford, but it would be $150, I was just trying to find a better price.

 

[Snydershrugged]

Find a "you-pull-it sale or just a auto junk yard and you should be able to get one cheap.

 

[DiamondSkin]

OK...'99 Monte Carlo, 'service engine soon' light goes on/off. It's been recently completely overhauled, my mechanic is a GM muscle car specialist and the only person I trust...he can get it to go off, then about 2-3 days later it comes on again. Before I take it back and spend more $, wanted to ask ya'll if you've got any ideas.
Thanks.

 

[Elephant]

OK...'99 Monte Carlo, 'service engine soon' light goes on/off. It's been recently completely overhauled, my mechanic is a GM muscle car specialist and the only person I trust...he can get it to go off, then about 2-3 days later it comes on again. Before I take it back and spend more $, wanted to ask ya'll if you've got any ideas.
Thanks.

CO2 sensor... Your mechanic should have a computer for diagnostics that should be able to detect which one.

 

[Nobody]

OK...'99 Monte Carlo, 'service engine soon' light goes on/off. It's been recently completely overhauled, my mechanic is a GM muscle car specialist and the only person I trust...he can get it to go off, then about 2-3 days later it comes on again. Before I take it back and spend more $, wanted to ask ya'll if you've got any ideas.
Thanks.

Have you hooked a check engine scanner to it? If you do, it should give you the code P0102. The thing with that is, it could be a free fix all the way up to about $150 fix. Are you losing power when you go uphill at all? If you are, it would make it a lot easier to diagnose.

The first thing you should do is check all of your vacuum hoses and make sure none are loose, disconnected or cracked. If they are, it's an easy fix.

If the hoses appear fine, remove the mass air flow sensor and spray mass air flow cleaner onto the diode inside without touching it, then let it dry for a second and put it back on. In the picture I posted above, the mass air flow sensor is the metal piece with the small black box on top of it that is connected to the left end of the tube I have circled in my picture. Removing it is easy, and consists only of removing 4 10mm bolts, loosening the radiator clamp on the tube with a screwdriver, and unplugging the sensor. Definitely not a job you pay someone to do. Make sure when you buy the MAF sensor cleaner, that it's what you're actually buying. It will be in a big red or silver can, and say MAF sensor cleaner right in the middle of a big white circle. Don't use any other type of cleaner.

If none of this works you probably have a bad ignition coil, or one on the verge of going bad. It's a very easy fix, since it sits right on top of the engine and only has somewhere between two and 4 bolts holding it on, but they can be pricy. Luckily for you, yours is only $45 including shipping.......http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=480544&cc=1353529

At rockauto.com, it is BECK/ARNLEY Part # 1788206. But definitely go the cheaper route first. Hope this helps.

 

[Nobody]

CO2 sensor... Your mechanic should have a computer for diagnostics that should be able to detect which one.

There is a chance of this, but after 96 a lot of the time when a code comes up for that, it's something else causing it. I had my truck throwing 2 different codes for bad O2 sensors, and the problem ended up being a bad MAF sensor. I only know, because I replaced both sensors and the code came back, and a mechanic explained to me the bs about the code. Also, those suckers can be expensive so it's more of a last resort option.

 

[Elephant]

Sensor, expensive? I just got one replaced in my wife's 2002 GM for a hundred bucks. Lights gone...

 

[DiamondSkin]

Thanks, everyone! I didn't get the pic for some reason, Ex. Someone else mentioned replacing the gas cap. Since we have to get emissions testing yearly here to renew tags, the one on the MC is the original one, and always passes. I had to replace the one on my Saturn last year so it would pass. Any validity to a bad gas cap?

 

[Nobody]

Thanks, everyone! I didn't get the pic for some reason, Ex. Someone else mentioned replacing the gas cap. Since we have to get emissions testing yearly here to renew tags, the one on the MC is the original one, and always passes. I had to replace the one on my Saturn last year so it would pass. Any validity to a bad gas cap?

