Well, Took the Exploder in for overheating problems and lack of power. Results came in today as a blown head gasket. This is a 98' sport 82,000mi with the OHV engine. Total parts and labor will cost $1600. Ford will not work with me on cost because I'm the second owner and didn't purchase the extended warranty. Just a little pissed right now and need to vent.

JT

Wow, alot of miles for a 98, that truck has been driven!
Kurt

Nothing lasts forever. Everything goes bad eventually, even head gaskets. If that's your only major repair at 82K, that's not too bad at all.

$1600 sounds a bit steep though. I'm sure you could get it done MUCH cheaper somewhere else.

Yep, bought it with 72,000mi. last Nov. At 82,000mi. it seems a little to soon for the gasket to go. Gives a whole new meaning to the saying, "Built Ford Tough." Does $1600 sound to much? This includes replacing the intake gaskets, bolts, valve cover gaskets, and plugs as well.

JT

Originally posted by jntcsc@cs.com
Yep, bought it with 72,000mi. last Nov. At 82,000mi. it seems a little to soon for the gasket to go. Gives a whole new meaning to the saying, "Built Ford Tough." Does $1600 sound to much? This includes replacing the intake gaskets, bolts, valve cover gaskets, and plugs as well.

JT

How can you judge the quality of the vehicle if you bought it used, especially with 72K miles on it? All that would have had to happen to make the head gaskets fail is the thermostat sticking closed causing the truck to rapidly overheat. If the previous owner allowed it to overheat, then there go your head gaskets!

Nothing presonal, but that is why manufacturers suggest preventative matainence.

Does $1600 sound to much? This includes replacing the intake gaskets, bolts, valve cover gaskets, and plugs as well.


The price is not for doing all those things. They are all part of putting the thing back together. Its like 450-550 for tear down. Then another 450-550 for putting it back together. The extra money is for parts and possibly head work (more than likely new valve guides and valves). It sounds about right for a dealer, they are always higher. Go to another shop and it will prob. be about 250 cheaper.
Kurt

Don't get me wrong I love my Explorer (probably the best car I've owned yet) I'm just expressing my frustrations and bitterness towards all this. As for preventive maintence I never neglect oil changes, fluid changes, filters, and so on. I have no records from the previous owner so that could explain it.

JT

Since you have only had it for the last 10K of its 82K life it is entirely possible (more like probable) that the previous owner wasn't as diligent with regularly scheduled maintenance as you are. That is the biggest problem with buying a used vehicle without knowing the complete history on it. You have no way of knowing if the previous owner ever changed the fluids or how badly they abused it while driving. When I sold my Ranger in Ohio, the kid that bought it was extremely grateful when I handed him a shoebox full of my receipts showing that I kept up with the maintenance.

Regarding the $1600 price, that doesn't sound bad (especially for a dealer). I've never paid for headgasket replacements on a 4.0L Ford, but I have on my Wife's 3.8L Mercury Sable. Our independant Mechanic charged about $1200 which included replacing all of the seals in the heads. The quotes from Ford were as high as $1800 and they couldn't tell me what they would be doing.

Guess now is the right time to share the whole story. I bought the X off ebay last year for the price of only $6100. However it was a bank repo and all the maintence records weren't available. I had it checked out by a mechanic before I drove it from Florida back to Colorado. It has always ran like a champ until just recently. My thought is that since the previous owner couldn't afford the payments he or she couldn't afford to properly have it maintained. Oh well, look at it this way; $6100 for a 98' +$1600 for a new gasket =$7700 total. Not to bad still.

Jt

What about doing the work yourself? It is possible to do... It just takes time. But you cut labor costs out of the picture which is always nice.

Originally posted by jntcsc@cs.com
However it was a bank repo and all the maintence records weren't available.



That's the problem with buying repo cars. most people that know the vehicle is going to be repo'ed drive the sh*t out of it before hand. That is why the gasket is blown...... :(

This is true. My old neighbor worked with these profesionally and he said that you should never buy one of these vehicles. Most people know the repo man is coming and oftentimes they will drain the oil, or another fluid of some sort and just drive em hard.

Ph and dont forget, it wouldnt cost much more then that to have a completely rebuilt 4.0L put in, especially if you do the labor yourself. If you are in the denver area we may even be able to help you do the work and save some serious coin....I know where you can buy a complete 98 OHV 4.0L right (in the Denver area) now with less miles then that on it for $1000....then you would have two engines!! 6 month warranty ready to drop in....


I say do it yourself, then you know its done right. If my heads cracked and I was getting ready to drop $1600 to repair it I would make damn sure that the timing set is replaced, thermostat, plugs, etc..all that gets replaced. Thats the problem with having somebody else do it, you never know, hell a Midas here in town got caught re-using the same damn brake fluid if you can believe that!!!!!!!!!!!!

I;ve been ripped off too many times by shops and dealers to hand them $1600 for anything.....

Thanks for the offer but I have a feeling they have started the work. My sister works for Ford Credit and has connections to Ford personal who might be able to get them to front at least half the bill. I'm calling a number she provided and will speak to them tommorrow. Anyone interested in the number I will get it and post it?