The Airliner

Well, it looks like I am just about complete with the Miata other than basic maintenance so I have shifted some of my focus towards my Expedition. I am about 5 to 6 months from it being paid off. 2005 XLT 4x4 with power folding third row and towing package.

I love how comfy it is and long drives are great in it. I will be documenting my build for a comfortable cruiser and I do apologize if I go out of order as I don't have many pictures and I haven't done much.

So on to the build......

Sep 2013- Front Grill

I couldn't stand the gray grill on the front and decided that I needed a black grill. I had seen numerous Expeditions on the road that had the black grill so I decided to paint mine. Plastidip to the rescue. I think it turned out pretty good.

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Feb 2014- The Winter Storm

So this happened.

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Freaking people don't know how to drive in the snow here and was driving in the middle of the lane and ran me off the road. I thought it was going to roll when it when into the ditch. My face was heading towards the passenger side window and then flung me back when it landed. Town of Cary Maintenance workers saw me in the ditch, asked if I was ok and if I had a cell phone and then drove off. Nice. A guy in a orange Jeep must have been looking for people to pull out because he circled around a couple of times before stopping. He hooked up a nice tow strap to his hitch and to my front tow hook. Mine in 4x4, his in 4x4 and we were able to get it out of the ditch. I assessed the damage and my passenger side taillight was busted and a piece of my rear bumper was broken off. The truck tracked straight and drove like normal. Damn, this thing can take a lick.

Found a taillight at a local junk yard for $35. Good, because the red and clear tape on the taillight was not working well. Fixed that. My rear bumper was bandaged and drift stitch was placed on the rear. This is temporary until I can spend some money on it. For some reason, Andy (Pyromonkey) loves the drift stitch and threatened to hurt me if I removed it.

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Aug 2014- The Inevitable

So I had been getting an intermittent misfire when slightly accelerating and going up hills. I had not replaced the spark plugs since I first bought the truck and I had a feeling it was the plugs. The problem is that with the 2004-2008 Expeditions (and other trucks), Ford had this wonderful design where they used 2 piece spark plugs and the plugs would fuse to the head of the modular engine due to carbon buildup. When removing the spark plugs, the plug would break in half and leave the center electrode in the engine.

This is basically what it looks like:

Attachment 12384

My truck was at 113,000 miles so after 6 months of putting it off and researching, I figured what the hell and got everything ready to do it. My uncle, who has a 2004, had the Lisle Tool for removing the spark plugs.

Here is the tool:

Attachment 12385

I ordered my plugs from Rockauto and prepared myself for the worst. I expected to break all 8 plugs. I did not have $500 to give to the dealer and that is a minimum. I have read people paying almost a grand because of broken plugs.

Well as I get started, the first one breaks. Great. Used the tool to remove the remaining piece. Tool worked great, by the way. Put anti-seize on the threads and on the body, careful not to get any near the electrode. Ford recommends this to prevent any carbon build up on the body. Went to work on the second plug and that breaks also. Even better. Continued on. Third plug came out without breaking. YES! Things are looking up? Nope. The remaining 5 break.

Here is the carnage:

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They get my middle finger. One plug even broke into 3 pieces. At least, next time will be easier.

So, that is where I am so far. I have done a couple of other things that I will get pictures of and put them here. I have plans just to make this thing snow capable and comfy on long trips. It's pretty much there but I will add my own touch.

Wow Ford... Really? thats just an idiotic engineering laziness fail...

I'm just glad that it's done and over with. Truck runs smooth as hell and kicks you back a bit when you stomp on it.

That's a cool ride. I helped one of my friends up north pimp his out. I remember the spark plugs being a big issue with him too. I took a look at it and said no freakin' way.

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Originally Posted by AgentOrange

That's a cool ride. I helped one of my friends up north pimp his out. I remember the spark plugs being a big issue with him too. I took a look at it and said no freakin' way.

