eeprete
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 20, 2010
- Messages
- 162
- Reaction score
- 2
- City, State
- NY
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2003 Explorer Limited 4.6
So, I've had my 03 Explorer Limited for 9 years. In that time period, I have driven it approximately 80K to bring it to the 109K its at today. It's been fairly trouble free, however has needed a fuel pump, head gaskets, water pump, and I did timing chains too, and just recently... an intake, due to the coolant leak that never truly had gone away.
Prior to doing the intake, the engine was making a little noise of which I wrote off as a converter. Well, I may have been wrong. Immediately upon finishing the intake, I start it, and it starts knocking.
I've spent the last few weekends trying to get a better handle on what has gone wrong, and today I've decided I am no longer trying with this engine. As I was running it, a huge oil puddle begins to form under the car, of which appears to be coming from the passenger side manifold flange/coupler.. I race for rags, and fortunately was able to shut it down but in the 30 second it was running, it went down 1 quart on the oil.
Now mind you I also checked compression on and compression in all cylinders but 1 was good. The low cylinder, number 8 came back a bit after I put in about 3 oz of oil. also checked my timing as well to see if the chains skipped in this whole mess, but that was ok too. Trying to understand what can go so severely wrong that its having oil enter the exhaust.
Now I am faced with, do I get a reman engine and do it myself, or do I pay someone to do it, or do I just unload the thing for $1500 and then start fresh again with a newer car... I've located a few 07-08 Expeditions for less than the price of an Explorer, but I'd have the added benefit of being able to truly tow. I literally put less than 5000 miles on a car in a year as I take a train to get to work.
Prior to doing the intake, the engine was making a little noise of which I wrote off as a converter. Well, I may have been wrong. Immediately upon finishing the intake, I start it, and it starts knocking.
I've spent the last few weekends trying to get a better handle on what has gone wrong, and today I've decided I am no longer trying with this engine. As I was running it, a huge oil puddle begins to form under the car, of which appears to be coming from the passenger side manifold flange/coupler.. I race for rags, and fortunately was able to shut it down but in the 30 second it was running, it went down 1 quart on the oil.
Now mind you I also checked compression on and compression in all cylinders but 1 was good. The low cylinder, number 8 came back a bit after I put in about 3 oz of oil. also checked my timing as well to see if the chains skipped in this whole mess, but that was ok too. Trying to understand what can go so severely wrong that its having oil enter the exhaust.
Now I am faced with, do I get a reman engine and do it myself, or do I pay someone to do it, or do I just unload the thing for $1500 and then start fresh again with a newer car... I've located a few 07-08 Expeditions for less than the price of an Explorer, but I'd have the added benefit of being able to truly tow. I literally put less than 5000 miles on a car in a year as I take a train to get to work.
