I would just like to chime in. I am in almost the same situation. Bought a nice 2002 explorer from a dealer with 100k for 8999 otd. This was in 2010. 2 long trips and a month later at 108k the trans stated clunking 1st to second, up and down shifting. took it to trans shop for 1800 dollar rebuild. Haggled a 2 year warranty somehow thank god because the trans went out again at 112000 the very next summer. Same exact issue as first time. Barely 5k miles driven. Took it back to the trans shop and of course the guy was pissed to have to work on it again because it was passed the normal warranty (of one year) by a month and he must have forgotten I made him sign and initial the 2 year warranty on my paperwork. Truck was gone another week with another COMPLETE REBUILD. Ran great up until a month or 2 ago and now she's clunking again! Has 123000. Got another lousy 10k out of the rebuild. after the research and everything I have come to the conclusion that this truck is NOT BUILT FOR A V8 motor. The motor is just too much for the rest of the truck. The 4.6 in this truck is an amazing, powerful beast. The rest of the car can't handle the power and torque. I've had 2 older explorers with high miles (98 and 97) both v6,s and neither of them had trans issues like this. My v8 is also experiencing whining from the rear end, which turns out, can't handle the power of the motor either. In the last 3 years I have put literally 6 thousand dollars into this truck and barely got 25 thousand miles to show for it. I've had to do all 4 of the shocks, struts, tie rods ball joints, oil pump, alternator, thermostat, fuel pump, o2 sensors, all kinds of various lighting and electrical interior problems. Plus the trans twice. So now that I've told you how horrible it's been I can tell you something else. It's not the trucks fault. It's poor design. It's consumerism. I think my exact truck in a sohc v6 package would be amazing. The 25k miles I have put on her, when running well, have been amazing. Camping trips, towing, cross country trips. She rides on a cloud with tons of power. Such a smooth running motor, never any real issues. the motor is amazing, as well as the overall quality of the truck with high miles. Just not together.
I am torn on this truck. I love hate it every day. I'm vested 14k in it and its worth 4. I love driving it even with the clunky trans because it just rides so nice with all the new things I've done to it. But no matter what I do it was a really bad investment. If I did it over again, I would have waited out a v6. I'm stuck with this money pit, but its my money pit and I kinda love it.
Oh yeah the driver power window broke last week, pulled it apart and it was a tiny plastic clip that broke, that you cannot buy, without buying the entire motor mechanism (motor works perfect was replaced around 100k from first break) for 90 bucks. Fixing that next week.
And the dash computer consistently tells me I'm getting 11 mpg. Which is atrocious. I work 5 miles from home, been costing me about 60 bucks a week to go to work......
Sorry not trying to jack your thread, just letting you know your not alone.
Think I'm going to try the above mentioned short term trans fix......
Also if the trans went out 14 days after you bought it, chances are the dealer, or last seller of your truck to the dealer probably put sawdust in the trans fluid. Works for about a month makes the trans perfect. The trans doesnt just stop working over night like you say, it slowly clunks away until it goes out. mine has been slipping for 2 months and probably 2 thousand miles and runs and drives through all the gears, albeit clunky. My mechanic friend told me this trick, which I didn't know, and makes me weary of buying used cars from anyone anymore. They say it also removes knocking from engines if you add it to the motor oil.....not good. A least I know what I got!