There sure is. My sister had a Monte Carlo a little newer than yours and spent over $400 going from place to place to fix the problem with her light coming on before her neighbor told her to replace her gas cap. It fixed her problem. The thing is, I don't know what year they started with the light coming on for that. There are all sorts of tricks people have to make the light go off, but it's always a better idea to find what's causing it in the first place and fix the problem before it becomes something bigger and more expensive. Rarely will a light coming on be because of a fault in the warning system. In fact, I've never heard of a faulty engine light in anything but a Jeep, where it's actually a very common problem.

And El, I guess expensive is subjective. If you don't have the money, $100 for a car part isn't cheap by any stretch. I recently had to buy an EGR valve, MAF sensor, ignition coil, O2 sensor and IAC valve for my truck. It cost me almost $400, and I wanted to cry. Without it, I would have been walking. Good thing my tax return came back early.

 

[Nobody]

Starting a couple of days ago, I started hearing a howling noise that sounds like it's coming from my front passenger wheel. It doesn't start until I hit 25-30 mph, and it doesn't get any worse with increased speed. When I go under 25, it doesn't happen, and when I decelerate from over 25, it gets louder and slower. It doesn't do it at idle or if I rev my engine.

My first guess was a bad set of bearings. I jacked it up and checked each wheel one by one though, and the bearings are good. Any guesses what it could be?

It's a 98 Ford Explorer with 4 wheel drive.

 

[Dead Money]

cv joints toast? sometimes when they rub they will make a racket that sounds like all sorts of other problems at different speeds. Passenger side vibrates all through and hard to hear the squeal at high speeds unless you're driving next to a wall.

If not I once had a whirring at higher speed coming from a transfer case issue on a 4x4 s10. Of course trans shop wanted to put a new t-fer case in but I found that flushing the fluid and replacing a filter did the trick. not sure about the exploder the only one I've owned was 2 wheel drive. Good luck

 

[Nobody]

Could be the cv joints. Do I need a specialized tool or press or anything do you know, or just a lot of free time and anger to break things free

edit: the first thing I did when I got my truck last April was flush the fluid and replace the filter in the transfer case. If my problem's coming from there, I'm pretty ****ed.

Since you've had 4 wheel drive, you'll understand this - the exact sound it's making is the same warbling sound you get when you're driving in 4 wheel high.

I know an easy way to check the bearings is to jack up the truck and try and move the top and bottom of the wheel and see if it wobbles. Is there a similar trick without taking anything apart to check the cv? I only ask, because it has a whole lot of side to side play, but I figured it was just from the steering and it was normal. Maybe I should lock my steering wheel and see if it still does it.

 

[Nobody]

DM got me to thinking my problem could be the CV joint. After looking at them on both the driver side (which seems fine) and the passenger side (where the noise is), I am pretty sure the CV joint on the passenger side is busted.

I would like confirmation from a mechanic, or anyone here who knows about this with no doubt before I spend money i can't afford to spend to replace this.

The one with the closed boot circled in gold is the driver side CV joint. The one with the more expanded boot circled in burgundy is the passenger side CV joint. Is it possible to say from these pics, or do I have to take it off and do the wiggle test regardless? The wheels were straight and on a level slope when the pics were taken.

View attachment 509
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[Dead Money]

I'm no mechanic. Just cheap so I've tried to do as much work on my own as possible over the years. The s10 blazers and jimmys had ****ty balljoints and cv joints that were multiple problems for me. In fact I absolutely hate working on cars... boat I do all day and my days off too but cars? Greasy, bent over or laying on your back 99% of the time... no thanks. But in regards to CV joints and ball joints I treat them the same, if the boot is torn or leaking, its usually a pretty good sign that something is wrong. When the boot is ruptured you will loose lubricant and if this goes on long enough the joint is compromised. I'm sure you can google 301 ways to check if the joint is out of sorts, I just can't remember off hand how. I'm a forum whore when it comes to car work. Below are a couple of links for you. If you have an exploder, the explorerforum should be one you use often.

my 1998 exploder sport and explorerforum.com kinda went hand in hand.

Here is a specific outline for CV on an Exploder. Hope it helps.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=187964

Also I have found model specific info from the following to be very helpful.

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum32/

Good luck


EDIT: Oh yeah and after I did just one trying to save money the other one went shortly after. So I would advise doing both if you have to do one.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Depends on what type of CV rig you have. And only ONE CV JOINT PER BOOT!