2002 Mountaineer engine replacement options

[jdavies77]

New member, forgive me if this has been posted previously, if so, please direct me to the appropriate answer.

I recently picked up a 2002 Mountaineer with the 4.6L v-8. Got a really good deal on it and of course all great deals come with a catch.

The catch here is the engine is locked up and the local yards want upwards of $1400 plus core for a replacement motor.

I don't have that kind of cash for just a motor so I'm looking for what direct bolt options I have to replace the motor with.

Am I stuck with only the '02 year model 4.6l? Or can I swap out other motors fairly easily?

Would prefer a motor I can buy and swap a couple parts and make it work. but if I have to locate a donor car and go that route, I can part it out and make back my money. Just looking for the most cost effective option.

Thanks!!

 

[matt0248]

You can swap in just about any 2V 4.6L. However, if it is not the aluminum block 02-05 explorer block there are a few modifications that need to be done. There are a couple threads on here where people have swapped non-aluminum block 4.6L 2V's in.

 

[jdavies77]

What will bolt to the 4.6L tranny? Will a 5.4l from an Expedition or 5.0l from older Explorers mount up? Will the 4.0L v-6 mount to that tranny?

 

[vipersinu2]

weird for these engines to lock up, did it run out of oil?
at the sheriff's office here we run these engines to 150,000 miles idling all day long. who knows how many miles that adds up to. and then we sell cars at auction to taxies service who runs them to 450,000 plus miles.

can you take out the spark plugs, spray wd40 in cyclinders and try cranking engine over from the crank shaft, with a breaker bar?

 

[matt0248]

Yes a 5.4 will bolt up to the explorer trans. A member here, GottaBigBlock did it. It takes exhaust modifications to work. A 4.0L v6 should bolt up as this engine was offerend in the same year explorer. You may have to change the flex plate, engine harness, PCM, and exhaust to get all that engien to work. What about pulling and rebuilding the 4.6 that you have in the truck now?

 

[jdavies77]

Rebuilding it is an option, I was just looking for a way that any investment I do put in could be recooped as in buying a donor vehicle and taking what's needed for the swap and parting out the rest to get my money back.

I'm not 100% sure it's seized, but the oil is almost gray with metal flake and even with a new battery it couldn't turn over. You can hear the starter solenoid click and the starter attempt to turn it, but no such luck.

My next step is to get it inside and pull the plugs. My mechanic hopes it's vapor locked and he can fix that. But the metal shaving in the oil have him suspecting a seized motor.