2001 Sport Trac

[Giant97]

I've been researching and looking and I just can't decide what to do with my truck. I was heading in to work and hit the freeway, started to accelerate and heard a poof (sounded like a radiator hose blew) and I immediately lost power. CEL started flashing and I limped the vehicle to the place I go to for the bigger work on my vehicles and they said the timing chain broke. I can still start it and it will run under throttle but not for long. With that said I've looked at some options and at a crossroads on what to do.

Option 1 is to rebuild the motor in it, put on some headers and change the intake. I could also purchase a junk motor and rebuild it and when I pull the current motor out just replace it right away.

Option 2 is to put in a 302 and find the wiring harness from a similar explorer/mountaineer.

Option 3 is that I found a 78 Bronco with a 351M Dana 60 rear end and Dana 44 front end and swap everything out. I like this but the engine would be with a carburetor and I would most likely have to change instruments in my dash. This sounds like the most fun but a big challenge.

Option 4 is to take the bronco frame and extend it to the length that the Sport Trac needs and swap bodies. Rust and corrosion are a concern because I am in Minnesota.

Thoughts.

 

[koda2000]

If a timing chain broke the engine would not run. What most likely happened is that you jumped time, which can still bent valves and ruin the engine. I'd probably consider getting a used engine, replace all the timing chain related parts and swap it in.

Going with the bronco parts or frame sounds interesting, but man that would be a ton of work.