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What's his name? I may know him from the forum. But once you do the plugs once, they should be all good to go from here on out. I have the overhead monitor already and I have 2 headrest monitors for the third row. I also have a Pioneer Nav/DVD unit in the front so it does have some good entertainment. I got an inverter from my dad when I went to visit last month so I will be looking at installing that so my daughter can use one of her consoles in the truck on long trips.

Alright, small update. Gearing up for the upcoming winter, I had to get some new tires. My Nitto Terra Grapplers were shot. They were loud as hell too.

Here is a shot of them:
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I had been researching tires for a while and finally settled on a set of Hankook Dynapro ATM RF10s. Reviews for them were great and a lot of people loved them in the snow and their price point. Sold. It was a good thing that I got them put on this morning. Snowflakes started falling as I was waiting. Nothing accumulated so no fun but I know it will be coming. I will try and get pictures up of the tires later.

Here are some photos of them from the web:
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Ford really screwed up that spark plug design.

They did. Luckily, the new design is all one piece. And putting a little anti seize on the body (avoiding any area near the electrode) will drastically decrease the chance of carbon buildup fusing the plug to the head again.

Finally am able to post up pictures of the tires on the truck.

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I did manage to pick up some new wheels from a guy on the Expedition Forum. He lives in Winston Salem and he met me in Greensboro at the Coliseum. He was taking his kid to the Monster Truck Rally, I believe. I was able to score some 2010 OEM 6 Spoke Expedition wheels for $75. For all 4. Could not pass that up. The wheels were pristine. He had them on his truck for 10k miles before doing a slight lift and adding wheels and bigger tires. I will probably head that route in the future as well, minus changing the wheels. I had them put on today after work. Local used tire shop put them on for $60 and did the work in 20 minutes. I was impressed.

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I really like the way they look.

We are supposed to get some white stuff tonight and early in the morning so we will see how my drive to work goes. Kinda excited but I will stay to the main roads after the whole debacle of last year.

They do look good.

Thanks Anthony! I have been driving this thing around for the past couple of weeks now and it's just so comfy. I also like how a full tank of gas for it is now about $48 as opposed to the $85 before.

Nice! I bought some OE takeoffs from an Acura RDX and put them on my wife's Pilot way back when. They were larger, but the design was cleaner and it looked great.

I miss the room and stuff I could haul in my truck. If they could only make a truck that gets 40mpg I'd buy one. Until then I've sworn off tucks.

Man, Expeditions are nice. I had a lifted Mountaineer up north in Washington and thankfully the spark plugs were easier to get to. But really, with those platinum plugs in a trusty 302, there wasn't any reason to mess with them for the first 100K miles.

I will hopefully have this one slightly lifted before winter next year. Small 3/2 leveling kit.

On a different note, there was no white stuff on the ground. Saw that there were accidents out there but nothing on my way to work. There was ice on the running board of my truck so getting into my truck was more dangerous than driving to work.

My deck was icy, so when I released the hounds this morning they bowled into each other. I am still trying to get the coffee out of my nose.

That must have been a sight to see.

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Originally Posted by Phatmiata

If they could only make a truck that gets 40mpg I'd buy one. Until then I've sworn off tucks.

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My NB doesn't even get close to that.

I think the best I ever averaged in the Pilot was 17mpg driving back from SF to LA. Usually it was around 14-15. It's a tradeoff for sure. One I am prepared to make for my V8 4runner. :)

On the other hand, this is a fantastic piece:

http://www.expeditionportal.com/foru...a-Turbo-Diesel

I get about 18-19 freeway and around town 13-14. I can pull out a couple more if/when I get a tuner. But you gotta pay to play and I love driving it. Power is there when I need it and I got room for things if I need to move/buy bigger items.

I like the Xterra but I like the more flat nosed front and the step on the side of the rear bumper. I felt that was more a newer version of the Pathfinder than the ones that they had released with the name. I miss my old 93 a lot.

No real updates so far. We got some white stuff. Nothing to get excited about. Tires work great so far. I really want to give them a go in some "real snow". Surprisingly, my ABS light has stayed off and AWD/4WD works great.

Last payment was sent a couple of weeks ago. Now the real fun starts.

