4.6l Explorer Engine options

[jdm19942]

Ok so i just bought a 2002 mercury mountaineer with the v8 overall when i first looked at the truck it was just running roughly and i thought maybe bad gas but after i left i think the dude stabbed holes in the oil pan before i had it picked up because now it is squirting out oil from holes in the pan and make really bad noises as well as white smoking im going to try and repair the pan and drain/change the fluids before replacing the engine just to be sure but just want to know if i need to replace the engine what vehicles i can get the engine from i would perfer not to do much if any wiring modtifications to the wiring harness

 

[turborich]

why on earth would he stab holes in the oil pan? Sounds more like an old tired engine & maybe a blown head gasket since it has the white smoke. U should upload a video of it.

 

[1slow94]

yea i agree it sounds like a blown head gasket because white smoke is water or coolant in the combustion camber and blue smoke is oil in the combustion camber

 

[jayton]

Ok so i just bought a 2002 mercury mountaineer with the v8 overall when i first looked at the truck it was just running roughly and i thought maybe bad gas but after i left i think the dude stabbed holes in the oil pan before i had it picked up

Who the heck is the dude? The one that sold it to you!?

It is rare for to have a blown head gasket on the 4.6L engine, with the multi-layer steel design along with some heavy force from the TTY head bolts.

With white smoke, you always hope it is just pvc related. Is there a "Service Engine Soon" light on? Check all the vacuum hoses.

Next likely suspect would be piston rings.

As far as an easy drop-in engine that doesn't need changing any wires or anything, you have exactly two choices. The 2002 Ford Explorer or the 2002 Mercury Mountaineer. That engine is pretty much different in one way or another with everything else that Romeo plant ever put out. If you can switch over electronics, intake manifold, etc, then you have a few more choices.

Here are some resources for showing the differences in the 4.6L:
http://www.enginebuildermag.com/Article/2238/rebuilding_the_ford_46l_sohc_engine.aspx

http://www.enginebuildermag.com/Article/3541/rebuilding_the_ford_46l.aspx

 

[jdm19942]

why on earth would he stab holes in the oil pan? Sounds more like an old tired engine & maybe a blown head gasket since it has the white smoke. U should upload a video of it.

The man was mad because i had payed him and noticed the inirtia switch was flipped so i reset and got the truck to run very bad because the truck had sat for a year so the gas was bad then i had to leave the truck there for a night until i had a trailer to get it home and when i did there was a unexpected oil puddle under the truck and the man had another key

 

[jdm19942]

yea i agree it sounds like a blown head gasket because white smoke is water or coolant in the combustion camber and blue smoke is oil in the combustion camber

How much smoke it is i serously doubt that it would be a head gasket because it is instantly pouring out of the truck almost like if someone had added seafoam to it but kinda smells like oil

on a side note i have also noticed signs that maybe the vehicle may have been underwater or something so far i have drained the old gas, dropped the oil pan and sent it to be welded back up when i dropped it you can see that the holes have a inward indention so it was from outside of pan but there is no blue smoke so i doubt it would be rings atleast at this point i dont think it would be

 

[jdm19942]

Who the heck is the dude? The one that sold it to you!?

It is rare for to have a blown head gasket on the 4.6L engine, with the multi-layer steel design along with some heavy force from the TTY head bolts.

With white smoke, you always hope it is just pvc related. Is there a "Service Engine Soon" light on? Check all the vacuum hoses.

Next likely suspect would be piston rings.

As far as an easy drop-in engine that doesn't need changing any wires or anything, you have exactly two choices. The 2002 Ford Explorer or the 2002 Mercury Mountaineer. That engine is pretty much different in one way or another with everything else that Romeo plant ever put out. If you can switch over electronics, intake manifold, etc, then you have a few more choices.

Here are some resources for showing the differences in the 4.6L:
http://www.enginebuildermag.com/Article/2238/rebuilding_the_ford_46l_sohc_engine.aspx

http://www.enginebuildermag.com/Article/3541/rebuilding_the_ford_46l.aspx

 

[jdm19942]

Does anybody know the longevity of the 4.6 engine i know with the sohc 4.0's for the second generation your usually lucky to hit 130k before needing a head gasket i know that it manily depends on how the vehicle is maintained but is there a point millage wise when the engine just starts going to hell in these

 

[matt0248]

The 4.6 in general is a very good engine. Look how many high mileage taxi cabs and police cars are still running around out there. With maintenance they can easily hit 200k. I am almost at 100k with mine. They only engine issues I have had was a bad DPFE Sensor and A Belt tensioner pully went bad.

 

[jdm19942]

turns out it has two rods one ripped clean out place the other is snapped in the bottom of the oil pan so now it is time to look for either a replacement engine or to try aand figure out a way to get the 4.6 i have from a mark viii to work ill post updates as they come

 

[fusseli]

Sounds like a bad deal, I hope you didn't pay much for it??

 

[jdm19942]

i paid 1500 so not that bad if i was to part it out i know i could make my money back it has alot of good body parts and as far as shells go around my area you pick up a v6 base model explorer for 2000 so if i goto sell it as a shell ill be covered

 

[fusseli]

Well if it were up to me I would probably consider that...

An engine swap is a lot of work and there are plenty of little things to make the process not go very smoothly. I would prefer a high mileage V6 Ex that's still factory over a repaired and patched together one any day.

 

[jdm19942]

No the v6 explorer would still need an engine and the body of the explorer has higher millage and no add ons from factory like I said the mountaineer was cheaper still has a engine in it and had a lot less miles even though it will need the engine rebuilt or replaced I would prefer the rebuilt v8 over the worn out v6 any day, as well as the v6 explorer was missing some body parts so far I have found that if I want a remaned 4.6l its going to run around 1800 with a 3 year warranty, so if it cones down to that I will just replace it completely but going to take it apart further to see what my options are

 

[jdm19942]

tearing it down this weekend will post updates

 

[aclarry]

My 2002 4.6 has over 350.000 miles. I had to have the timeing guides replaced at around 200.000 and I just replaced the tensiner pully last week. And when that goes you will know it. If you hear a loud screeching near the pullys don't drive it, Because the pulley is cutting in to your block. Changing it is easy 3 bolts but the serpintine belt is a different horse all together.