In the market for one, what to look for?

[dianhsuhe]

Howdy! I am in the market for an older Explorer and basically trying to educate myself about the common issues and what to look for in an Explorer before hitting Craigslist! LOL

I tried searching (I am very familiar with online forums) to avoid a goofy post but here I am.

Wanting a stock V6 for around 3K. Tips?

Thanks folks!
gibby

 

[JimMadsen]

Radio display!

Buy a head gasket sniffer to check for head gasket leaks. They are pretty cheap.

Got mine almost 3 years ago and really not much of an issue. They all sag in the rear with a tilt to drivers side. Most, if not all of my problems can occur with any car.

 

[colintrax]

Not sure what explorers go for in San Diego but 3K will get you a lot in Georgia. Mine is worth about 2 according to KBB.

Avoid the SOHC, bad about timing chain tensioners. The 4.0 OHV is a great engine but it is slow. Most people are going to tell you to go for the V8, which isn't a bad idea. It's a great engine, and has a good transmission behind it. But the trans behind the V6 isn't as bad as people make it out to be. A cooler, and regular fluid changes and it'll last 200,000+ miles. Abuse it, and you'll be lucky to go past 50,000 miles.

All 2nd gen explorers suffer from excessive ball joint wear. Not a bad job to replace yourself, and it's not that expensive. But it's still a weekend job if you're not a mechanic, a couple hundred in parts, and you'll need an alignment. If the high mount brake light is out it could be the ballast. Be prepared to drop some coin to fix the high mount. Or convert it to LED.

If you're coming from a car. Know how expensive truck tires are, $125+ a tire is about right for a good tire.

 

[rb142]

Yeah, the timing chain issues are the big problem with the SOHC. If you are looking at those, be sure to at least have an engine after 2002, or an engine that has been rebuilt with the newer parts. Those aren't great either, but should be better. Avoid anything with any hint of noise from the front or back chain areas (unless you get it under $500).

The 4.0 OHV wouldn't be bad, but I probably would look for a V8.

 

[SoNic67]

For the difference in price, I would go for the V8. At least that's what I did. Long term it can be a lot of savings in repair bills, especially if you don't do your own repairs.

 

[bill06447]

SOHC engines don't age well and are expensive/time consuming/complex to repair. OHV V6 is good but is definitely the Flatlander Special when it comes to power. V6 transmissions have a life expectancy of around 120k but once they have been rebuilt correctly (using updated internals) the result should last forever. V8 is strong but is very thirsty. Everything else is the typical stuff any 15-20 year old vehicle can have go wrong. If you're close to the water watch for rust in the frame especially aft of the rear axle. Here in the Northeast you can get a lot of Explorer for that kind of money.

Bill

 

[X~FACTOR]

Get a '97. Its the fastest production year ever made.

 

[dianhsuhe]

Awesome thanks folks! I will be towing a motorcycle trailer with 1 or 2 sportbikes on it not sure what the all up weight is but the 2 bikes= just under 1,000 lbs. It is 30 miles to work if I should choose to drive and 3 hours to the motorcycle race track so a V8 sounds EXPENSIVE! LOL. I know truck tires are not cheap, a set of decent motorcycle tires is around $300 bucks and they only last 6K. LOL

Great tips, although I will have to google the "head gasket sniffer"- No idea what that is....

gibby

 

[dianhsuhe]

Oh yeah, San Diego is a little pricey it sounds like for vehicles...For $2400-$3k I am looking at 97-2002 Explorers with 120k-and up. Feels like sacriledge (I was always a Ford guy) but am also looking at Jeep Cherokee's and Dodge Durango's. Rather have a well maintained old school Explorer Sport Eddie Bauer edition like I wanted when I was younger but couldn't afford--LOL

 

[SoNic67]

California vehicles have more emissions parts. For example, in the Explorer, you have double the amount of catalytic converters.

