gramercyjam
New Member
- Joined
- January 15, 2004
- Messages
- 7
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- San Antonio, TX
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 91
Just popping in after 7 months of 91 Explorer ownership!
Got this 4 door base model 91, manual trans., 4.0 OHV, plus airconditioning back in January for $900 as a 5th car. I was looking for something my son, who is getting his drivers license soon, can drive and another vehicle than can hold more than 2 people.
It ran good, had a decent body and paint with no rust. The seller said it had a new engine block and radiator. I bought it, then changed the oil (to Mobil 1, my usual) and flushed cooling system and put new shocks on it and made it my daily driver. I even towed my trailered race car to several events with it without any problems.
Then the bad happened. It overheated on the freeway a couple weeks ago while driving it to work and not wanting to be broken down on the side of the road, I drove it to the next exit where it expired in a cloud of smoke (not steam, actual smoke was pouring off the engine). I called the wife to bring the Suburban and my tow chain and we towed it home.
Initial diagnosis confirmed a blown head gasket on the drivers side - I could shoot compressed air into cylinder #6 and it came out cylinder #5 and the radiator.
So I took the heads to the machine shop as they were badly warped, but they found cracks too so I bought some new bare aftermarket heads for $200 each and put the old valves in them.
Well after installing the heads and putting everything back on (just a few minor glitches there, like stripped out threads for the thermostat neck) I fired it up and water started pouring out the front of the engine - bad water pump I assumed so I replaced that too - I'm glad it wasn't the lower intake manifold leaking the water - Now everything is working like a champ again.
I was really pleased with how simple and straight forward the OHV motor is to work on and pretty excited to discover the Ford EDIS ignition system - I'm now going to put one on my '73 Datsun 240Z race car.
I still need to find some good replacements for the door arm rests/door pulls, fix the fuel gauge and ABS system and I still say there's nothing better than a good running $900 truck!
--John
'73 Datsun 240Z
'90 Mazda B2200
'91 Explorer
'96 Corvette
'02 Z71 Suburban
Got this 4 door base model 91, manual trans., 4.0 OHV, plus airconditioning back in January for $900 as a 5th car. I was looking for something my son, who is getting his drivers license soon, can drive and another vehicle than can hold more than 2 people.
It ran good, had a decent body and paint with no rust. The seller said it had a new engine block and radiator. I bought it, then changed the oil (to Mobil 1, my usual) and flushed cooling system and put new shocks on it and made it my daily driver. I even towed my trailered race car to several events with it without any problems.
Then the bad happened. It overheated on the freeway a couple weeks ago while driving it to work and not wanting to be broken down on the side of the road, I drove it to the next exit where it expired in a cloud of smoke (not steam, actual smoke was pouring off the engine). I called the wife to bring the Suburban and my tow chain and we towed it home.
Initial diagnosis confirmed a blown head gasket on the drivers side - I could shoot compressed air into cylinder #6 and it came out cylinder #5 and the radiator.
So I took the heads to the machine shop as they were badly warped, but they found cracks too so I bought some new bare aftermarket heads for $200 each and put the old valves in them.
Well after installing the heads and putting everything back on (just a few minor glitches there, like stripped out threads for the thermostat neck) I fired it up and water started pouring out the front of the engine - bad water pump I assumed so I replaced that too - I'm glad it wasn't the lower intake manifold leaking the water - Now everything is working like a champ again.
I was really pleased with how simple and straight forward the OHV motor is to work on and pretty excited to discover the Ford EDIS ignition system - I'm now going to put one on my '73 Datsun 240Z race car.
I still need to find some good replacements for the door arm rests/door pulls, fix the fuel gauge and ABS system and I still say there's nothing better than a good running $900 truck!
--John
'73 Datsun 240Z
'90 Mazda B2200
'91 Explorer
'96 Corvette
'02 Z71 Suburban
