Help - engine lifter problems?

[quickerest]

I have been trying to decide on the explorer to buy for the last few months and its killing me. I have decided on a 91-94 body style but I am having a hard time finding clean units without lifter problems. What is better off-road 2 door or 4 door.

I tried to find a "lifter" link that would give me a definitive solution and break down of why it is happing with these vehicles. I was not able to find it, Could be here but I didn't find it.

My plan is to swap in a 5.0l and a few other mods i have seen on this site...but first I need to solve this lifter issue. I plan to drive it with the 4l while I lift the truck, then add a performance 5l. 4l Engine needs to stay healthy for at least a year or two.

Can I just get the heads redone and clean up the oil pump?

Does this just end up becoming a full rebuild?

I am set on a 91-94 body style and plan for serious mods.

If i cant solve this issue I am just going to give up and buy a 79 bronco with a 460 and 40's with good fender trimming.

 

[quickerest]

http://www.explorer4x4.com/lifters/lifters.htm

Found the link

Think I might just get a set of heads ready to go and buy the cleanest unit and have the heads swapped.

I figure the other issues I will need to look out for is a rear seal going or gone and signs of a bad oil pump?

Great site

 

[Four0Sport]

what are you buying the truck for? if you want a reliable daily driver wit offroad capability you might want to consider a 2nd gen.. and since youre already planning on a 5.0 swap why not just go after a 96-01 5.0 Explorer. i know the ifs isnt as much fun when doing an offroad rig but there are some capable/street worthy 2nd gens out there. you can also swap the awd t-case to a manual for even more capabilitinessitites.

 

[quickerest]

I spent the last 5 months going over this in my head and the issue is based on too many variables to share. The goal is best described at this link.

I don't care if its a 4 door or 2 door but I wanted a 91-94 for suspension reasons and for cost relative to base vehicle. I plan to get a donor explorer and use the 5l and use a truck transmission to keep it stick.

I live on vancouver island bc canada and most of the roads and trails are best run in a smaller vehicle. I have also been looking at a 78-79 bronco. Still might do it.

So why not gen 2? Well the cost for the base is in canadian dollars around 2-4 thousand dollars more. Most of the bodies here are clean but i would rather spend the 4k on engine and transmission mods. A stock 5l gen 2 will still have to have its engine pulled so it comes down to cash. I am "re" building so the engine will be a separate project while i drive the 4l. At the same time as driving the 4l I will do a body lift and start with 33"s.

Next will be the 5l swap with standard trans (not sure what transmission yet).

Then after all that i will get the final lift done.

I am always up for someone to push me into another 5 months of debating my plans but i figure i have most of it figured out. I welcome any suggestions.

Oh and yes i like to drive my projects.

I have owned many nice cars and trucks, but I always find myself drawn to a utilitarian grocery chaser.

 

[Maniak]

On many of the 1st gen x's its actually not the lifter that goes bad. its the tips of the rocker arms (cups) and tips of the pushrods. They wear and allow extra clearance that the lifter can't take up.

for about $200 or so you can get a set of rocker arm assemblies and pushrods with hardened tips.. Once you have the valve covers off its under 30 minutes to swap the rocker arms/pushrods.

~Mark

 

[Four0Sport]

I have owned many nice cars and trucks, but I always find myself drawn to a utilitarian grocery chaser

ive had 4 explorers, a broncoII, and a FSJ Wagoneer.. im the same way you are.

 

[quickerest]

2 door or 4 door is the next question. I actually found the exact same model as I posted in the link so funny enough i may be able to buy that exact unit color and all. Either way this month i decide on the base unit...even looked at a 2 door 1998 4l.

Mark, thanks for the head / lifter/valve info.

 

[quickerest]

Bought it, 1992 4 door black EB.

I think I might get a 2 door as well.

I really like the sas air shock system that is made for the Toyota trucks. Seen it used on a ranger.

