Ranger Rick
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- December 18, 2002
- Messages
- 111
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Rochester, NY
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- '98 Mountaineer AWD
Sort of an FYI, I see that isn't the first time this has happened, but that isn't much comfort.
My parents own a '98 Sport. The vehicle has about 85K miles on it. Anyway, a few weeks ago, the crankshaft sheared, just ahead of the front main journal. The odd thing was that the local Ford dealer had another Explorer in at the same time with the same problem. My parents' truck is an SOHC 4.0L, whereas the other one in the shop was a '96 with OHV 4.0L. Apparently, that doesn't make a difference.
I know a few people within Ford Truck engineering, so I was able to ask some questions and nose around a little.
Here's what I've found: this sort of thing has happened before with the 4.0L. Ford Powertrain knows about it and has even covered replacement engines before. Apparently, there is a potential problem with how the tolerances of the front journal and bearing stack up, which can lead to a too-tight condition. It won't prevent the crank from turning, obviously, but it will eat into the crankshaft over time. It creates a stress riser, which consentrates any fatiguing that might happen. Eventually, it says "That's all I can stand" and it breaks off.
Unfortunately, the nature of the issue puts the failures well past the end of warrantee. That's where we're running into trouble. Ford has as much as admitted to me that there's nothing the owner could do to cause that - its a defect. And yet, they don't want to spend any effort in fixing it because its past 75K miles. I'm still working through my contacts and my father through the dealer, so hopefully we'll come up with a favorable solution. If not, well, the dealer wants about $4K to put in a new engine...
My parents own a '98 Sport. The vehicle has about 85K miles on it. Anyway, a few weeks ago, the crankshaft sheared, just ahead of the front main journal. The odd thing was that the local Ford dealer had another Explorer in at the same time with the same problem. My parents' truck is an SOHC 4.0L, whereas the other one in the shop was a '96 with OHV 4.0L. Apparently, that doesn't make a difference.
I know a few people within Ford Truck engineering, so I was able to ask some questions and nose around a little.
Here's what I've found: this sort of thing has happened before with the 4.0L. Ford Powertrain knows about it and has even covered replacement engines before. Apparently, there is a potential problem with how the tolerances of the front journal and bearing stack up, which can lead to a too-tight condition. It won't prevent the crank from turning, obviously, but it will eat into the crankshaft over time. It creates a stress riser, which consentrates any fatiguing that might happen. Eventually, it says "That's all I can stand" and it breaks off.
Unfortunately, the nature of the issue puts the failures well past the end of warrantee. That's where we're running into trouble. Ford has as much as admitted to me that there's nothing the owner could do to cause that - its a defect. And yet, they don't want to spend any effort in fixing it because its past 75K miles. I'm still working through my contacts and my father through the dealer, so hopefully we'll come up with a favorable solution. If not, well, the dealer wants about $4K to put in a new engine...
On the other hand, it would wind up as a sort of modern interpretation of my father's '69 Bronco...
