Our Explorer Was Totaled in Severe Accident, Need Advice About Buying Another One...

[Mazior R.]

Hello everyone, haven't been on here in about a month since I've been vacation with my dad. Anyways, I don't want to talk about what led up to what happened to my grandma when she was driving because I feel like I would get hate for it and blamed for something not my fault but possibly the doctor. I had heard she had hit two park cars, hit two more cars and drove up on a curb and the tire came off. She's still in the hospital but is recovering, started to talk a bit a couple days ago from what I heard. The Explorer ended up at the impound by the police and my grandpa had been busy so by the time he wanted to get it, it was too much to get out so he's getting a replacement title and going to sign it over to them and get some stuff out. They had it new since 99' and sad to see it go because I grew up with it basically. When I get back to the U.S, I plan on buying a 1st or 2nd generation Explorer. Most likely I will be buying on Copart (auction site) because I really don't have money to spend and vehicles where I live are in "the rust belt". I plan on getting something with minor work that needs to be fixed and nothing major. (Yes, I am aware of the "dangers" and etc. of buying a car on an auction site). But I'm looking for one labeled "Run and Drive" and either salvage title because I plan on keeping it or a clean title prefferably.

So, I'm looking for suggestions of what it should have when buying one. I prefer to have 4WD.

ALSO, I'm looking to see which is the best year Explorer I should buy from the 1st and 2nd gen. Another thing is which are best Engines that are bullet proof and easy to work on. Please, I am looking for opinions on on stuff like this and sorry for making this so long. Help me out here, thank you.

 

[donalds]

2nd gen ohv dam auto correct

 

[fastpakr]

My preference would be an AWD Explorer, then plan to do the 4406 swap at the first opportunity.

 

[koda2000]

I'd stay away from the 2 door Sports as they often came with the SOHC V6 (which is a ticking time bomb of an engine design) or the OHV V6 which is low on power and suffers with its own issues (eg overheating and cracked cylinder heads).

The 5.0L V8 was only available in the 4 door Explorers, but only in automatic AWD or RWD (no true 4WD unless you swap in the BW4406 t-case. The 5.0L is a very robust power plant and the V8's 4 speed automatic transmission is more reliable than the 5R55 that came with the V6's.

If you a manual transmission 4WD then the Sport or 4 door V6 is you only choice, just look for one with the OHV V6 rather than the SOHC engine. I'd also look for a 1999-2001 model as by that time Ford had the these vehicles figured out pretty well.

We've owned 4 V8's and 3 SOHC V6's and every SOHC has been troublesome (timing chain problems) which IMO on not worth repairing as the cost of replacement is very high (quickly exceeding the value of the vehicle).

Good luck.

 

[donalds]

I like my shoc
My friend Chase has a 5.0
It's a slug
The shoc is troublesome but wen you get it rite yes I would buy another one in a heartbeat just change the oil!!!!
It's nice
it's what I would prefer
People always put down the shoc but there are tons of them in service mine lasted 285k be for I put in a new one and the old one still ran just making some noise at 3k
I would rather fix than buy a new pos explorer
They're just not built heavy duty anymore
But for 4Wd v8
but it is a slug
I sure wouldn't like to get hit in a new one

 

[fastpakr]

In what way is the V8 a slug (aside from the weird issues with the AWD case). It makes slightly more power than the SOHC, quite a bit more torque, and with significantly better reliability.

 

[koda2000]

As an owner of 4 Gen II V8's and 3 Gen II SOHC's I wouldn't call the V8's "slugs" by any means. They make more HP and torque than the SOHC and of the 3 SOHC's I've owned, the only one that's anywhere near as quick as my V8's is the Job 2 SOHC in my POS '01 ST (which has 4:10's vs 3:73's in the V8's). For me the advantages of the V8 far outweighs anything the SOHC has to offer. I will never own another SOHC because I find the engines are fragile and the transmissions are weak. If you like your SOHC, I'm happy for you. I have no explanation why some claim to have gotten upwards of 300k out of a SOHC w/out problems, but I'm dubious of their claims based on my person experience.

I keep reading where SOHC owners are always suggesting that the key to avoiding timing chain problems is frequent oil changes... Can someone please explain to me how changing you oil frequently prevents the poorly designed plastic TC guides from breaking?

 

[MrQ]

TBH, it is not really a very fast setup with the V8. I have driven multiple V8's and SOHC's and for top end power (reliability issues aside), you can't beat the SOHC with a set of 4.10's and its higher power band. The V8 definitely has grunt off the line, but the Explorer cam is set more for towing and lower rpms than speed. It's also a pig on gas, best I have seen is 17-18 highway, less with the AWD setup.

 

[fastpakr]

It may be set for lower RPM use, but that still leaves it with more power than the SOHC. Not subjective, just measured fact.