Thanks again.
Awesome site

 

[Anime]

On many of the 1st gen x's its actually not the lifter that goes bad. its the tips of the rocker arms (cups) and tips of the pushrods. They wear and allow extra clearance that the lifter can't take up.

for about $200 or so you can get a set of rocker arm assemblies and pushrods with hardened tips.. Once you have the valve covers off its under 30 minutes to swap the rocker arms/pushrods.

~Mark

$200 for assemblies AND hardened pushrods? Where?

I know FPN has the assemblies for ~$100, but that's $200...and I still don't know where to get the hardened pushrods, unless the factory replacement ones are hardened but don't say it.

Also, I thought the swapping required removal of the heads since the assemblies won't come out without them off, that'd be a lot longer than 30 minutes.

 

[Maniak]

Deltacam has the pushrods + rocker arm assemblies..
From their site...

4.0 LTR. FORD ROCKER ARM ASSEMBLY KIT
$181.50 + $42.00 CORE DEPOSIT

PART # F-40 KIT

ph# is 1.800.562.5500

Aparently they need to increase the allowed bandwidth on their web server as it has hit the limit.. kinda odd.. its only the 3rd day of the month.. first time I've not been able to get to their site.

The push Rods and Rocker arm assemblies come off w/out removing the heads.. The lifters are another story.. Those don't come out w/out pulling the heads and they are more expensive than you would think.

~Mark

 

[Anime]

Thanks for the info.

I'm curious if the Rocker Arm Assembly kit includes the pushrods? Otherwise that $181.50 + $42.00 deposit makes them more than the factory replacements.

I'm not familiar with Delta Cam, either. It looks like they do custom grinds and performance work, but the core deposit makes me think I'm getting someone else's rebuilt (used) rockers and rods. Have you used their parts on your rebuild?

I'll have to get more info, but if it's iffy, I'll probably just go with the revised factory rocker assemblies for $200 and get the hardened tip rods seperately.

I might be pulling the heads anyway depending on whether I find a head gasket leak or if it's just the rear main seal again..but if I don't need new lifters that'd save having to completely pull the heads apart...

 

[Maniak]

As I remember it.. they do rebuild factory rocker arms with hardened cups. When we got our kit form them it did come with the push rods. That was over a year ago so things are a little fuzzy by now..

I couldn't find anything anywhere near the same price when we did our rebuild so we went with them and are happy with the results.. of course we only have 25k miles on the motor from the rebuild so we still have another 200k+ miles to go before I can say if they are actually better than factory.

~Mark

 

[jd4242]

i used them as well they are good people and yes they come with pushrods,you can get them with out them also and smith brothers makes custom rods to any length you need and also make a pushrod checker

 

[jayzmann]

what part of the island you in do you see many ex's

 

[Anime]

Well I called around and got some more info.

Delta Cam's kit uses aftermarket pushrods which they harden the tips of. They do offer to just rebuild your original rockers for the same $140 rather than swapping out or dealing with a core charge, which I thought was nice.

Smith Bros. does 4130 cromo rods with hardened tips for $7 each, which is just $1 more than what stockers go for at the dealer. Hardened cromo rods with hardened tips are $8.50 each.

I think I'm going with the factory replacement rocker assemblies since the total cost is about the same as getting them rebuilt if I can sell off my old assemblies. Still haven't decided on pushrods, though.

Do hardened pushrods still wear more than the lifters or rockers? I would think with $50 apiece lifters and the trouble of pulling heads to replace them, I'd rather have pushrods be the thing that wears down and I have to replace rather than have the hardened pushrods wear out the lifters.

Too bad comp cams doesn't make pushrods to go with their cams for the OHV V6, they sell hardened pushrod sets for $30.

 

[quickerest]

what part of the island you in do you see many ex's

Victoria, check used victoria and specify ford explorer.

That was then not sure about now. I was offered another for 300.00, bad front end.