Cheap and Cheerfull

[kenmyfam]

Looking for a cheap and cheerfull replacement tow vehicle for the exploded Windstar. Thinking of. Looking at the following over the weekend.
1995 GMC Jimmy (2WD) 2 Door.
1996 Explorer
1999 Explorer

I tow under 2,000lb but with the Windstar's history want to be "over vehicled" and not "good enough" leading to a transmission explosion again.
Any thoughts ??
I have done some surfing on towing capacities and come up with the above vehicles being in the 5,000lb range. My question is,
Is this rating as standard for these vehicles or is it IF a towing package is fitted as an option.
Other question is how much can you tow with the bumper hitch with these things ???

Any help, advice or info will be very much appreciated.
I will be back later this afternoon after going to pick my boat up a couple or so hours away. (with a friends much better tow vehicle)
Thanks,
Ken

 

[freddyray21]

Re: Cheap and Cheerfull

I towed with both a 95 and a 99 Explorer with a 4.0 Auto. It will tow them okay. It will suck down the gas though, but the Jimmy won't be any better.

 

[QuadManiac]

Re: Cheap and Cheerfull

You can get the Explorer with the V8 and towing package (gives you higher rear end ratio). Mine tows quite well, even towed a 24' toy hauler through the mountains once. Could do a little better on gas mileage though... the trades we must make to have fun.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Cheap and Cheerfull

under 2000 lbs - explorer 4.0 V6 is more than enough - mine's a '98 - I think about 98% of 'em came from the factory with external tranny cooler & trailer wiring, regardless of whether it has the "towing package"

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Cheap and Cheerfull

under 2000 lbs - explorer 4.0 V6 is more than enough - mine's a '98 - I think about 98% of 'em came from the factory with external tranny cooler & trailer wiring, regardless of whether it has the "towing package"

Thanks for the info. Very much appreciated. I have also looked at a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee V8. Any thoughts on that ??
Thanks,
Ken.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Cheap and Cheerfull

Well,
We bought a 1999 GMC Jimmy 4WD, 4.3 litre 6 Cyl, 2 door today as our replacement tow vehicle. It is in great shape and for those of you that know the Canadian rules and regulations in this part of Ontario it is Safetied and e-tested. Drives nice, runs sweet and has all the toys for towing. Hopefully it will do the job with our outfit. (see signature for what it is)
I just hope it has a better tranny than the Windstar !!!! LOL

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Cheap and Cheerfull

the Jimmy should make you happy. 4.3 are near bullet proof these days.

 

[KnottyBuoyz]

Re: Cheap and Cheerfull

the Jimmy should make you happy. 4.3 are near bullet proof these days.

Ya think? NOT! In the past year I've rebuilt the top end of the 4.3. (Lazy lifters) Four months later spun main bearing requires another complete rebuild. Two months after that a full transmission rebuild. The 4.3 is a tough little engine but has some serious design flaws. Actually a class action suit is underway pertaining to faulty intake manifold gaskets but unfortunately the Jimmy isn't covered.

Check your coolant usage very very carefully. If you're getting any appreciable loss get it to a good mechanice right away. What happened on mine was a minor leak of anti-freeze into the oil due to the failed intake manifold gasket. Over time this lead to a massive build up of sludge in the oil. Eventually this worked itself loose and clogged the oil intake leading to the spun bearing.

I've never abused this truck. We tow our boat twice a hear less than a mile to and from the boat ramp. It's a little big for the truck but not much. The Owners Manual says 4000 lbs or so as max capacity and 350 lbs on the tongue. Our boat is about 4400 with the trailer. I do a lot of highway driving and never drive the crap out of it. It gets all it's regular oil changes and services. In fact I consider the way I drive it to be babying it.

So in the last year I figure I've spent almost $10K in repairs. My mechanic loves me! But when you're into it that far you can't just give up. The truck is virtually worthless to anyone but you. Besides it's paid for and I'm not really relishing the possibility of spending more on a new truck than I paid for my house.

Quite frankly I'm sick & tired of **** poor GMC engineering. It's the lil' things that **** ya off most. Had the fuel pump fail a week after the engine rebuild! Yikes! I didn't know what it was. Ended up as another $700 repair.

Did you know GM puts the fuel pumps "IN" the tank? Yeah well they do this to use the fuel to cool the pump. Good idea eh? Well once the fuel level drops below half the fuel apparently begins to vapourize and you'll notice your gas mileage head south real quick. The only way to counter this is to keep your tank full or above half all the time. I figure I can get 250 kms on the first half of the tank and 150 on the second half. If you go by the fuel consumption for the first half I should be getting at least another 100 kms per tank.

I just hope it has a better tranny than the Windstar !!!! LOL

Oh yeah, my Jimmy is a '99 as well. You have my condolences.

Sorry, just had to rant. Now return to your regular programming.

 

[rndn]

Re: Cheap and Cheerfull

Design flaws??? Someone must have done something to your truck as that is in no way normal for these engine and drivetrain packages.

