Tools repair and advice - Ford Expl Shop Manuals Question

Author

Ford Expl Shop Manuals Question

Ed Sievers

2007-10-14, 5:25 pm

I have a very low mileage 96 Expl that I plan to keep
awhile....and repair myself when needed (it ain't been in
the shop in the 1 years I have owned it!) I often see the
"real McCoy" genuine factory shop manuals on ebay for the
'97 Expl/Mtneer....but never a set for a '96 :o( Question:
Do you think there is enuff difference between the 96 and 97
to "worry about", so to speak? I'm strongly tempted to just
go ahead and bid on the set of '97 manuals.

Puckdropper

2007-10-14, 8:25 pm

"Ed Sievers" <youracman@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:13h52bvlas3fb1a@corp.supernews.com:

> I have a very low mileage 96 Expl that I plan to keep
> awhile....and repair myself when needed (it ain't been in
> the shop in the 1 years I have owned it!) I often see the
> "real McCoy" genuine factory shop manuals on ebay for the
> '97 Expl/Mtneer....but never a set for a '96 :o( Question:
> Do you think there is enuff difference between the 96 and 97
> to "worry about", so to speak? I'm strongly tempted to just
> go ahead and bid on the set of '97 manuals.
>
>
>

Year to year, there's usually not much difference. If the '96 and '97
vehicles look significantly different, it's possible it was redesigned
then. If you're going to be repairing it yourself, I'd hope your skills
would be good enough to realize what's different and adjust accordingly.

One way to be a little more certain is to get a Chilton's (or just borrow
a copy) and see if there's differences listed there.

Puckdropper
--
Wise is the man who attempts to answer his question before asking it.

To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm

Captain Midnight

2007-10-14, 8:25 pm

"Ed Sievers" <youracman@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:13h52bvlas3fb1a@corp.supernews.com...
> I have a very low mileage 96 Expl that I plan to keep
> awhile....and repair myself when needed (it ain't been in
> the shop in the 1 years I have owned it!) I often see the
> "real McCoy" genuine factory shop manuals on ebay for the
> '97 Expl/Mtneer....but never a set for a '96 :o( Question:
> Do you think there is enuff difference between the 96 and 97
> to "worry about", so to speak? I'm strongly tempted to just
> go ahead and bid on the set of '97 manuals.
>
>

I wouldn't buy an oil filter that I wasn't sure was for the vehicle I was
working on.
If they were nearly the same, why wouldn't it be a 96-97 manual.

Considering the cost of having a vehicle worked on and the consequences of
screwing things up, the choice is clear in my mind. For instance 96 was the
first year for OBDII. in cars. A huge change. Can't say what year it was for
truck/SUV.

Be better to ask in a Ford truck group.

Puckdropper

2007-10-15, 8:25 pm

"Captain Midnight" <Notany@twip.invalid> wrote in
news:4712b834$0$5005$4c368faf@roadrunner.com:

> I wouldn't buy an oil filter that I wasn't sure was for the vehicle I
> was working on.
> If they were nearly the same, why wouldn't it be a 96-97 manual.
>

*snip*

I wouldn't put it past book publishers to sell a '96, '97, '98, '99, '00
manual for every little minor change in the vehicle. Books for their
utility value would try to point out major differences, books for their
reference and educational value would try to make minor differences into
major differences.

Maybe I'm a little jaded because of the educational book "market."

Puckdropper
--
Wise is the man who attempts to answer his question before asking it.

To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm

2007-12-09, 1:25 pm

According to Wiki, one of the engines changed for 1997, so depending on
which engine you have, that newer manual may not apply to your '96 Explorer.

Factory manuals are the best and are what dealership technicians use.
The Haynes and Chilton manuals are not nearly as good.

T Shadow

2007-12-10, 3:25 am

"JL" <noone@nowheresville.biz> wrote in message
news:1197223008_707@sp6iad.superfeed.net...
> According to Wiki, one of the engines changed for 1997, so depending on
> which engine you have, that newer manual may not apply to your '96
Explorer.
>
> Factory manuals are the best and are what dealership technicians use.
> The Haynes and Chilton manuals are not nearly as good.

Replaced a head gasket on an friends S-10 using a Haynes manual. Spent quite
a bit of time and money getting a couple of large crow foot sockets to
remove a pollution pipe it said needed to come off. When I put it back
together realized it could have stayed attached. You get what you pay for.
Still have the sockets but haven't used since.

Didn't have a big problem like that with the Chilton manual for G Am but it
covered so many makes, models and years you could wear off fingerprint
ridges trying to find info, eventually. Occasionally it's just not there.
Finally tossed it and got a GM manual from Helm. Lesson learned.

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