Just picked up a 96 4 door, XLT, 4WD, 4.0 OHV, 5 Speed Manual and have some questions

[96 XLT OHV 5 Speed]

Hello Everyone,
So happy to have found this forum, I just picked up a 96 4 door, XLT, 4WD, 4.0 OHV, 5 Speed Manual that has 98K miles on it as a backup for my 04 GMC Yukon 5.3L that has 232K miles on it. My GMC is still holding up pretty well but I am not sure how much life it has left in it.

I have tried to research the Rangers and Explorers and it seems like the reviews or opinions are all over the board as to reliability and maintenance costs. Do you all think if the truck has been maintained and I continue to maintain it that it would still have a good amount of life left in it ? I know I am going to need to do the front ball joints and possibly the control arm bushings as the front tires are wearing on the inner side of the tread. Outside of that, the truck is really clean for the age.

I am just trying to decide if I would like to invest the $$ in getting it all really dialed in to try to have a solid replacement if something happens to my GMC. I am on a limited budget yet still am trying to have something that I can jump in and go. So far in the 6 years I have had my Yukon, it has served me very well in that regard. Any insights any of you could provide as to reliability and durability from your experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you again for any help or information you provide.
Cheers,
Steve
Phoenix, Arizona

 

[J_C]

It has held up nearly 30 years already, so yes it is durable, but obviously any vehicle has age related wear after that long.

The 4.0 OHV is fairly reliable, some warped head issues if overheated but not like it's a grenade waiting to go off or anything. Manual tranny, a good candidate for long term low cost of ownership. I can't tell you what shape it's in, depends on prior use and last service - a lot may have been done to the vehicle after nearly 3 decades.

It is expected to need suspension overhaul, but if you can DIY you can save quite a bit of money there, and also using aftermarket parts instead of paying dealer markups for motorcraft parts. There are recommendations and other discussions in this forum for just about any parts you might need. I can't make the call whether it is worthwhile to invest more in it than the book value. There are arguments on both sides of that. It is easy to invest and make a vehicle worth more to you than to anyone else, including an insurance agency. On the other hand with only 98K miles, it seems like a prime candidate to rejuvenate the suspension. It might be worthwhile to go ahead and do upper ball joints and tie rod ends while you're at it, then get an alignment done after. Might also need new wheel bearing or hubs sooner than later, and hard to speculate about the rest, normal stuff like water pumps and radiators, etc, wear out eventually but aren't know as weak early failure points and remember it's nearly 30 years old so anything can fail.

I'd say that explorer is a good choice and just about anything you would pick that is that old and low value, is going to need a bit of work done over the next few years. That is assuming that since you're in AZ and stated that it's really clean, that you mean it is minimal rust. Rust is what will eventually put my '98 into the grave, if the SOHC engine doesn't implode first as it has the timing chain issue that the OHV versions don't.

You will have to adjust to less engine power. The 4.0L OHV is no 5.3L.

 

[96 XLT OHV 5 Speed]

It has held up nearly 30 years already, so yes it is durable, but obviously any vehicle has age related wear after that long.

The 4.0 OHV is fairly reliable, some warped head issues if overheated but not like it's a grenade waiting to go off or anything. Manual tranny, a good candidate for long term low cost of ownership. I can't tell you what shape it's in, depends on prior use and last service - a lot may have been done to the vehicle after nearly 3 decades.

It is expected to need suspension overhaul, but if you can DIY you can save quite a bit of money there, and also using aftermarket parts instead of paying dealer markups for motorcraft parts. There are recommendations and other discussions in this forum for just about any parts you might need. I can't make the call whether it is worthwhile to invest more in it than the book value. There are arguments on both sides of that. It is easy to invest and make a vehicle worth more to you than to anyone else, including an insurance agency. On the other hand with only 98K miles, it seems like a prime candidate to rejuvenate the suspension. It might be worthwhile to go ahead and do upper ball joints and tie rod ends while you're at it, then get an alignment done after. Might also need new wheel bearing or hubs sooner than later, and hard to speculate about the rest, normal stuff like water pumps and radiators, etc, wear out eventually but aren't know as weak early failure points and remember it's nearly 30 years old so anything can fail.

I'd say that explorer is a good choice and just about anything you would pick that is that old and low value, is going to need a bit of work done over the next few years. That is assuming that since you're in AZ and stated that it's really clean, that you mean it is minimal rust. Rust is what will eventually put my '98 into the grave, if the SOHC engine doesn't implode first as it has the timing chain issue that the OHV versions don't.

You will have to adjust to less engine power. The 4.0L OHV is no 5.3L.