 

[KnottyBuoyz]

Re: Cheap and Cheerfull

Design flaws??? Someone must have done something to your truck as that is in no way normal for these engine and drivetrain packages.

http://www.gmclassaction.ca/?gclid=CO3JnIirhI4CFRB6IgodMlG9RQ

https://www.gmcanadianclassaction.ca/Ontario claim.pdf

The mechanic (lifelong friend) has rebuilt no less than 3 of these in the last year. Three the year before. One poor fella just traded a perfectly good Taurus wagon in for a 2000 because SWMBO didn't like how it handed in the winter. Less than a week after he got it the dreaded ticking started. Result, same as mine. Oil pan half full of sludge and spun mains.

 

[jenoble01]

Re: Cheap and Cheerfull

I've personally owned two trucks with 4.3's, my Grandpa has had two 4.3 powered truck, my FIL has owned 1, my dad has owned 2. Not one of them with a major problem after many thousands of miles.

 

[KnottyBuoyz]

Re: Cheap and Cheerfull

I've personally owned two trucks with 4.3's, my Grandpa has had two 4.3 powered truck, my FIL has owned 1, my dad has owned 2. Not one of them with a major problem after many thousands of miles.

Well that was uncalled for. Thanks for the insult.

Maybe I should just drive the **** out of it eh?

 

[jenoble01]

Re: Cheap and Cheerfull

Well that was uncalled for. Thanks for the insult.

Maybe I should just drive the **** out of it eh?

No insult intended, just wanted to rattle the rib cage a little. Honestly though, I've never heard of a 4.3 having major engine flaws, sounds like you just got the occasional bad apple that happens with any engine. Doesn't mean they are all junk.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Cheap and Cheerfull

OK, BOYS THIS IS ENOUGH OF THIS, AND WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED.
we all have our own opinions, but there will be no fighting. as you see my opinion, started this.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Cheap and Cheerfull

I edited out the insult part.
Like TD says, cool it some.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Cheap and Cheerfull

Folks, all I wanted was thoughts and opinions good or bad. I appreciate the input from all of you. It is crazy to start having a go at each other over a difference of opinion. I will find out in my own time how this vehicle is for me and base my opinions on that but until that time I can only go by what other folk tell me. Appreciate all the input and pick it up on Thursday.
Ken.

 

[Blue Water Runner]

Re: Cheap and Cheerfull

I have a Ford background. The Explorers you list will do the job as well as a 5.0 V8 powered one. The 5.0 V8/4R70W transmission combo is a lot more reliable than the 4.0/4R55E or 4.0 SOHC/5R55E combos. The V8 will produce the same fuel millage unloaded. You could opt for a full size SUV (Expedition) also because the ones you list do not get any better fuel millage than a full size does. My 1997 Explorer got 16 mpg tops unloaded on the highway. My F350 does better than that. I have been told that the 4.3 powered Blazers and Jimmys also get no better fuel millage that the Tahoes and other V8 powered GM SUVs.

 

[nimmor]

Re: Cheap and Cheerfull

I thought nowdays, actually since like 1984, all fuel pumps were in the tank. I have noticed that I do get better gas milage on a full tank. I rarely let mine get under a half for that reason.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Cheap and Cheerfull

I've owned a bunch of 4.3 powered GM trucks and none of them has ever presented an engine problem in the 150,000 miles I run them. As for leaky manifold gaskets, that's not unique to GM and I'm amazed that people don't apparently pull the dip stick to check their oil once in awhile. Water in the oil is very apparent and should be detected long before any damage is done. The second clue would be the fact that the coolant resevoir is empty. As for fuels pumps "in the tank" Knotty, they've been in the tank since cars became fuel injected. These are electric pumps and having them submerged in a nice cool liquid is a great way to keep them cool. As for your poor fuel mileage on the second half tank, you need to realize that fuel tanks aren't uniformly shaped. A cone shaped tank holds more fuel in the half at the wide end than at the half at the narrow end. A gas gauge is fuel level gauge -- and therefore does not indicate the number of gallons remaining. Vaporized fuel is also not the reason for what you feel is poor mileage. Fuel injected cars have a fuel return system that eliminates that.

 

[KnottyBuoyz]

Re: Cheap and Cheerfull

I know there's good 'n bad in all of them Silvertip. I own 4 GM's and a Plymouth. '69 Z28 302, '84 Z28 305, '87 IROC 5.7 & the Jimmy as well as a '70 340 Duster Pro Street. The only one I don't service myself was the Jimmy, that's done by the shop that's done it since it was new. There wasn't any water in the oil just the residue from the anti-freeze that built up in the bottom of the pan but that doesn't show up on a dipstick sadly.

The tank is rectangular for the most part. The half full/half empty point on my gas guage is exactly at the 3/4 mark. I'm basing my mileage estimate on the mileage vs # of litres consumed and it proves out every time consistantly. I can get 250 kms out of the first 25 litres and only 150 out of the second 25 litres. Maybe it's that same mystical force that always takes one of your socks out of the dryer that's gettin' my gas! *lol*

Anyhow I'm not anti-GM just cheesed at a few things. I actually like my Jimmy it's a great lil' truck, does what I want, has the features I like, just needs more babying than most. If I didn't like it I wouldn't have sunk all that money into it. I'm sure it'll turn over 500,000 miles before I get rid of it. I know a lot of people who dump their vehicles at the first sign of trouble. That's an expensive strategy too!

I know we got sidetracked on this thread. All I wanted Kenmyfam to know is that if he sees his coolant disappearing to get his truck looked at right away. I hope he gets many years of towing service out of it.