 

[colintrax]

For that kinda money I'd avoid the heep and dodge. Dodge isn't "bad" just seem to have lots of little problems and it's ugly as sin. The jeeps overheat all the time. Why every Cherokee you see on CL has a new radiator. They all have a new radiator lol add in crappy jeep axles, and I would avoid at all costs.
V8 explorer really doesn't drink thr much more gas but expect to lose 2 mpg for 2wd and a little more if it's AWD/4wd

 

[dianhsuhe]

For that kinda money I'd avoid the heep and dodge. Dodge isn't "bad" just seem to have lots of little problems and it's ugly as sin. The jeeps overheat all the time. Why every Cherokee you see on CL has a new radiator. They all have a new radiator lol add in crappy jeep axles, and I would avoid at all costs.
V8 explorer really doesn't drink thr much more gas but expect to lose 2 mpg for 2wd and a little more if it's AWD/4wd

I did some research on mileage and you are correct even the V8 Explorer's are within 2-3 mpg of everything else, even the V6's.

Thanks!

 

[colintrax]

I did some research on mileage and you are correct even the V8 Explorer's are within 2-3 mpg of everything else, even the V6's.

Thanks!

Haha no problem. I try to know what I'm talking about lol

 

[JimMadsen]

Here is the sniffer I have:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004FELK6A/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[chefduane]

SOHC engines don't age well and are expensive/time consuming/complex to repair.

Well, I'll go to bat for the SOHC V6. I've got 179k plus miles on mine with no timing chain/tensioner issues whatsoever. Still going strong. Just normal fixits on wear and tear items. Shocks, upper/lower ball joints...did have to put a steering rack in (but now she really has a nice rack.) Blew a radiator a while back but this IS Texas!! Upper and lower intake manifold gaskets were a pain but worth it.
I'd say just stay on top of what needs to be fixed and treat the SOHC right and you'll be fine. Heck, this board is testament to how many are still around, right? They can't be that bad.

Chef Duane

 

[colintrax]

SOHC engines don't age well and are expensive/time consuming/complex to repair.

Well, I'll go to bat for the SOHC V6. I've got 179k plus miles on mine with no timing chain/tensioner issues whatsoever. Still going strong. Just normal fixits on wear and tear items. Shocks, upper/lower ball joints...did have to put a steering rack in (but now she really has a nice rack.) Blew a radiator a while back but this IS Texas!! Upper and lower intake manifold gaskets were a pain but worth it.
I'd say just stay on top of what needs to be fixed and treat the SOHC right and you'll be fine. Heck, this board is testament to how many are still around, right? They can't be that bad.

Chef Duane

They aren't THAT bad, really not a bad motor once ford fixed the tensioner. But compared to the other 2 and it's junk. The old OHV engines aren't efficent or fast (tends to go hand in hand) but they won't die.

 

[chefduane]

So I (and many others) got 100-150K+ miles out of junk. We must be geniuses.

Chef Duane

 

[drdoom]

217,000 miles, plenty of power in the SOHC. I prefer this engine, even with its drawbacks. I have put intake gaskets on. And one time I had a valve stick open as a result of sitting for four years. Nothing else so far on the actual engine. But the torque converter & transmission, I had to fix those. Cost to repair at a shop usually exceeds the value of the vehicle, at over $3,500. Same with the engine (timing chains). Transfer case, I had to fix that. Easy and cheap if you are a mechanic. Ball joints, upper and lower control arms. And the high-mount, blend door, drivers door handle, O2s, lower thermostat housing, blower resistor, sagging rear, the usual stuff.

If I was looking, it would be an '01 XLT 4x4 w/ tow package.

I will add that if you look at the V8, have a look underneath, apparently some people have purchased second hand units sans prop shaft, only to have problems.

 

[SoNic67]

Well, correct term is that "it's a lottery". With SOHC the chances of a problem seem to be higher.
Probably maintenance has a lot to do with it (some owners will change the fluids like required, other will just drive it till it dies and then complain). Maybe SOHC are just more sensitive to that.

 

[bill06447]

So I (and many others) got 100-150K+ miles out of junk. We must be geniuses.

Chef Duane

If you bought it new or lower mileage and took proper care of it, yeah it's a good engine and will last, as they all will. But when you're shopping for a 18 year old vehicle with 100+k on the clock you can't always be sure of the love or unlove a vehicle has had so in my mind it would be prudent to spend whatever limited funds you have on something that can stand the test of use and abuse. The 5.0 might be a gas hog but it's pretty bullet proof, you can run them out of oil and water and fill em back up and good to go-not going to happen with the SOHC engine.

Just got through helping a buddy replace the 4.0 in his Mustang, it was cheaper and more efficient to put one from a wreck with 17k back in than fix what was there, figuring the motor had to come out anyway to access the back chain....

Bill