Reader: In your "Explorer First Drive" story (Dec. '05), I don't understand the part of the article about axle gearing being 3.55 and that there are no lockers or limited-slip diff options available. We own two of the previous Explorers and both have the trailer towing option that automatically gets you 3.73:1 gears and a limited-slip diff. Are you guys off your rocker, or is Ford?
Jim Ray
via 4wheeloffroad.com
Editor: Editorial Director Douglas McColloch responds: He's partly right...and so am I. According to Ford, you can get 3.73 gears if you order the Towing Package with the V-6, but 3.55 gears are the only ones you can get with the new V-8. (Go figure!) The transfer case uses a center diff-lock for torque transfer, and the Trac-Lok limited-slip has been dumped in favor of the new Advance-Trac system (i.e., ABS traction control).
Reader: Hey, my cousin is considering selling his '62 Willys Wagon and I would really like to buy it. My dad isn't too sure about it though. It has a Chevy 283 V-8, a three-speed manual transmission, and four-wheel drive. There's very little nonsurface rust, it needs new front fenders, and the roof needs to be straightened out (it looks a little wavy, but not like it was in an accident). It also runs just fine. I talked to a guy that owns a Willys restoration shop and he says don't buy it unless it has the original inline six. Since I don't plan on restoring it, but rather making it into an off-roader, I don't really care that it has a different engine. Of course, this one would be better since it has more power and more available parts. Oh yeah, the firewall had to get a hole cut in it to make room for the distributor, but that can be patched. I was just wondering what you think as to me buying it and fixing it up. Should I buy it or just pass it up? I've included a picture to help you.
Jordan White
Ramsey, MN
Editor: We aren't in the business of scoping out vehicles for readers, or offering any type of advice on what to do as we never get enough information. However, we love beaters so we'll give you what we think based on the photo and description alone. It appears to be a good old beater with hammered fenders and a roof someone has been dancing on. Your friend who restores Willys has a point, as this one would be a real project to restore based on the description. But for a fun wheeler you can take to the trail and store it could be a fine piece of machinery, if everything works and is in good condition. We doubt that though, as we've drug home many of these identical vehicles with the same issues, and loved them all. Just make sure you pay what you feel is fair or at least the market price in your area, which varies greatly across the country.
Reader: Mr. Jones has written well about the basics of difficult topics in his article, "Engine Breathing 101" (Oct. '05). He has done a particularly good job of helping the general reader to avoid the layers of hype covering the underlying principles on which the systems are based. However, paragraph two under the "Paper Filters" section is simply wrong in two important respects. Sentence two states that "a brand-new (filter) will filter down to the same small micron count" as the dirty element being replaced. In point of fact, the opposite is true. The new element will always filter less efficiently until the dirt pack is restored. The next sentence restates the same basic erroneous assertion. As paper filters get dirty, their effectiveness does not remain constant. To the contrary, it consistently and very significantly increases. It is true that air flow does decrease, but insignificantly so up to the level of restriction for which the particular intake system is designed. Fuel consumption rate increases, as a general rule, are barely measurable below 15 inches of H2O in a gas-powered pickup and 20 inches in a diesel unit. Many pickups in on/off-road use lose their engines prematurely due to failure to adhere to the filtration basics. As a general rule, the simple act of changing a light-vehicle air filter will "cost" about a quarter of a standard oil drain interval, where that interval is assigned at whatever interval may be required to keep the drained oil silicon level at no more than 20 ppm over the level in the base (new) oil. The related issue concerning the sealing of the element and housing pieces from vacuum leaks should get much more play in these discussions. These tend to be the direct cause of most light-vehicle engine wear in off-road use applications. Years of experience in dealing with pickups in on/off-road fleets have led to the conclusions, learned at the great of expense of fleet owners, that there are two operator-accessible techniques which can ensure long-term success in maintaining these vehicles. First, make sure that meticulous attention is paid to gaskets and fastening hardware. It is all engineered well, but it is neither forgiving nor long lasting in these engines, particularly in off-road use. And secondly, when the element is well installed, leave it there as long as possible. An intake system should be sealed and then only opened when absolutely necessary. A standard recording type condition gauge is easily the best available "air filter element" on the market. Element changing is a risky and invasive business and should be approached with the same caution and attention to detail that might typically be applied to major internal engine or transmission repairs. Mr. Jones writes about 4x4s needing better than average filtration. That is surely correct. He is just way off base in describing how to get that filtration. The mantra should be: Seal it up tight and leave it alone.
John Howland
via 4wheeloffroad.com
Editor: Good advice, simply quit checking the element all the time to avoid more dirt getting into the engine. And yes, we agree that any filter, paper or cleanable, that gets dirty will prevent more dirt from entering the engine, at the expense of airflow. In high-performance applications oftentimes the longevity of the engine is not as important as high airflow, since the engine often is rebuilt quite frequently. But for our regular trail-duty engines you make a good point to seal it up and leave it alone for a while.