Just installed some heated seats. They work great and I am glad that I did not shell out the $400 for a shop to do it. Took me about 3 hours and that is taking my time. $42.50 well spent.

Those are going to feel good this time of year up north. I had a remote start in mine. I'd open the garage door with one button and start my truck with the other. Ten minutes later I got in nice and toasty.

I love walking out to the truck and seeing the snow melting off of the windshield.

heaters would be pretty cool in the Miata leather, if there could be a clean look for the control mounting. I typically wear thin pants, which can lead to assicles. Was this a universal kit? Do the controls mount in a factory location?

Universal Kit. I had to drill holes near the climate controls to mount the switches. You can mount them anywhere.

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Originally Posted by Demon I Am

heaters would be pretty cool in the Miata leather, if there could be a clean look for the control mounting. I typically wear thin pants, which can lead to assicles. Was this a universal kit? Do the controls mount in a factory location?

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Heaters are AWESOME in the Miata, top-down drives in the winter are one of the best things you can do with these cars! Mine came as OEM equipment, so I think you might be able to source the OEM NB2 switches for yours, not sure about the price though.

it was never an option on the US models. We received the lovely Airbag Off switch that goes in that location. I'd want the Euro cubby and switches. for a factory looking mount.

So. Wheel bearing finally had it. Had to take it to Mr. Tire near my work and had them replace it. Also had them replace both lower ball joints with Moog joints and did an alignment. And since my wallet was already open, had them do the transmission service. Set me back quite a bit and I would have done it myself but I don't have time to get it done before I leave for a long trip next week. Luckily, the truck feels brand new and no squeaks over bumps now. Yay for fixed truck! Boo for empty wallet.

This is now gone. Sold it yesterday. Bought something new(er). Details to come.

Noooo! what about the drift stitch?

Seriously though, my mom is getting a Lincon Navigator soon and that's the first mod.

The dealership loved the stitch. Sorry, but no stitch on the new ride. I'll have pictures up later today.

Here it is. 2013 Ford Expedition EL Limited. Fully loaded.

The other Expedition was going to cause me some problems in the near future being a Northeast vehicle so why not. I paid it in full so no car payments either.

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I have an appointment scheduled for the remote start and alarm this Saturday along with a drop down monitor. I will continue to use this thread as the goal with this one is still an Airliner.

Nice! How do you like the new one in comparison to the old one?

It's very classy on the inside but it drives the same and everything. It's just nice to have all the options I have been wanting. Especially the dual climate controls. No more fighting with my wife about her being cold and me being hot.

I could come over and give it the Kinston once over with Joe Pesci stick. Then we can give it heaps of character with all new, all different drift stitches!

I'm good Jamie. If anything, it needs to be lifted slightly.

So I am finished with what I wanted to do to the truck. Lifted it about 2.75" and threw on some 18x9 Fuel Trophy wheels and Hankook Dynapro ATM tires. Same tires I had on the other ones. I wish there were more polished or silver wheels for trucks but majority of them are a black finish. I think the truck looks exactly how I wanted it and all of the creature comforts that I wanted were there already so I think this is pretty much done. I did add my MR.net decal on the rear window like my other one.

Here are some pictures:

Before:
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After:
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Very nice truck!

So after months of debating, I bought a new front grill. I hated the chrome one that came with it and if it had been color matched, I would have kept it. I may color match this one eventually but I like it. Just need to find the Ford emblem to finish it off. So here it is.

Before:
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Looks mean


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Nice and clean.

Looks like a Nissan Xterra

Yeah, that's where I thought I saw that look before.

That works for me. Always loved the look of those. That's what the Pathfinder should be. Not that ugly one they have out now.

I want to like these trucks, but that spark plug issue is a mess. Same with some of the early 5.3 LS engines popping in the GMs.

The 2007-2014 had a redesign in the spark plug. And with the Lisle tool, it was easy to do anyways. I like the amount of space and the look of the truck. It's seriously comfy to drive/ride in. I have put a crap ton of miles on it this year and now with the weather getting ready to get worse, I will be putting in more. I would love to take it on a trail sometime. Not rock crawling but something with no pavement.

