Looking at buying a 1999 Expedition with I hope just minor engine issues

[BAD RONALD]

Its only 900 I would just get it, if in good shape the motors for these if needed are cheap and easy to come by

Hell yeah! I would jump on it for the price.

Of course I would end up sleeping in the damned thing after I came home and told my wife...

 

[bedrck46]

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[BrandonB]

Thanks for the info on fixing the odometer and where to get the manual on dvd! I'm having him give the speedo a few good thumps to get me the odometer reading for the moment. Have a hard time buying a vehicle not knowing exactly how many miles are on it. After that i'll likely just risk it and buy it. The $900 is coming from income tax anyways so it's not like i'm draining my bank account to buy it! I'm just hoping I don't end up draining my bank account to fix it. I have access to a machine shop if needed to surface heads, fix cracks, valve job, etc. I'm just hoping it's something super simple like an exhaust leak or even the thing just needing an oil change with treatment and a little TLC.

 

[bedrck46]

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[BrandonB]

So I ended up buying it last night and drove it home. The engine noise actually seems like it MIGHT be exhaust, it's really loud drivers side near the bottom of the vehicle. I'm hoping its something simple like that gasket between the header and exhaust. The sound pretty much goes away at highway speed or at least isn't noticeable.

About half way home though the oil pressure tanked and the dummy light came on. It sounded normal, no additional noise so I finished the drive home. Checked the oil - full. So I figure it's probably just the sensor and i'll change that when I change the oil.

It had more miles on it then was originally estimated, 184k instead of "160 some", but that's ok with me. It was only $900 and that came from a tax return so it feels like a free SUV to me. The odometer can't be read with a flashlight, but a mile or so down the road it kicked on and gave me a chance to snap a picture of it for registration purposes.

I tossed a half a can of Sea Foam in the crank and half in the gas tank before driving it home. Figured if it had any sludge that'd help clean it out. Will most likely run some hard core engine flush through it before I change the oil and drop the pan to clean it and the oil pump screen.

Overall it seems like a good vehicle. It drives good on the highway, shifts perfectly. Needs new brakes but that's easy enough.

 

[bedrck46]

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[Yudaman]

So I ended up buying it last night and drove it home.

Pictures or we don't believe you!!!

We wanna see too...

 

[BrandonB]

Pictures or we don't believe you!!!

We wanna see too...

It's disgusting at the moment, it needs a bath. It was sitting under a tree for several months. It was raining tree on the way home.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Can't wait to see it. And Welcome

 

[FordandPolaris]

So I ended up buying it last night and drove it home. The engine noise actually seems like it MIGHT be exhaust, it's really loud drivers side near the bottom of the vehicle. I'm hoping its something simple like that gasket between the header and exhaust. The sound pretty much goes away at highway speed or at least isn't noticeable.

About half way home though the oil pressure tanked and the dummy light came on. It sounded normal, no additional noise so I finished the drive home. Checked the oil - full. So I figure it's probably just the sensor and i'll change that when I change the oil.

It had more miles on it then was originally estimated, 184k instead of "160 some", but that's ok with me. It was only $900 and that came from a tax return so it feels like a free SUV to me. The odometer can't be read with a flashlight, but a mile or so down the road it kicked on and gave me a chance to snap a picture of it for registration purposes.

I tossed a half a can of Sea Foam in the crank and half in the gas tank before driving it home. Figured if it had any sludge that'd help clean it out. Will most likely run some hard core engine flush through it before I change the oil and drop the pan to clean it and the oil pump screen.

Overall it seems like a good vehicle. It drives good on the highway, shifts perfectly. Needs new brakes but that's easy enough.

Wow that is almost the exact description of my dad's 2000 he bought about 12 months ago... If it sounds like a tractor when you start it, it's exhaust. He is missing half of the studs on one side and it sounds like a track car in the winter. The odometer issue occurs in his truck too, and from what I have read it could also be a loose solder on the back of the dash. People have pulled out the board and resoldered it to make it work fine. He also got it at around 180k (now over 200k) and I think he paid about 1200. Funny how similar that was.

Put a little work into it and I'm sure it will be a good SUV for you.

I almost forgot, he also has the weird no oil pressure readings. We have not figured that out yet but it hasn't killed the truck either so its some type of sensor or wiring issue.