Water pump failure leads to dead engine | Page 42 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Water pump failure leads to dead engine

Should Ford cover part of all of this repair out of loyalty?

  • Yes, a water pump failure at 95k should not destroy an engine

    Votes: 153 87.4%
  • No, and please quit whining about it

    Votes: 22 12.6%

  • Total voters
    175
Check out Mact Ford Edge on youtube
... he has had a couple pumps dissected in half. Neat stuff.
 



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A link would be handy.:)

Peter
 






For y'all's reference, while I was having my rear link recall performed, I asked for a quote to change the water pump, chain, and guides. They included a spark plug change on the quote. $2010. Not really as bad as I expected. I'll wait for my Premium Care to expire....if it goes before 100k miles, the replacement engine will only be $100 out of my pocket. Keeping the car for my daughter's first car, next year.

2016 Explorer Sport

I lost the engine in our former 2011 XLT, due to the water pump.
 
























From what I have been gathering, the failures are MUCH less on the newer redesigned pump.
 






Add us to this list. 222k miles on our 2011 Explorer Limited, and last night the water pump went and took the engine with it. Near zero warning. About 10 minutes from home my wife called to tell me something wasn't right with how the car was running, and while I was trying to get her to describe it, it started knocking then shutoff. From when she first felt like something wasn't right to it dying on her was maybe 2 minutes.

Up until this, it's been a fantastic car. 222k miles and the only previous repair that left the car sitting for a day was a locked up alternator. Outside of that, it's just been lots of regular maintenance and a few preventative items (like swapping the PTU a few months back).

Anyway, now I'm trying to figure out what versions of the 3.5 fit, and there doesn't seem to be much info, other than anything newer than 2012 isn't listed as compatible for some reason. Anyone happen to know why that might be? There is a 14k mile 3.5 out of a 2017 up in NJ I wouldn't mind going to get this weekend if it'll work.
 












Add us to this list. 222k miles on our 2011 Explorer Limited, and last night the water pump went and took the engine with it. Near zero warning. About 10 minutes from home my wife called to tell me something wasn't right with how the car was running, and while I was trying to get her to describe it, it started knocking then shutoff. From when she first felt like something wasn't right to it dying on her was maybe 2 minutes.

Up until this, it's been a fantastic car. 222k miles and the only previous repair that left the car sitting for a day was a locked up alternator. Outside of that, it's just been lots of regular maintenance and a few preventative items (like swapping the PTU a few months back).

Anyway, now I'm trying to figure out what versions of the 3.5 fit, and there doesn't seem to be much info, other than anything newer than 2012 isn't listed as compatible for some reason. Anyone happen to know why that might be? There is a 14k mile 3.5 out of a 2017 up in NJ I wouldn't mind going to get this weekend if it'll work.
2013 and beyond were rated as "flex fuel" vehicles which is why they probably don't show as compatible. Worth the shot to get the newer one if the price is right.

I guess though with that many miles is it really worth it. The car is worth (assuming fully loaded 4WD) about $5800 on trade and about $8500 private party in good condition. Without a running motor it is probably worth a couple grand at most to a yard or rebuilder. What would the engine cost you?
 






Computer is probably different with FFV engine. Would need to check.
 






I had my water pump go out at 65000 miles. Saw a leak, took it to an independent garage right outside my neighborhood. He said that I was lucky that I caught this in time because most don’t. $2092 later all is fixed with a three year warranty. The design has the water pump inside the engine over the oil pan. When it leaks, it’s straight into the pan. Now I see why Ford came out with a rear wheel drive. So they can rotate the engine to accommodate an external water pump. I suppose.
 






2013 and beyond were rated as "flex fuel" vehicles which is why they probably don't show as compatible...........................
Neither my 2014 MKT (same engine) nor my current 2017 Platinium is rated "Flex Fuel". In fact, I don't recall seeing many, if any, Explorers with that designation on them.

Peter
 






Neither my 2014 MKT (same engine) nor my current 2017 Platinium is rated "Flex Fuel". In fact, I don't recall seeing many, if any, Explorers with that designation on them.

