1991 1999 ford explorer chilton User Manual

							Using the correct size wrench will help prevent the possibility of rounding off a nut
NEVER work under a vehicle unless it is supported using safety stands (jackstands)
Dos Do keep a fire extinguisher and first aid kit handy.
· 
Do wear safety glasses or goggles when cutting, drilling, grinding or prying, even if you have 20-20
vision. If you wear glasses for the sake of vision, wear safety goggles over your regular glasses.
· 
Do shield your eyes whenever you work around the battery. Batteries contain sulfuric acid. In case of
contact with, flush the area with water or a mixture of water and baking soda, then seek immediate
medical attention.
· 
Do use safety stands (jackstands) for any undervehicle service. Jacks are for raising vehicles;
jackstands are for making sure the vehicle stays raised until you want it to come down.
· 
Do use adequate ventilation when working with any chemicals or hazardous materials. Like carbon
monoxide, the asbestos dust resulting from some brake lining wear can be hazardous in sufficient
quantities.
· 
Do disconnect the negative battery cable when working on the electrical system. The secondary
ignition system contains EXTREMELY HIGH VOLTAGE. In some cases it can even exceed 50,000
volts.
· 
Do follow manufacturers directions whenever working with potentially hazardous materials. Most
chemicals and fluids are poisonous.
· 
Do properly maintain your tools. Loose hammerheads, mushroomed punches and chisels, frayed or
poorly grounded electrical cords, excessively worn screwdrivers, spread wrenches (open end),
·  HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
14 Introduction 
						

							cracked sockets, slipping ratchets, or faulty droplight sockets can cause accidents.
Likewise, keep your tools clean; a greasy wrench can slip off a bolt head, ruining the bolt and often
harming your knuckles in the process.
· 
Do use the proper size and type of tool for the job at hand. Do select a wrench or socket that fits the
nut or bolt. The wrench or socket should sit straight, not cocked.
· 
Do, when possible, pull on a wrench handle rather than push on it, and adjust your stance to prevent a
fall.
· 
Do be sure that adjustable wrenches are tightly closed on the nut or bolt and pulled so that the force is
on the side of the fixed jaw.
· 
Do strike squarely with a hammer; avoid glancing blows.
· 
Do set the parking brake and block the drive wheels if the work requires a running engine.
· 
Donts Dont run the engine in a garage or anywhere else without proper ventilation-EVER! Carbon
monoxide is poisonous; it takes a long time to leave the human body and you can build up a deadly
supply of it in your system by simply breathing in a little at a time. You may not realize you are
slowly poisoning yourself. Always use power vents, windows, fans and/or open the garage door.
· 
Dont work around moving parts while wearing loose clothing. Short sleeves are much safer than
long, loose sleeves. Hard-toed shoes with neoprene soles protect your toes and give a better grip on
slippery surfaces. Watches and jewelry is not safe working around a vehicle. Long hair should be tied
back under a hat or cap.
· 
Dont use pockets for toolboxes. A fall or bump can drive a screwdriver deep into your body. Even a
rag hanging from your back pocket can wrap around a spinning shaft or fan.
· 
Dont smoke when working around gasoline, cleaning solvent or other flammable material.
· 
Dont smoke when working around the battery. When the battery is being charged, it gives off
explosive hydrogen gas.
· 
Dont use gasoline to wash your hands; there are excellent soaps available. Gasoline contains
dangerous additives which can enter the body through a cut or through your pores. Gasoline also
removes all the natural oils from the skin so that bone dry hands will suck up oil and grease.
· 
Dont service the air conditioning system unless you are equipped with the necessary tools and
training. When liquid or compressed gas refrigerant is released to atmospheric pressure it will absorb
heat from whatever it contacts. This will chill or freeze anything it touches.
· 
Dont use screwdrivers for anything other than driving screws! A screwdriver used as an prying tool
can snap when you least expect it, causing injuries. At the very least, youll ruin a good screwdriver.
· 
Dont use an emergency jack (that little ratchet, scissors, or pantograph jack supplied with the vehicle)
for anything other than changing a flat! These jacks are only intended for emergency use out on the
road; they are NOT designed as a maintenance tool. If you are serious about maintaining your vehicle
yourself, invest in a hydraulic floor jack of at least a 1 1
/2  ton capacity, and at least two sturdy
jackstands.
· 
Chilton® Automotive Information Systems. © 2004 Thomson Delmar Learning. HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
Dos 15 
						

