4.0L rebuild question

[Boss516]

Ok, so I have a 93 Exp XLT, 4x4, and all that good stuff, it currently has 224k miles on it. So, it is in dire need of a rebuild, my lifters are pecking, and it burns oil like none other. I was just curious if any of you had suggestions on how to keep the price down on this rebuild, I'm sure you all are feeling this terrible economy as bad as I am.
Thanks

 

[cculter]

I had great luck with a cheap $200 junk yard motor. Not sure you will have the same luck, but it could be considered as an option.

 

[Boss516]

Now, if we head off course a little here, how expensive is it to build it up, simultaneously with this rebuild? I would like to just a better top end, pistons, rings, heads, all new valve train, the works. Any suggestions?

 

[SteveH - Colo]

Economically, you can't beat a junkyard engine, unless you want the personal experience of rebuilding an engine. Even with a JY engine, you should replace every gasket (essentially) and the valve stem seals before you put it in the vehicle.

Considering the book value of your Explorer is likely 800-1200, there isn't much sense in putting a $2000+ rebuilt engine into it.

 

[safn1949]

Not worth doing,you can buy a running Explorer for the cost of fixing that one once you factor in your time and the cost of the parts. Ok,say you get a $200 motor,replace seals and maybe timing chain,spend all that time switching motors and get it running.You still have a vehicle with 224k on it,whats next? Tranny,transfer case,brakes? How rusty is it? You have to look at all of that.I used to be a dealership mechanic and I have seen a lot of nice deals with 200k+ miles on them,I walk away.It's trouble looking for a place to happen.

 

[Masterd]

If the rest of the truck is in good condition, Id say its worth the rebuild, especially if you plan to drive it for the next few years.


If its not in great shape, or rusty, Id say JY engine or find a cleaner truck...

 

[Maniak]

I agree that it can be worth it.. It depends on what condition the rest of your truck is in..

We picked up a used '91 motor and used it as the short block when building one for our '92 which had 355k miles on its orig motor.

Total cost in parts and machine work (rebuilding heads and planing exhaust manifolds and cleaning the block etc) was < $1k..

Thats new bearings, new pushrods, rocker arm assemblies, oil pump, rings, water pump, gasketes (Ford and felpro), head bolts, rebuilt heads (which I had to have machined/rebuilt)...

We didn't change the cam or cam bearings...

We could have cut corners and replaced fewer parts but I figured since we were in there we might as well do it right the 1st time.

As of now (12/5/2008) we have 21k miles on the rebuilt motor on a truck with 376k miles on it.. Was it worth it.. You bet.. Our X is still reliable enough that even with normal repairs it is still much cheaper than a new car payemnt. Of course, the X as now been retired as a daily driver but I still drive it to work once in a while (80 miles round trip).. its used more for wheeling now-adays.

 

[safn1949]

I'm just worried about the rest of it,that's a lot of miles and you can buy another one so cheap.

 

[jd4242]

rebuild and get another 224k out of it!!!!!!

 

[Anime]

If you have another vehicle to drive while doing a rebuild, that will make life easier and keep costs down since you won't be forced into buying costly parts just to get the job done and get the rebuild done to get it back on the road.

Otherwise, a junkyard engine might be a good option, either as the engine to rebuild, or as a temporary swap while you rebuild the original motor. What's worth doing is up to you. Spending $1K on a rebuild is a bargain compared to a new car or the hassle of fixing up someone else's old truck.

Gather the parts, get information on here about what you need and what you don't, learn from other's mistakes and you will usually come out ahead and do a quality job for less time and hassle than if you didn't have the resources to look this stuff up.

 

[Boss516]

I do agree that it will cost quite a bit of money, and for the record, the rest of the truck isn't in that bad of shape, it could afford some new shocks, but other than that, it is just fine.
But I still think that I could get quite a bit of time out of this truck, all I really need to replace, aside from the normals when rebuilding an engine, are piston rings, and my valvetrain, everything else is fine on the truck