Thank you J_C for your thorough and thoughtful response, I really appreciate it. I totally understand what you are saying as to the age related aspects that come with age on the cars for sure. When I drove it I was impressed that it was quite nimble feeling for its size, the manual transmission was very nice and tight and the clutch felt good. No Rust issues for sure thankfully. I didn't happen to have any receipts for prior maintenance with the exception of servicing that was done in the past 2 years which included full fluid Changes, a/c hose replacement, heater or water valve replacement due to a leak, upper and lower radiator hose replacement, new serpentine belt, and tensioner replacement that was all done in the last 13K miles. The shop that did that work has a good reputation out here of being quite thorough so they seemed to recommend those items as they came up with the prior owner. Unfortunately, the service records prior to 2 years ago were not with the truck when the prior owner got it as he purchased it from an estate of the elderly owners and no paperwork was provided. Thanks again, I appreciate it. Steve

 

[96 XLT OHV 5 Speed]

It has held up nearly 30 years already, so yes it is durable, but obviously any vehicle has age related wear after that long.

The 4.0 OHV is fairly reliable, some warped head issues if overheated but not like it's a grenade waiting to go off or anything. Manual tranny, a good candidate for long term low cost of ownership. I can't tell you what shape it's in, depends on prior use and last service - a lot may have been done to the vehicle after nearly 3 decades.

It is expected to need suspension overhaul, but if you can DIY you can save quite a bit of money there, and also using aftermarket parts instead of paying dealer markups for motorcraft parts. There are recommendations and other discussions in this forum for just about any parts you might need. I can't make the call whether it is worthwhile to invest more in it than the book value. There are arguments on both sides of that. It is easy to invest and make a vehicle worth more to you than to anyone else, including an insurance agency. On the other hand with only 98K miles, it seems like a prime candidate to rejuvenate the suspension. It might be worthwhile to go ahead and do upper ball joints and tie rod ends while you're at it, then get an alignment done after. Might also need new wheel bearing or hubs sooner than later, and hard to speculate about the rest, normal stuff like water pumps and radiators, etc, wear out eventually but aren't know as weak early failure points and remember it's nearly 30 years old so anything can fail.

I'd say that explorer is a good choice and just about anything you would pick that is that old and low value, is going to need a bit of work done over the next few years. That is assuming that since you're in AZ and stated that it's really clean, that you mean it is minimal rust. Rust is what will eventually put my '98 into the grave, if the SOHC engine doesn't implode first as it has the timing chain issue that the OHV versions don't.

You will have to adjust to less engine power. The 4.0L OHV is no 5.3L.

Totally agree in regard to less engine power. It is okay on that front, I drive like a grandpa anyways so all good there

 

[Rick]

Generally a '96 Explorer with the OHV and 5 speed should see a long life. Many members have over 300,000 on their OHVs only needing valve jobs or cylinder heads swapped with rebuilt heads.

BTW, I am outside of Phoenix in Wittmann. Summer is over, Hell just started.

 

[96 XLT OHV 5 Speed]

Generally a '96 Explorer with the OHV and 5 speed should see a long life. Many members have over 300,000 on their OHVs only needing valve jobs or cylinder heads swapped with rebuilt heads.

BTW, I am outside of Phoenix in Wittmann. Summer is over, Hell just started.

Hey Rick,
Thanks so much for responding and for the insight as to reliability. That is really cool that we are neighbors . You absolutely correct as to summer being done and being upon us

 

[RangerX]

IMO the 4.0 ohv/m5od/8.8 is super reliable and long lasting. I got 370,000 out of that drivetrain in my Ranger with zero issues.

 

[96 XLT OHV 5 Speed]

IMO the 4.0 ohv/m5od/8.8 is super reliable and long lasting. I got 370,000 out of that drivetrain in my Ranger with zero issues.

Right on that is great to hear! Thank you for your input! This type of mileage reminds me a lot of the old Tacomas I had, they all had really high miles and were still going god when I sold them. Thanks again!

 

[410Fortune]

There was a 95 Eddie Bauer 4.0 but with the automatic that I used to maintain for a buddy in Colorado. It had one Jasper reman transmission in its life and that was it. Still passing Colorado emissions with 427k miles on the odometer

The 96 4.0
Explorer will likely outlast your gmc
With 98k miles I would be happy to own that thing

Keep the engine cool and you will be golden

You found the correct forum for that truck many of us been here fixing and driving these things since the 90s

Very good find and very smart choice
96 4.0 with the manual is about as reliable and tough as a military tank

 

[96 XLT OHV 5 Speed]

There was a 95 Eddie Bauer 4.0 but with the automatic that I used to maintain for a buddy in Colorado. It had one Jasper reman transmission in its life and that was it. Still passing Colorado emissions with 427k miles on the odometer

The 96 4.0
Explorer will likely outlast your gmc
With 98k miles I would be happy to own that thing

Keep the engine cool and you will be golden

You found the correct forum for that truck many of us been here fixing and driving these things since the 90s

Very good find and very smart choice
96 4.0 with the manual is about as reliable and tough as a military tank

Thank you very much for the info and I am getting more and more excited reading all of your guys responses. I have officially gone down the rabbit hole of the research LOL. Very interesting and fun. I had 12V Dodge Diesels for towing in the mid 2000s and I remember that the 98.5 12V 4x4 quad cab short bed 5spd was considered the holy grail truck for that generation. The 5spd OHV 4 door 4x4 explorer is reminding me of that as it appears that they are pretty tough to find. That is a fun aspect that I like as well, just helps make it a bit different.