							
FASTENERS, MEASUREMENTS AND CONVERSIONS
Bolts, Nuts and Other Threaded Retainers
Although there are a great variety of fasteners found in the modern car or truck, the most commonly used
retainer is the threaded fastener (nuts, bolts, screws, studs, etc.). Most threaded retainers may be reused,
provided that they are not damaged in use or during the repair. Some retainers (such as stretch bolts or torque
prevailing nuts) are designed to deform when tightened or in use and should not be reinstalled.
Whenever possible, we will note any special retainers which should be replaced during a procedure. But you
should always inspect the condition of a retainer when it is removed and replace any that show signs of
damage. Check all threads for rust or corrosion which can increase the torque necessary to achieve the desired
clamp load for which that fastener was originally selected. Additionally, be sure that the driver surface of the
fastener has not been compromised by rounding or other damage. In some cases a driver surface may become
only partially rounded, allowing the driver to catch in only one direction. In many of these occurrences, a
fastener may be installed and tightened, but the driver would not be able to grip and loosen the fastener again.
There are many different types of threaded retainers found on vehicles Click to enlarge
FASTENERS, MEASUREMENTS AND CONVERSIONS 17 
						

							Threaded retainer sizes are determined using these measurements
Click to enlarge
If you must replace a fastener, whether due to design or damage, you must ALWAYS be sure to use the
proper replacement. In all cases, a retainer of the same design, material and strength should be used. Markings
on the heads of most bolts will help determine the proper strength of the fastener. The same material, thread
and pitch must be selected to assure proper installation and safe operation of the vehicle afterwards.
Thread gauges are available to help measure a bolt or studs thread. Most automotive and hardware stores
keep gauges available to help you select the proper size. In a pinch, you can use another nut or bolt for a
thread gauge. If the bolt you are replacing is not too badly damaged, you can select a match by finding another
bolt which will thread in its place. If you find a nut which threads properly onto the damaged bolt, then use
that nut to help select the replacement bolt.
WARNING
Be aware that when you find a bolt with damaged threads, you may also find the nut or drilled hole it was
threaded into has also been damaged. If this is the case, you may have to drill and tap the hole, replace the nut
or otherwise repair the threads. NEVER try to force a replacement bolt to fit into the damaged threads.
Torque
Torque is defined as the measurement of resistance to turning or rotating. It tends to twist a body about an axis
of rotation. A common example of this would be tightening a threaded retainer such as a nut, bolt or screw.
Measuring torque is one of the most common ways to help assure that a threaded retainer has been properly
fastened. HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
18 Bolts, Nuts and Other Threaded Retainers 
						

							
When tightening a threaded fastener, torque is applied in three distinct areas, the head, the bearing surface and
the clamp load. About 50 percent of the measured torque is used in overcoming bearing friction. This is the
friction between the bearing surface of the bolt head, screw head or nut face and the base material or washer
(the surface on which the fastener is rotating). Approximately 40 percent of the applied torque is used in
overcoming thread friction. This leaves only about 10 percent of the applied torque to develop a useful clamp
load (the force which holds a joint together). This means that friction can account for as much as 90 percent of
the applied torque on a fastener.
TORQUE WRENCHES
Various styles of torque wrenches are usually available at your local automotive supply store Click to enlarge
In most applications, a torque wrench can be used to assure proper installation of a fastener. Torque wrenches
come in various designs and most automotive supply stores will carry a variety to suit your needs. A torque
wrench should be used any time we supply a specific torque value for a fastener. Again, the general rule of if
you are using the right tool for the job, you should not have to strain to tighten a fastener applies here.
Beam Type
The beam type torque wrench is one of the most popular types. It consists of a pointer attached to the head
that runs the length of the flexible beam (shaft) to a scale located near the handle. As the wrench is pulled, the
beam bends and the pointer indicates the torque using the scale.
Click (Breakaway) Type
Another popular design of torque wrench is the click type. To use the click type wrench you pre-adjust it to a
torque setting. Once the torque is reached, the wrench has a reflex signaling feature that causes a momentary
breakaway of the torque wrench body, sending an impulse to the operators hand.
Pivot Head Type HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
Torque 19 
						

							Torque wrenches with pivoting heads must be grasped and used properly to prevent an incorrect
reading
Click to enlarge
Some torque wrenches (usually of the click type) may be equipped with a pivot head which can allow it to be
used in areas of limited access. BUT, it must be used properly. To hold a pivot head wrench, grasp the handle
lightly, and as you pull on the handle, it should be floated on the pivot point. If the handle comes in contact
with the yoke extension during the process of pulling, there is a very good chance the torque readings will be
inaccurate because this could alter the wrench loading point. The design of the handle is usually such as to
make it inconvenient to deliberately misuse the wrench.
It should be mentioned that the use of any U-joint, wobble or extension will have an effect on the
torque readings, no matter what type of wrench you are using. For the most accurate readings, install
the socket directly on the wrench driver. If necessary, straight extensions (which hold a socket directly
under the wrench driver) will have the least effect on the torque reading. Avoid any extension that
alters the length of the wrench from the handle to the head/driving point (such as a crows foot).
U-joint or wobble extensions can greatly affect the readings; avoid their use at all times.
Rigid Case (Direct Reading)
A rigid case or direct reading torque wrench is equipped with a dial indicator to show torque values. One
advantage of these wrenches is that they can be held at any position on the wrench without affecting accuracy.
These wrenches are often preferred because they tend to be compact, easy to read and have a great degree of
accuracy.
TORQUE ANGLE METERS
Because the frictional characteristics of each fastener or threaded hole will vary, clamp loads which are based
strictly on torque will vary as well. In most applications, this variance is not significant enough to cause
worry. But, in certain applications, a manufacturers engineers may determine that more precise clamp loads
are necessary (such is the case with many aluminum cylinder heads). In these cases, a torque angle method of
installation would be specified. When installing fasteners which are torque angle tightened, a predetermined HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
20 TORQUE WRENCHES 
						

