Manual Transmission in 4x4 Sport Trac

[1.8TTony]

Ok, so I just now bought a 2003 4x4 Sport Trac. I paid $1,000 for it. It has a manual transmission.

I've never seen a manual transmission in a 4 wheel drive Sport Trac. I've seen manuals in a few 2 wheel drive, but never in a 4.

Anyhow, this ST has a bad timing chain guide on the passenger side cylinder head.

I'm going to replace the engine with another from a 2003 (same year) Explorer. My intention is to replace the engine and sell the truck & make some extra $$$ on it.

I'm wondering how rare is this Sport Trac with the 4x4 & manual transmission combo.

And:

How desirable is the manual in a 4x?

I prefer manuals over automatics for the simple fact that the manuals Outlast automatics.

Who prefers what, and why.

 

[koda2000]

IDK how rare a manual trans is in a 4x4 Sport Trac, but I don't think it's particularly rare. My feeling would be that a manual trans is not very, desirable, mostly because people don't seem to want manual transmissions any more, plus many younger people never learned to drive a manual. Perhaps it's more desirable in a 4x4 for off-road use?

Reading your plan to flip this truck makes me smile. I tried the same thing 4 years ago with a 2001 Sport Trac I found on CL for $1000. I bought it sight-unseen as a non-runner. Seller got it for payment on a debt and it needed a fuel pump (it ran on starting fluid). In retrospect I wish I'd never bought it. Besides the fuel pump that damn truck needed so much work it took me months, working on it daily, to straighten it out. I swapped in a lot of new and good used parts and did all the labor myself to minimize the costs, but in the end I could have bought a Sport Trac in good condition for what I put into that truck in parts. The list of repairs I've made is well over 2 typed pages long. Good thing I enjoy working on/restoring vehicles, but biggest POS I've ever bought. I never got to flip it because it broke down regularly and had/developed engine problems. Now, 4 years/15,000 miles later, it sits in my barn needing a head gasket and timing chain work. I haven't decided what I'm going to do with it. I really like the utility on the Sport Trac and have used it as my daily driver (it grew on me). The engine is the only thing wrong with it currently (plus maybe a new EPC solenoid), but to replace it with a crate motor is a big expense and a ton of labor. I can find a used engine for around $700, but these engines all seem to have/develop timing chain problems, so I'd want to rebuild any used engine I could find with over 100K on it. I've owned 3 SOHC V6 Explorer's over the years and every one of them had, or developed, timing chain problems, so owning another SOHC makes me cringe.

Here's a partial list of repairs I made to my ST:
Installed a new fuel pump, strainer sock and filter
Installed a new master window switch
Installed new hood supports
Installed all new body mount bushings
Installed new front sway bar links
Installed new rear sway bar bushings
Installed a complete used rear diff
Installed new serpentine belt, pulleys and tensioner
Installed a new Motorcraft T-stat
Installed a new PCV valve and hose
Installed new radiator and hoses
Fixed broken A/C high-pressure switch
Replaced a bad blend door actuator
Reconnected heater control valve's vacuum hose
Fixed non-working overhead console display
Flushed engine, cooling system and transmission multiple times
Installed new valve cover and intake manifold gaskets
Installed new timing chain tensioners and 00M12 kit
Replaced a broken rear axle
Installed new upper control arms and lower ball joints
Rebuilt a totally gutted rear door
Replaced both rear interior door handles
Replace worn out driver's door upper door hinge
Installed a new windshield
Installed 4 new tires
Installed new front and rear brakes
Replaced a mangled battery box
Replaced a chewed up front bumper cover
Repaired a broken driving/fog light bracket
Replaced missing hard tonneau cover parts
Replaced cracked tail lights
Replaced about a half dozen burnt-out light bulbs
Installed the new cyl #3 spark plug and wire the PO never bothered to install
Spent a week cleaning and detailing the interior, exterior and bed liner

BTW - You don't need to limit yourself to a 2003 replacement engine. The 4.0L SOHC long blocks (Explorer, Mountaineer or Mustang '98-2010) are all the same and are interchangeable. The 4x4 SOHC engines had an internal balance shaft, but that shouldn't stop using one w/out the balance shaft. No one's really sure why the balance shaft was used in the 4x4 models.

Good luck with your project.

 

[410Fortune]

I think it will take the right buyer, but the sport tracs do have a following and they will come for the right price.
I have "flipped" probably 50 explorers, sports, mountaineers, rangers, etc
Sport tracs are excellent flips because they have a higher resale value then then Gen II explorer yet share the parts.
As these trucks get older, the amount of potential buyers is getting smaller also. However, ranger based trucks do have a following, the rangers and sport tracs are still good sellers because people love them. The 5 speed makes that truck MORE desirable to certain buyers because anyone who runs in Ranger/explorer circles knows the horror stories that follow the a4ld/4r55e and 5r55e automatics.
The sohc engine with M5OD manual transmission is a preferred setup for a purist, I would say 60% of sport trac buyers will be happy to find out it has a 5 speed and clutch.
I would try to find the latest SOHC engine I could with the fewest miles, install a brand new clutch and all clutch hydraulics, use OEM parts. Clean that sucker up, go through the front end, make sure shes in trip top shape and post her for top of the market price in your area....then wait.
Most trucks I sell go in the first couple of days, some of the more special ones can take up to 6 months to sell, but they do sell....it's all about getting your price and still making a profit! Good luck!