I've been really afraid of the spark plug issue on my mom's Navigator. It has the 5.4L InTech DOHC rather than the 5.4L Triton SOHC. I think the DOHC is not as bad if I have researched correctly, but people still have problems. But, even if the sparkplugs were a non issue, the transmission in that truck is so weak I will never feel comfortable owning a ford truck of that generation. Towing a 5000# trailer, the transmission overheated and pumped out all of it's fluid. On Hwy 70 near Lynn road, you could follow a trail of ATF all the way to our shop door. Pathetic. My mom's old suburban towed a 13,000# trailer all the way too and from VIR with no problems, no modifications.

Can't speak on behalf of that Navi but I do know that they had a towing package option for it, which both my 2005 and 2013 have. But I don't tow and really don't see myself doing so. The reason I chose the Expedition over the Suburban is because Chevy's interior and seats were not comfortable for the passengers. I have sat in the Escalade version of the Suburban and the back seats suck. All rows in the Expedition are comfortable.

Just saw you on 54 by Airport Blvd. Looks good.

Thanks Andy! Can't recognize you anymore since you've gone incognito. ;)

So I finally got it off the pavement. Met up with some other folks that are into Overlanding and such and had a great time. Great group of guys and we are already planning our next outing.

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This meet was at Uwharrie National Park. They have some pretty good trails. It was a little nerve wracking and intense being that it was my first time. Couple of scrapes underneath. The guys were really impressed with the Expedition due to it's length getting through. No pinstripes on the paint up top, luckily.

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Then there was a section that was nicknamed the Soup Bowl. I guess I don't understand the fascination. One guy was stuck and it was fun watching "Cletus and Fred" try to get him out. They did get him out but damn that was messy.

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The guy in front of me popped his tire on a rock. He was also running a 3ply tire. My Hankooks are 10s. Here he is changing out his tire.

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Here is the front of the line. I was in the middle. Nice mix of Vehicles. FJs, Jeeps, Xterra, H2 Pickup, Colorado and Isuzu Troopers.

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I would think the size of the Expedition would make it not that great off road! Glad to see you had a good time!

It makes it very difficult but I stayed on the easy trails. Couple of times I puckered but got through all right.

That drive through the woods looks amazing. Makes me want to find a hidden clearing somewhere and setup a tent and campfire.

When I lived in Jacksonville NC, a friend of mine spoke very highly of Uwahrrie. Looks like a great place!

I have a junky s10 blazer that I've been thinking about doing some overlanding with. She isn't pretty but starts up and runs great every time I need it to.

In one of my videos, I was following behind a guy in a K5 Blazer. It was awesome seeing what he could do.

Here is a video of part of the trail. This is my first video ever. I didn't even realize that my Uwharrrie park pass slid into the view.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36ZjFDkvefs

Good job on your first video. You even put it to music.

Yeah. I was trying to find music that fit the video instead of just picking a popular song. I think it definitely captures the mood right.

Awesome! Glad to see you getting out and doing some automotive stuff and enjoying it!

Been trying to. Been getting stressed out with things and need a release. No more basketball so it's been bottling up.

Same. I know I seemed stressed at CMS, but after two sessions, I was in my element. :)

It was nice to get out and hang with other people that have the same interest. And this group was very friendly and helpful. Especially on the trails. After the Jeep sliced his tire, everyone got out and was discussing how we were going to get my rig through. I kinda cheated and went off the trail and through the brush to avoid the rock.

I love that! I was concerned you would run into some jackasses. Like-minded people with an automotive hobby don't care about make, model, or background, they just want to share the experience with others. :)

That was the thing that Juvy noticed also. She really liked the group and how everyone was nice and helpful. I let everyone know that I was a beginner at all of this and that I might hold people back and they were really cool and said you never want to rush anything. That made me a lot more comfortable about it.

