Some help 2007 EL questions

[pennyanguy]

HI all,

Have a few questions...as I have posted on here in the past I have been searching for a EXPO EL price range is about 10K and trying to stay close to 100K mi...not many for sale period, no less fewer in western NY...sooooo I may have found one locally...2007 with 125K miles... went to look today..decent vehicle...clean underbody, has some paint flaking on the hood and rear deck...but otherwise clean.

1. upon cold startup ( I checked it was cold) there seemed to be a exhaust noise for maybe 20 seconds...I would have attributed it to a manifold leak...but it went away so fast I could not crawl under the car fast enough to hear it...did not hear it on subsequent startups... any ideas?

2. NO BACKUP CAMERA??? has nav system...with no backup camera?? could that have been an option? could the camera be retrofitted and interfaced with the nav screen?

3. undercarriage as I said is clean...free of rust...however the dealer did tell me up front he had a local car restorer custom make and install rocker panels...the originals were rusted...they are in fact steel rockers, and the bottoms of the doors are nice and clean..no rust... I did not know rockers were something to go on these EXPOs...there is NO rust anywhere else...surprising... anyway anything special to look for? I think he is being honest here as he did not even try to hide the hood and deck paint issues....and I would think they would be more detrimental to value being obvious in your face cosmetic issues.

this is my third EXPO EL I have driven...boy these things feel so much more solid then a Suburban...but they also feel under powered.... question is can they really tow successfully? We have a 5K # camper and were thinking with the bigger truck we might go bigger...I have towed tons of boats (was my business for years) with many trucks (F150 diesel, chevy van, dodge 100, 4 burbans...)...this just feels like it works hard to move itself...no less another 5-7K # behind it. Does anyone have any advise here...I love the truck so much I have to have to default to another burban!

Thanks for the feedback

 

[stamp11127]

Since the rockers were replaced you can bet on rust being elsewhere. How can the undercarriage be clean of rust but the rockers rust away?
It has been cleaned up for resale. If it was me I would stay away from it. A few members on here have had trans issues with the 2007's electronic controller around 100,000 miles. Just the board was around a grand list price.

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

I'm not sure about the 07 but the 03-06 was notorious for rusted radiator supports. I don't believe that Ford made any major design changes so you might want to look at the radiator supports as well. The rockers on my 05 were shot. I had Ziebart treat the 17 with their rustproofing and undercoating to prevent this one from rusting a way. The new 3.5 L twin-turbo Ecoboast V6 engine has lots of power and accelerates faster than the 5.4 L Triton V8.

Before I decided to buy the 2017 EL, I was looking for used ELs and any that I found that were in decent shape were in the $25,000 to $30,000 + range. Anything in the $10,000 range is going to need work and if it has the 3 valve V8 with over 100K eventually is going to need cam phasers and timing chains and all that fun stuff. My old 05 had 146,000 + miles on it and it was going to need that work done soon and I just couldn't see putting that kind of money into a rust bucket.

 

[gixer2000]

1) manifold studs are very common to rott and break in these and are not a simple repair because the strut tower blocks the front half of the manifold. See if they'll do the repair before signing anything.

2) Backup camera didn't come factory till 2008 so would have to look into aftermarket options if that's a must have

3)por15 can cure a lot of rust issues of its not through and the metal is still somewhat solid. It cleans, converts and seals the rust with a ceramic like coating. Its works very well and I've been using it in me vehicles for years. I have a clean 07 that was developing rocker rust only where the fixed running board mated up to it. I pulled them down and applied por15 and it's solid.

 

[Ghostika]

I have a 2008 exp EL for sale but in California ‍.. No backup camera and stuff tho..
Currently in service to replace solanoids ( if I spelled it correctly) but otherwise in good condition. Certainly NO rust or flaking

 

[Snag]

I would stay away from it. Sad living in the East with the rust issue, out West normally not an issue except in some high mountain areas. Anyway that being a 125k 3v engine and already showing cancer I wouldn't buy it. I have owned both the Chevy's and the Fords and IMO that Chevy LS engine family is far superior for power and reliability. Get a Burb with the 6.0 and pull anything you want.
good luck
Gary

 

[Triplet Dad]

I have a 2007 EL and a 6000lb empty camper and even on fairly flat ground around Houston it struggles to get up small inclines. I am also having what feels to be misfiring when pulling the load. I am currently thinking about upgrading to a diesel Excursion for the extra pulling power...I wouldn't push it on the towing weight.

 

[pennyanguy]

I have a 2007 EL and a 6000lb empty camper and even on fairly flat ground around Houston it struggles to get up small inclines. I am also having what feels to be misfiring when pulling the load. I am currently thinking about upgrading to a diesel Excursion for the extra pulling power...I wouldn't push it on the towing weight.

Now that concerns me...even though these are rated to tow 9K # you are saying you don't have enough power? we have hills here...lots of them...is yours an isolated incidence or is the general opinion that the EXPO EL cant tow...please more feedback here...

 

[Triplet Dad]

I guess I should clarify - when I say struggling I mean there is a lot of downshifting and the RPMs getting above 3000 when I go up an incline. Keeping speed above 60-65 mph is also a struggle and when you are there mine seems to stay in fifth gear. I don't have the towing package so I think my towing capacity is a little less but the engine is still the same. I'm not saying that it can't tow 9000 lbs, I'm just saying that it doesn't do it with ease.

 

[Flexpedition]

I have owned both the Chevy's and the Fords and IMO that Chevy LS engine family is far superior for power and reliability. Get a Burb with the 6.0 and pull anything you want.

Really? Here is something you can pull: Somebody else's leg.

A 6.0 Suburban is rated to tow, maximum, 5400 pounds. So it'll pull anything you want, as long as its light.

A 5.4 Expedition, when properly equipped - is rated to tow up to 9000. Important key words like "up to" and "when properly equipped" are often overlooked. A 2007 Expedition EL without the HD tow package, like Triplet Dad's, is only rated upto 6000. Which is still more than the superior Suburban.

A 4.0L Ford freaking Ranger can out tow a 6.0 "Burb".