 

[MrQ]

As an owner of 4 Gen II V8's and 3 Gen II SOHC's I wouldn't call the V8's "slugs" by any means. They make more HP and torque than the SOHC and of the 3 SOHC's I've owned, the only one that's anywhere near as quick as my V8's is the Job 2 SOHC in my POS '01 ST (which has 4:10's vs 3:73's in the V8's). For me the advantages of the V8 far outweighs anything the SOHC has to offer. I will never own another SOHC because I find the engines are fragile and the transmissions are weak. If you like your SOHC, I'm happy for you. I have no explanation why some claim to have gotten upwards of 300k out of a SOHC w/out problems, but I'm dubious of their claims based on my person experience.

I keep reading where SOHC owners are always suggesting that the key to avoiding timing chain problems is frequent oil changes... Can someone please explain to me how changing you oil frequently prevents the poorly designed plastic TC guides from breaking?

A lot of it has to do with the tensioners. Since they are primed by oil, dirty oil can affect reliability. Also using the Motorcraft filter instead of aftermarket and using synthetic oil is a great way to maintain these engines.

Also the V8 makes less HP than the SOHC, but better torque.

 

[koda2000]

I find the V8 w/3:73's and the SOHC w/4:10's get pretty much the exact same fuel economy. They're both gas hogs.

 

[MrQ]

It may be set for lower RPM use, but that still leaves it with more power than the SOHC. Not subjective, just measured fact.

Not denying that (I have had the opportunity to drive a Saleen XP8, sans supercharger, and that thing is fast!), but you only get a little bit more torque out of it than the SOHC and your powerband is lower. Not saying one way or the other, everybody beats to a different drummer, just want the SOHC to get a fair shake.

 

[MrQ]

I find the V8 w/3:73's and the SOHC w/4:10's get pretty much the exact same fuel economy. They're both gas hogs.

Again, everybody's experiences are different. However, I found that the 4.10's with the 5 speed auto and the SOHC did a lot better than the V8 with gas mileage. I got at least 20 mpg on the highway.

 

[donalds]

Changing oil is key
In my opinion the guides aren't a bad thing it's the tensioners that are a bad design
Tensioner s clog gum up
Fail or become less effective
Oil sprayer s on top of the cams
Mine were clogged completely !!!
when I took the valve covers off the sluge
Looked like grease in them
Destroyed my top end
If the oil was changed by previous owner at proper times
I would still have my old one
To be fair I did have my transmission rebuilt he put a shift kit and a few extra clutch disks in to beef it up to normal transmission status
I think it boils down to personal preference

As far as chases v8 mounty
It was a slug rite up until he blew it up
He now has a sport ex shoc and he hasn't blowen it up yet lol but it will happen .


On a side note I wanna learn
What's the dif between job 1 job 2 engine

 

[donalds]

I got nothing against the v8
I think it would be great for 4x4
But for 2Wd I like the v 6
If it was that bad why did ford keep making them for 12 years or so
I'm sure lots of people have had problems that's why they come here for advice
This is a hub for people to tell about their problems
I sure if you go to the chevy ls forum there will be people sayen ls engines are bad to
So like I said to each his own

Hope we are haven a good debate not getting mad at each other

Ps I still wish I had a lower garage

 

[donalds]

I find the V8 w/3:73's and the SOHC w/4:10's get pretty much the exact same fuel economy. They're both gas hogs.

Gas hogs so true

 

[MAS Tequila]

My 2000 v8 AWD Mountaineer (now a true 4WD) got 21-22 mpg on the highway up until the lift and 33's.

The 01 2wd v8 Mountaineer I used to have, routinely got 24 mpg on the highway.

Manufacturers are only concerned about their product holding together until the warranty runs out, and the SOHC will outlast the warranty.

The 302 and 4r70w have been around for a very long time.

The Windsor was introduced as a 260 in 1961, the trans is based on the Ford X trans and has been in development and production (off and on) since the 60's and continuous since the mid 70's.

Just think about how many more miles (exponentially) have been driven with the small blocks than the SOHC v6's.

As far as speed goes, a 4000 lb SUV is only going to be so fast.

If you think your SOHC is fast, then I really feel sorry for you.

I have a little 103 CI twin, that I'll guarantee you will smoke that SOHC powered X.

 

[donalds]

Lol I didn't say any of them were fast

 

[MrQ]

The Ford Cologne V6 engine has been around since 1962 and the Ford C3 since 1972.

Both have been around for a long time and have had their share of improvements. If length of existence proves reliability then the V6 is just as reliable as the V8.

 

[Jason94sport]

I know several people with V8's & they were POS's. Always breaking down, & trans problems.
We are victims of our experiences...