 

[Paul Fithian]

Unless you plan on using it, not sure that the amount of effort or expense to fix it will generate any profit. This frame off restoration just sold for $7,700
2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac Explorer | eBay

Use only Ford parts for the timing chain components.

Rangers with manual transmission and 4WD are more common, our son has a 2000 model with that setup.

 

[mic98xlt]

Hey Paul, that E-Bay listing really was pretty nice. As they say sometimes on TV, "Well brought!" I noticed it had the new fiberglass hood for the Sport Trac's which looks like a early Mustang hood and it looks really sweet. For those whom may be interested, I attached the link to the build and a couple pictures.

Sport Trac?

 

[1.8TTony]

Ok. Well, I picked up a motor from (David) a friend of mine. He operates a tow truck service company. He sold me an Explorer engine for $500. The odometer on the SUV displays 96,500 miles. The intake manifold is different. Some other pieces on the engine are also different, but he assures me that the block/heads are identical. The engine code from the Explorer is E. The engine code on my Sport Trac is also E. Both engines are 2003........David explained to me that the reason the engines appear different is because the components required to run an auto trans vs a manual trans are different.

There are three (???) different engine codes for these Explorers: W code is for v8 gasoline engines. E code is for v6 gasoline engines. K code is for Flex Fuel engines. There may be one other code for v8 engines with Flex Fuel (FF) capability, but I'm not sure about that. My friend David told me that the difference between a FF engine and a gasoline only engine is the fuel delivery system.

I have a family member who works at a Cadillac dealership, I had him order me a timing chain kit, an oil pump, gaskets, seals and freeze plugs. I also had him order a clutch kit which includes flywheel, disc and pressure plate. All parts are OEM FoMoCo. Even though he works at a Cadillac dealership, he was able to get the parts at cost with no dealership mark-up. Plus, he also gets employee discount + supervisor discount + loyalty discount. All told, these parts are coming in under $600........you would NOT believe what the dealership price mark-up is on parts. More than 100% mark-up!!!

So, tomorrow I will be stripping everything off the engine I bought today. The engine still has everything bolted up to it: Steering pump, alternator, fan clutch, fan, a/c pump, exhaust manifolds, intake manifold, throttle body, etc.... Then pop out all the freeze plugs. I'm going to also drop off the engine at another friends house so he can install the timing chain kit (I'm not confident that I could get the timing right the first time) and my friend works at a Ford dealership as ASE tech. He will then install the timing kit once the kit arrives

Additionally, I'll be pulling the engine out of my ST tomorrow. I might not feel confident doing a timing chain kit on one of these engines, but I know I can pull one of these engines in one & a half hours.

I can't wait to get this thing back on the road. So far I've traded my vehicle repair skills for a (used) set of 235/75/15 mud tires, with 15" wheels, a used A.R.E. bed lid and am shopping around for an inexpensive 3" lift kit.

So far I've got right around $2,000 tied up into this truck........$1,000 for the truck. $600 in parts, $200 for trailer rental, $200 for fuel......I won't count the $400 I lost at the casino while eating lunch!!!

Will post pics soon of my progress......should have this ST back on the road within a week. Trying to make this happen ASAP. It looks really nice. Paint has some surface scratches, Zero dents . Garaged it's whole life. A guy I know who works at Toyota owes me some vehicle reconditioning work for my installing an engine into his Nissan Armada

 

[koda2000]

All the SOHC 4.0L V6 engine long-blocks are identical 1997-2010 (other than the balance shaft used on the 4x4's), but you'll want to reuse anything from your old engine that us different.

Not having the balance shaft on a 4x4 engine is not a big deal.

Whoa - I would not jump to installing new freeze plugs or a timing chain kit in an engine with under 100K on it, especially if I was having someone not familiar with this job/engine working on it. It is very involved, time consuming and complicated to set the timing right on one of these motors. Special tools and skills/procedures are required. If it's not done perfectly you run the risk of ruining your "new" engine.

I though you said you planned on flipping this truck? If so why would you put more any money into it than what is necessary? If you're now planning on keeping it some of the things you're planning on doing make more sense.

 

[410Fortune]

That new to you engine only needs a few parts.
The intake manifolds are different because in 2003+ they changed to a one piece design and the sports and sport tracs are still hold out's meaning they still used the old style stuff even until the end of their model run in 2004.
As koda said the longblock is identical
You should just focus on doing tune up parts, new plugs, wires, thermostat, intake plenum gaskets, etc then see if the new engine has anything else that needs addressed like valve cover or oil pan gaskets.
You should consider a new clutch and hydraulics while the engine is out

 

[1.8TTony]

I though you said you planned on flipping this truck? If so why would you put more any money into it than what is necessary?

