HELP! 2011 Explorer new engine?!?!

[reserved50]

Back in the day I remember a time when my 93 mercury Sable didnt need a single repair even though it had those terrible 3.8s with leaking head gaskets, but those days are gone.

I have personally seen a few chain rattling Explorers, but not here to convince anyone, just making sure someone doesn't buy those old things thinking its indestructible due to misinformation. Craigslist is now littered with owners claiming they have had major drivetrain components or will need them in order for the vehicle to be driven safely, theres a few in the 100K mark, but the past is the past.

The newer the vehicle the more they cost and nothing can be done. If those old timers have money they will move on also to something newer, I've honestly never seen a farm truck down main street yet, I will look forward to when it happens .

The main issue I've heard is the chains stretching on the turbo engines at the 100K mark across the board from people that work at Ford, and at that time they change the water pump for preventative maintenance. I would only run synthetic in anything with chains and plastic guides.

Can only hope the water pump failing is very limited, say under 1% and its being blown out proportion, but the cost of repair is what makes people let others know about it. If it does I think I can DIY it for 200$ if I catch it early.

It's not that I'm not aware of the issue, it's that you're trying to make it into more than it is. Quite a few of them are still on the road today, as it was the more popular engine from '97-'98 till gen III. There would be even more on the road if it weren't for Cash-For-Clunkers program (that required it be a running vehicle). Resale value today is little different than the V8 version.

It is good that the newer engine doesn't have that issue but fairly irrelevant if everything else swamps it in cost. Most gen 5 owners won't DIY replace that so it's still a $1000 repair due to labor, and then another $1000 if it makes it to 200K mi so you're at the chain change interval again.

You wrote "so far" few need the water pump changed, but it is an expected repair over the life of the vehicle. I'm not arguing what will it cost if you sell it before it gets a few years old because then the cost of ownership goes up even more because you suffered the most on depreciation.

I'm not picking on gen 5 Explorers, this is a general trend seen throughout the auto industry, but even more relevant with higher complexity vehicles like SUVs. They now take more specialized skills, higher cost parts, and more often need more parts pulled if not the entire engine pulled to do a repair.

Additional subsystems requiring much greater expense are things like the electric steering rack, LCD dash display, LCD infotainment center, sheer # of airbags, strut towers, lift gate strut/motor, high battery drain requiring more frequent battery replacement, and more.

There's a reason that old timers drive 30 year old pickups with a pushrod V8 and a carb on it, low repair costs.

 

[sienna2]

Thanks for the good advice. I just went and picked up my Explorer to take to a trusted mechanic. I know if need be he can put in an engine with higher mileage, however he is "leary" of what the dealership is saying because he said these engines are bullet proof. Hoping it is something else. I actually got a call from the GM after I picked it up, questioning me and saying he really wants to help and to please let him know what happens. Mechanic will look at it TUESDAY, stay tuned!

 

[reserved50]

make sure they put in a new Ford water pump before it goes back in if getting a used engine and plan on keeping it for a while, if that's the route you choose

 

[sheltonfilms]

make sure they put in a new Ford water pump before it goes back in if getting a used engine and plan on keeping it for a while, if that's the route you choose

Got to get a motorcraft pump. Some of the aftermarket ones don't have the correct concentric oring channels for proper weeping.

Ford design has it where a leaking pump to engine seal will weep out the block.

Aftermarket goes straight into oil pan:

 

[Mbrooks420]

Unless it's under warranty, none of my cars would go to a dealer. Like suggested above, get a quote for a used engine, with a decent term warranty.

 

[Eject]

Find a shop that specializes in whatever car you own. For my VW's I use a shop that only services VW's, it saves time for diagnosis because they've seen just about everything related to those cars and they aren't wasting time guessing what the problem is.

 

[sienna2]

UPDATE
So long story short the mechanic I took my car to found a broken timing chain guide and said there was no metal shavings in oil. He fixed it, still expensive $1600 due to having to remove engine again. After all of these issues and how dealership handled, lots of gray area (some of which didn't even write about) dealership is compensating me for that amount after a lot of conversation.
They did highly recommend that I replace try car saying it's only a matter of time before the engine starts knocking and goes. Unfortunately, I bought my Ex the first year out, 2011, and they said there are issues with pumps and chains this year before Ford worked them out.
Do I give it up now and get the most I can while it's running well at almost 90,000?
Thanks in advance for your advice!

 

[Eject]

The dealer is attempting to plant a seed of doubt in your mind. Owning an older vehicle is up to you. There is a cost associated with owning a car, if its new you may have monthly payments and maintenance costs. If it's older you may not have monthly payments but maintenance costs may be a bit higher. Ultimately, the decision is up to you.

I've owned plenty of older vehicles and still do. I love not having a monthly payment.

 

[sienna2]

Is it true my engine going is a matter when not if?

 

[blwnsmoke]

There are no issues with timing chains etc with the 2011s. I believe there was ONE person on here with a failed motor related to the chain (and I may be confused on that one).

Plant a seed = possible new car sale. Hmmm..

With new timing chain (hopefully) and water pump, IMO you are good to go.

 

[Sixonemale]

UPDATE
So long story short the mechanic I took my car to found a broken timing chain guide and said there was no metal shavings in oil. He fixed it, still expensive $1600 due to having to remove engine again. After all of these issues and how dealership handled, lots of gray area (some of which didn't even write about) dealership is compensating me for that amount after a lot of conversation.
They did highly recommend that I replace try car saying it's only a matter of time before the engine starts knocking and goes. Unfortunately, I bought my Ex the first year out, 2011, and they said there are issues with pumps and chains this year before Ford worked them out.
Do I give it up now and get the most I can while it's running well at almost 90,000?
Thanks in advance for your advice!

Bottom line, having a water pump and timing chain fail before 90,000 miles is unacceptable IMO. If your comfortable with the work that was done and the quality associated with the rest of the vehicle, it MAY be worth keeping. On the other hand, trying to unload a vehicle with over 100,000 miles on it isn't all that easy to do from psychological and value perspective.

 

[J_C]

Is it true my engine going is a matter when not if?

There is no easy answer for this. One possible scenario is your water pump failed, engine was overheating, camshaft (or whatever that variable do-hickey attached to it is called) started failing, put stress on the chain, and put metal flecks in the oil.

A quality repair job using OEM parts and a thorough flush of the engine oil passages could result in the engine running another 200K mi or 20 years, give or take, except in PA you might face the problem I do, which is salted winter roads eat through unibody vehicles within ~20 years, but at the rate you're putting miles on you will probably have moved on before then.

A poor quality job, it's anyone's guess how long it'll last. Additionally if it overheated then the oil could have cooked and sludged up the whole thing. They should have noticed if that happened and sufficiently flushed it out, but sometimes mechanics do as little as they can get away with. You might ask if it was flushed.

You could put it up for sale if you like, priced high enough that you can get something else you want instead, and just keep it till then, lowering the price as the years tick by.

One thing I would do is check the condition of the oil after 1000 miles, do an oil change yourself. If it's looking nice and clean, you're probably okay. If it's looking black or more metal flecks, I'd sell it asap.