Peter
It is probably a regional thing. As FFV was definitely available 2013 and beyond, but not on 2011 and 2012. You can look at Fueleconomy.gov and see FFV is there on Explorers (only on the 3.5's though). Even the owners manuals in 2013 have a section for "Choosing the Right Fuel With a Flex Fuel Vehicle (If Equipped)" whereas the 2012 does not have that section. I know in the plains states FFV was pretty much standard equipment, probably due to the availability of E85.
 






Neither my 2014 MKT (same engine) nor my current 2017 Platinium is rated "Flex Fuel". In fact, I don't recall seeing many, if any, Explorers with that designation on them.

Peter
My 2017 Base is apparently a FFV, it has the 3.5 NA V6. I think if it has turbos, Ford/Lincoln is more iffy about it.

Having said that, I have heard from an apparent fleet manager that the PIUs with the ecoboost are good on 85 octane.
 






My 2017 Base is apparently a FFV, it has the 3.5 NA V6. I think if it has turbos, Ford/Lincoln is more iffy about it.

Having said that, I have heard from an apparent fleet manager that the PIUs with the ecoboost are good on 85 octane.
2017 base with tt eb. If so, that must be a real unicorn. Any pics?

BTW, what is an apparent fleet manager? Also, as this thread took a turn towards FFV, do you mean e85 or are you actually talking about 85 octane unleaded? I know gm does not recommend 85 octane, and I'm pretty sure the last fusion or escape owners manual I checked said no as well, so I imagine the same language is used in the explorer manual. When I travel, and come across fuel with less than 87 octane, I don't use it in any of my vehicles.
 






2017 base with tt eb. If so, that must be a real unicorn. Any pics?

BTW, what is an apparent fleet manager? Also, as this thread took a turn towards FFV, do you mean e85 or are you actually talking about 85 octane unleaded? I know gm does not recommend 85 octane, and I'm pretty sure the last fusion or escape owners manual I checked said no as well, so I imagine the same language is used in the explorer manual. When I travel, and come across fuel with less than 87 octane, I don't use it in any of my vehicles.
The base has a 3.5 NA V6, not the TT EB...

PIUs have either the 3.7 NA or the TT EB. And the ones with the turbos are good to run on 85 Oct, even though that's not recommended for retail Explorers that a turbo(s), such as the 2.0 and 2.3 single turbo, and the 3.5 twin turbo.

I also looked through some fleet info guides for the PIU and it seems like that's true.
 






Sorry, my phone screen is small. I thought your post said you had a base and that you thought it had turbos.

Anyway, PIU owners manuals all say 87 octane minimum (I checked my paper and PDF copy). Do you have a document from Ford fleet that says 85 is gtg?
 






Sorry, my phone screen is small. I thought your post said you had a base and that you thought it had turbos.

Anyway, PIU owners manuals all say 87 octane minimum (I checked my paper and PDF copy). Do you have a document from Ford fleet that says 85 is gtg?
I'll have to go back through and find what I think I saw. I'll PM you what I find.
 



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2013 and beyond were rated as "flex fuel" vehicles which is why they probably don't show as compatible. Worth the shot to get the newer one if the price is right.

I guess though with that many miles is it really worth it. The car is worth (assuming fully loaded 4WD) about $5800 on trade and about $8500 private party in good condition. Without a running motor it is probably worth a couple grand at most to a yard or rebuilder. What would the engine cost you?

It is near fully loaded, didn't get the adaptive cruise package when we ordered it, but it's got everything else. It's interesting really, there are two block part numbers listed for the 2011-2012. Those with the oil cooler (which mine has) and those without. Then 2013+ all list the same part. I wonder if they changed something with the cams that require a reflash or a different ECM. If it was something really basic I'd think the compatibility list from ford would just state what needs to be changed (like the oil cooler note on the 2013+).

As far as cost, it'd just be the parts. I can easily do the labor myself. The 14k mile motor I found is 800 bucks, but I can see that going down a rabbit hole without a donor vehicle as I try to source random parts to get it working. And if I'm going to do that, I'll probably look for an EB donor.

Wish I'd realized these pumps had a habit of failing like this. I'm a little irritated at myself for not looking...i'd have changed the stupid thing out every 100k if I'd known this was a thing. I figured I'd just get some coolant out of a weep hole like usual before it went...stupid me. The car had been so totally trouble free for the most part that I never really spent much time reading up on other peoples issues. I spend way more time chasing random noises in our F150 Ecoboost...heh.
 






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