Behind my house is a place where people go wheelin' and ride dirt bikes....I drive the ST back there on the trails & mud and had some fun with it. Figured if the engine breaks, it's no big deal. Anyhow, It was fun and this Sport Trac grew on me.

I guess I'll be keeping it for a while.

 

[koda2000]

Behind my house is a place where people go wheelin' and ride dirt bikes....I drive the ST back there on the trails & mud and had some fun with it. Figured if the engine breaks, it's no big deal. Anyhow, It was fun and this Sport Trac grew on me.

I guess I'll be keeping it for a while.

Yeah, it happens.

 

[410Fortune]

When explorer enthusiast bring home a sport trac, it usually ends up trumping all the other builds and going in the garage
Its a great setup! 4 full doors and a small bed and Explorer based! Heck yes. I love the sport trac, I have two....they are both going to be for sale unless I convince the wife to let me keep the white one

 

[1.8TTony]

 

[koda2000]

When explorer enthusiast bring home a sport trac, it usually ends up trumping all the other builds and going in the garage
Its a great setup! 4 full doors and a small bed and Explorer based! Heck yes. I love the sport trac, I have two....they are both going to be for sale unless I convince the wife to let me keep the white one

I'd love my ST much more if it had a 5.0L V8 in it. As far as I'm concerned that would make the ST a perfect everyday vehicle. I'd love to do a 5.0L swap into mine (which is currently DOA with a blown head gasket) but that's too much effort for me. I'll probably look for a low mileage SOHC to stick in it, but first I'm planning on doing an autopsy on my engine to see if I think it's worth saving. I just watched a great YouTube video (by FordTechMakuloco) on replacing SOHC timing chain parts and now know/understand the mysteries of timing the cams. I'd also replace the head with the blown gasket as It's no-doubt warped.

 

[1.8TTony]

Those are the two ST's I bought earlier this week. I already swapped out the bad engine and installed a good running motor in its place. Runs really good. I love the manual transmission.......also installed a new clutch kit. Had the flywheel resurfaced. New Hydraulic throw-out bearing.

The silver one has an automatic transmission. I bought it at auction for $525.......it currently has a bad engine......I am going to have the bad engine from the blue one repaired and then I'll install it into the silver one. I've already ordered a timing chain kit, head gaskets, head bolts, etc......I've already (for the most part) disassembled the bad engine that I pulled from the blue ST. The timing chain on the passenger head was broken into three big pieces. The timing design is overly complicated! What was Ford thinking! Anyhow, I won't be doing the engine assembly, just the R&R. Friend of mine is going to do the timing assembly. He works at Wittmeier Ford in Chico,Ca.

 

[icthusrulz]

As to how rare a 4x4 ST is with a manual transmission, they were only available from 2001-2003. IIRC only 10% of Sport Tracks produced in those years had manual transmissions.

 

[1.8TTony]

Well, I ended up buying a 2003 Explorer from a tow yard. I paid $300 for it. It was rear ended and shoved into a vehicle infront of it. So the front & rear of this Explorer are damaged. I am going to install this engine in the silver 2004 ST. I already removed the engine & transmission from the wrecked Explorer.

Here's some info:
Explorer engine code is K. It is a 2003 model
Sport Trac engine code is K. It is a 2004 model

So I'm assuming that they are both Flex Fuel engines.

The intake manifold on the explorer is completely different than the Sport Trac intake manifold. I'm not concerned about this. I know I will have to swap the engine wire loom as well as the intake manifold and both exhaust manifolds (put my engine original parts onto the Explorer engine).

The fuel injectors:
The injectors are different. The connectors on the injectors for the 2003 Explorer are rectangle shape where as the connectors on the 2004 Sport Trac are more of a square shape.

Also, the fuel injectors on the 2003 Explorer engine are orange.......The injectors on the 2004 Sport Trac engine are white.

The transmissions:
Both transmissions are automatics. The trans code in the Explorer is V.......The trans code in the Sport Trac is D......so what's the difference?

One other thing, the catalytic converters on the Explorer are new. There are three of them and they are the One Piece "Direct Fit" design. I was wondering if I could use these on my ST at some time in the future if needed. I realize that the Explorer exhaust routes down the drivers side of the vehicle. The ST exhaust routes down the passenger side.Not sure why Ford did this, Possibly because the independent rear suspension of the Explorer vs the solid axle of the ST. Or possibly because of the fuel tanks are in different locations??????

 

[1.8TTony]

In the pic, you can see the two different engines. Explorer engine on the left, ST engine on the right.

 

[1.8TTony]

The rectangle shaped 2003 Explorer fuel injector it is orange in color, though in the pic the color appears as red..............not the same as 2004 Sport Trac........both engines are Flex Fuel.........The square shaped 2004 Sport Trac fuel injector. The ST injectors are white.......Why would the injectors be different? Possibly due to the difference in length of the intake runners on the two different intake manifolds?

 

[1.8TTony]

Cut away some front section of the Explorer.......got the engine & transmission out of there in less than an hour.

 

[1.8TTony]

In one of the the below pics.....you can see the Explorer transmission......Why does the tail shaft housing look like that? It looks like it was bolted on instead of a transfer case........can a T case be mated up to this automatic transmission????