I am really, really glad to hear that for you. :)

When does the Airliner build go full-Steve? ;)

Maybe when Gab is done college....It's nice because even though the trails were "easy" that was more than enough for what I want to do. Anything more and I think I will just ride in someone else's rig.

do it.

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That is a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit much. I like it but I don't think I am ready to go that far yet.

I said

DO IT.

ENABLER!

:teehee:

So I just did the spark plugs on this thing. I was getting a slight misfire under load, like when going slightly uphill and just lightly pressing harder on the gas. Luckily, Ford changed the design in the spark plugs so no broken plugs. Fairly straight forward affair. The rear ones were more of a pain but that was a given. All in all, took me maybe 2 hours and that was moving at a snail's pace. It was hot as hell outside. Took it out for a test drive and initial reaction was the truck was running smoother than before. Also noticed that it does accelerate a bit harder than before. I had made sure to take note of this before the plug change. The gap is supposed to be around 0.040 and the ones that I pulled out were around 0.060. Happy with the results.

Let me guess, it bucked going uphill when in the 35-50mph zone only. Plugs were only a short term fix for me. Check your COPs and see if you have bad boots. I just got frustrated and bought a new set from Accel and that seems to have solved all my issues (2500 miles and counting). I have the 5.4 Triton in a 2005 F-150 4x4 Lariat. Now the only thing that bugs me are the cam phasers making that clacking sound...

It would do it even at 70mph. It was only when a small load was put on. I remember reading all that when I did my 05 but the plugs held strong. Glad they switched to the one piece. It wasn't hard. Just a pain.

So it's been a while since I updated this thread but I haven't really done anything other than putting more miles on it. But one thing that has bothered me was the front grill. I replaced the OEM one with a carbon fiber look one with a sportier look. I had always wanted to color match the surround and leave the center mesh black. Well since I have been on a somewhat painting spree, I decided to give it a go. The faux carbon fiber was starting to dust off as I believe it was hydrodipped. All the years of being in the outside elements just deteriorated it. So I scuffed up the grill and got it ready for paint with primer. I used filler and primer to help take care of some of the rock chips but it didn't take care of everything. That's fine. It will get abused some more when driving.

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Not many pics of the painting of the actual color only because it's boring to me and you guys have seen it documented on my NB build. I went to Autozone for the color match but they did not have the actual match for my "premium" Ford white. It's a metallic pearl. At least that's what Ford says and they charge extra for it. I found a white that was close but it was a Toyota white pearl. So I painted it the first time on the primer and for whatever reason, the color looked gray. Not sure if the color was allowing the primer to be seen a bit. So I restarted and this time after the primer coat, I used some leftover Ford white that I had from my other Expedition. Different white but if the color underneath is seeping through, at least it will be white. So after the white coat, I sprayed the Toyota pearl and it turned out a lot better. Of course, 2K clear was sprayed and that made all the difference. The white's don't truly match but for me, it was close enough. You almost have to look for it to notice that it doesn't match.

Here is before and no emblem:
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Here is before with an emblem:
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Here is after (not in the sun):
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You can see I polished out the Ford emblem. The blue had faded over time. I read that this happened on a lot of vehicles. Sucks because I really liked that blue against the white.

Here is after (in the sun):
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I also had some white pearl vinyl that I was originally going to use for the grill but realized I sucked at wrapping and should just leave it to the professionals. So I cut out a small piece and carefully cut out the "Ford" name. I think it turned out pretty nice but it definitely could be cleaned up in some places. You will only notice the problem areas when up close. I may get a blue vinyl and do it later but at least I have numerous options. All in all, I think it turned out great and it was just a small detail that made a big difference to me.

Looking better and better!

Man, that looks great!

Make sure to introduce yourself to the forum, Demon I Am. :teehee: Glad to hear from you again and thanks for the compliment.

So a new update. I was getting a weird clicking noise from behind the dash every so often. I looked it up and it looks like the cause was the blend door motor. The plastic gears were known to break and cause the clicking noise.

