Help car wont start

[Justin312]

To give you some history. I have an explorer 2001 with 168k miles. I noticed O/D light flashing everytime I drove longer than 10 minutes or so.
Then out of nowhere about 4 months after i first noticed the o/d light, I started it up and heard a bunch of noise in the engine so I parked it and during parking it, i realized I had lost reverse completely. I kept driving it because i couldnt afford to have it looked at. Then I noticed I couldnt drive more than 30 mph without rpms going up to 6, and even then struggled to get up to 40-50 mph. I realized i must had lost 4th and 5th gear as well maybe.
Then about 2 weeks after i first lost reverse and other gears, I was driving going about 40 mph and the oil gauge started bouncing up and down dropping to L and then check guage light would come on along with check engine light, then it bounce back to normal and go away . after about 5 minutes of thia happening it dropped to L and stalled out, lost acceleration but lights and battery was fine. I tried to start it back up and it wont start. I tried again the next day and nothing. Its currently parked in someones yard nice enough to let me park it there about wouldnt get towed. But he's giving me about another week and i got to move it. Id like any advice to possibly get it started even if just temporarily to be able to drive it some where safe, until i can get extra money to work on it. And any advice for more permanent fix but budget friendly. Thanks

 

[Mbrooks420]

Honestly, unless it’s beautiful, has zero rust, and is riding on nice tires, it’s probably ready for the scrap yard. Your transmission will need a full rebuild, and you likely need a new motor.

 

[BKennedy]

When the transmission lost gears and you drove around at near redline for two weeks you probably killed the engine. Best case scenario full transmission rebuild and the engine gone through to fix whatever failed. I have to agree with Mbrooks on it not being worth fixing at this point. Maybe you could get a tow company to haul it away for the title.

The only budget friendly option would be to find a rusted out hulk with a good engine and transmission and swap them out. This would only work if your body is in good enough condition to be worth saving.

 

[koda2000]

Reality check... Time to look for another vehicle. Transmission is shot, engine (let me guess... 4.0L SOHC V6?) is shot. The cost of paying someone to repair both is in the $5,000 range. Your truck, in good operating condition, is worth maybe $2,000-$2,500. The way it is it's worth scrap valve and is not worth fixing.

 

[BrooklynBay]

You could part it out to make a few dollars then get scrap metal value for whatever is left over.

 

[BKennedy]

According to your profile page, you only paid $400 for the car. You have had it for at least six months, so you are already ahead. Part it out or scrap if for a few hundred and go get another $400 car.