							
seating torque and standard torque wrench are usually used first to remove any compliance from the joint. The
fastener is then tightened the specified additional portion of a turn measured in degrees. A torque angle gauge
(mechanical protractor) is used for these applications.
Standard and Metric Measurements
Throughout this manual, specifications are given to help you determine the condition of various components
on your vehicle, or to assist you in their installation. Some of the most common measurements include length
(in. or cm/mm), torque (ft. lbs., inch lbs. or Nm) and pressure (psi, in. Hg, kPa or mm Hg). In most cases, we
strive to provide the proper measurement as determined by the manufacturers engineers.
Though, in some cases, that value may not be conveniently measured with what is available in your toolbox.
Luckily, many of the measuring devices which are available today will have two scales so the Standard or
Metric measurements may easily be taken. If any of the various measuring tools which are available to you do
not contain the same scale as listed in the specifications, use the accompanying conversion factors to
determine the proper value.
The conversion factor chart is used by taking the given specification and multiplying it by the necessary
conversion factor. For instance, looking at the first line, if you have a measurement in inches such as
free-play should be 2 in. but your ruler reads only in millimeters, multiply 2 in. by the conversion factor of
25.4 to get the metric equivalent of 50.8mm. Likewise, if the specification was given only in a Metric
measurement, for example in Newton Meters (Nm), then look at the center column first. If the measurement is
100 Nm, multiply it by the conversion factor of 0.738 to get 73.8 ft. lbs.
Chilton® Automotive Information Systems. © 2004 Thomson Delmar Learning. HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
TORQUE ANGLE METERS 21 
						

							
SERIAL NUMBER IDENTIFICATION
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
A 17 digit combination of numbers and letters forms the vehicle identification number (VIN). The VIN is
stamped on a metal tab that is riveted to the instrument panel close to the windshield. The VIN plate is visible
by looking through the windshield on the drivers side. The VIN number is also found on the Safety
Compliance Certification Label which is described below.
A sample breakdown of the VIN numberClick to enlarge
VIN plate location
The VIN plate as seen through the windshield
By looking at the 17 digit VIN number, a variety of information about the vehicle can be determined.
The 1st digit identifies the country of origin. 1 = USA; 2 = Canada.
· 
The 2nd digit identifies the manufacturer. F = Ford.
· 
SERIAL NUMBER IDENTIFICATION 23 
						

							The 3rd digit identifies the type of vehicle.
· 
C = Basic (stripped) chassis
D = Incomplete vehicle
M = Multi-purpose vehicle
T = Truck (complete vehicle) The 4th digit identifies the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR Class) and brake system. For
incomplete vehicles, the 4th digit determines the brake system only. All brake systems are hydraulic.
· 
A = up to 3,000 lbs.
B = 3,001-4,000 lbs.
C = 4,001-5,000 lbs.
D = 5,001-6,000 lbs.
E = 6,001-7,000 lbs.
F = 7,001-8,000 lbs.
G = 8,001-8,500 lbs.
H = 8,500-9,000 lbs.
J = 9,001-10,000 lbs. The 5th digits identifies the model or line. R = Ranger U = Explorer/Mountaineer.
· 
The 6th and 7th digits identify chassis and body type.
· 
The 8th digit identifies the engine.
· 
A = 2.3L 4-cylinder
C = 2.5L 4-cylinder
T = 2.9L 6-cylinder
U = 3.0L 6-cylinder
E = 4.0L SOHC 6-cylinder
X = 4.0L 6-cylinder
P = 5.0L 8-cylinder The 9th digit is a check digit.
· 
The 10th digit identifies the model year.
· 
M = 1991 HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
24 Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) 
						

							
N = 1992
P = 1993
R = 1994
S = 1995
T = 1996
V = 1997
W = 1998
X = 1999 The 11th digit identifies the assembly plant.
· 
C = Ontario, Canada
H = Lorain, OH
K = Claycomo, MO
L = Wayne, MI
N = Norfolk, VA
P = St. Paul, MN
T = Edison, NJ
U = Louisville, KY
Z = Hazlewood, MO Digits twelve through seventeen make up the sequential serial and warranty number. Digit twelve
uses the letter A until the production or sequence of 99,999 units (digits thirteen through seventeen) is
reached. Letter A then becomes B for the next production sequence of vehicles.
· 
Vehicle Data HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
Vehicle Data 25