See here:

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I don't have pics of the replacement motor or the installation part. It was hot outside and I just wanted to finish. So the dealership charges about $1000 to replace this motor. They say it's because they have to remove the dash. I ordered a Motorcraft part from Amazon for $18. You pop the clips of the bezel around the radio and then remove the radio and the motor is right there. It is a bit tight to get the rear screw but you can use a 1/4" ratchet and 8mm socket and go slowly. There is some metal to give you some nice paper cuts on your arm but I can deal with that while saving a crap ton of money. So that was a small update for the Expedition.

Good job! A thousand dollars....hahahahaha! I get the same satisfaction every time I mow my lawn or repair something in the house.

If I had an 8mm ratcheting box end, I could have probably done it faster too. Took me maybe 30 minutes to take out and another 10 to put back in. It was really hot though.

It’s like old BMW odometer gears, lol.

Here is a video that records the actual clicking noise:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?edufilter=NULL&v=y-5BBI0juYE

Here is a good video on how to do it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?edufilter=NULL&v=W4zhEzXmORg

So my tires were starting to howl when driving and it became annoying. I finally just broke down and picked up some new tires.

BF Goodrich All-Terrain TKO in a 285/65/18

I ordered from Tire Rack and the tires were sent. Funny enough, 2 of them got separated so I had to wait a couple of days before I had all 4 in my possession. Tire Rack recommended these mobile installers but when I looked at their fees, they charged an extra $50 bucks to come out on top of what they charged to install the tires. I'm good. I brought it to AAA and also had them address my TPMS light.

Here they are installed:

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I absolutely love the way they look on the truck. Quiet sound and very comfy ride. No TPMS light also makes me happy.

So AAA did an inspection of course to upsell. They told me my air filter needed to be changed. I told them I would do it but when I removed it, the things was pristine. I can't remember when exactly I changed it but I know that I haven't driven the truck that much either. But they did tell me about a heater hose that had a slight leak.

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Ok. I looked up the price of the hose from Ford. ~$80. Not terrible but I saw that it was still plastic. Really? I had an idea to cut off the T and just use a brass T from Lowe's or something. Apparently, everybody has been doing it. So I went and bought one.

Here is the removal of the plastic clamps and the T:

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I hate wormgear clamps so I found some spring hose clamps and bought them.

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Total cost was roughly $20 for the brass T and a pack of spring hose clamps. Works like a charm. I was seeing some people were being quoted $300 to replace that hose from the dealership. I'm good.

Dam the wheels and tires look sick!

Thanks man. I appreciate it. The truck originally came with 20" wheels but there was no way I was going to keep those. I had/have every intention of using this truck for what it was meant to do.

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Originally Posted by tsingson

Thanks man. I appreciate it. The truck originally came with 20" wheels but there was no way I was going to keep those. I had/have every intention of using this truck for what it was meant to do.

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Cruising the mall? ;)

Updates look great! Nice work.

Nah man. After Labor Day weekend, dogs are allowed on the beaches during peak times so I will probably go and drive on the beach in the select areas that it's allowed. Also looking forward to some snow since we only got a day last winter. Gotta give the 4x4 some drive time.

I miss the snow, especially right about now.

It has been pretty hot. When I have had to go out, I always take one of the other cars and not the NB. AC doesn't do enough for me.

Bummer. Mine works a LOT better now, but I get it.

I mean, its not terrible but also nothing like the bigger vehicles. Also, I swear the first 2 speeds on the dial are the equivalent of blowing through a straw. :P

My home AC is 20 years old and woefully inadequate. Every year now, I cross my fingers and hope for the best when I turn it on in the summer because I know replacing it is about an $8K debt. I’m so attuned to its performance that I know the difference between 81 degrees and 82 degrees is about $200 per month. I stress how much my monthly electricity bill will be judging by how early in the morning it turns on. It used to be 11am but now it’s 6am. Driving my car is the only way I can experience real air conditioning in the 70s.

I had to replace the furnace and ac on my home about 10 years ago. You’re right about the monthly cost and efficiency. I was pleased that our current home was recently replaced before we bought it. Though not as hot as FL, it would be pretty unbearable here in GA without it. :|