I completely understand what you are saying in regards to keeping the engine cool, being out here in AZ, that sure can be a challenge. On that theme, I had a technical question for you if you don't mind ? From what I have researched it appears on the OHV that one of the main culprits of potential issues was the plastic intake manifold leaking and then causing problems. So on my 96, since I have no type of receipts or documentation to show that it has been replaced should I replace that with a new one as a preventative measure even if it is not leaking (at least it does not appear to be leaking) ? I know that the previous owner just did a new radiator cap, new radiator hoses, and flushed the system within the past 2 years but I did not see anything to show that the thermostat was changed so, I think I may do the thermostat as a preventative measure since the hoses and coolant are pretty fresh. I have no info as to if the radiator has ever been changed, I am not aware of it leaking or having any issues right now but, not sure if that is something that I should address proactively like the intake even if there is no indication that it is leaking ?

Thank you very much for all of your help and all of the info.
Regards,
Steve

 

[Fix4Dirt]

of the combos offered, id say the OHV w/ the 5 spd is the most reliable combo. certainly far from a race car, but its a super reliable platform. its a tight contest between the 5.0 4AT and OHV 5MT, but if you keep it cool, my money is on the OHV 5MT

 

[96 XLT OHV 5 Speed]

of the combos offered, id say the OHV w/ the 5 spd is the most reliable combo. certainly far from a race car, but its a super reliable platform. its a tight contest between the 5.0 4AT and OHV 5MT, but if you keep it cool, my money is on the OHV 5MT

Thank you Fix4Dirt, I appreciate it. A 5.0 5spd would have been really cool as that may have had the towing capacity for me to tow a single car trailer. My logic or thinking is that maybe I will save my GMC for the towing of a car trailer that I will be doing periodically and drive the Explorer for the majority of my non-towing related driving. Thanks again for your insights.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Thank you Fix4Dirt, I appreciate it. A 5.0 5spd would have been really cool as that may have had the towing capacity for me to tow a single car trailer. My logic or thinking is that maybe I will save my GMC for the towing of a car trailer that I will be doing periodically and drive the Explorer for the majority of my non-towing related driving. Thanks again for your insights.

these are excellent DDs imo. except gas mileage. theyre reliable and very essy to park

 

[J_C]

From what I have researched it appears on the OHV that one of the main culprits of potential issues was the plastic intake manifold leaking and then causing problems. So on my 96, since I have no type of receipts or documentation to show that it has been replaced should I replace that with a new one as a preventative measure even if it is not leaking (at least it does not appear to be leaking) ?

I'd just drive it till there's a problem, unless you plan on getting out into areas with no cell service and no friends around so you're stuck, but more often than not, when the intake manifold starts leaking, it'll misfire along for a while and get you home or to a shop to fix it. Then again, if you have the free time and inclination to DIY, it is not that much labor and low cost to replace the gaskets. Working on the top of the engine is much less painful than some things, don't even need to jack it up.



Everyone has their own philosophy on how much to preemptively replace. It's not going to damage anything if it fails, unless it's massive and extreme misfires to the point where you burn up the catalytic converters, but you'd notice it running that bad. You are at a cross-roads on just how much to replace before something fails and there's a long list of things. Nobody here knows how valuable it is for you to not have downtime on the vehicle but I'd guess not much since your Yukon isn't dead yet.

 

[410Fortune]

Basic tune up

If I brought that truck home I would
Do plugs and wires, new motorcraft wires and oem plugs

I would do the intake plenum o rings

Replace air filter, fuel filter, change oil to full synthetic

I would drain and fill the t case, 5’speed and rear axle. The front diff I would just check the level

I would drain and fill the power steering

Drain and fill the coolant

Check condition of the brake fluid and clutch master cylinder, suck out old
Fluid and add new, repeat this a few times until it’s all clear


Make sure ac works and battery terminals and wires are good

Do shake down test on front end look for any looseness wheel bearings ball joints and tie rod ends

Drive the crap out of it including a few runs over 4500 rpm to get the carbon out and get the juices flowing again

That sounds just about like the 60+ rangers and explorers I have put back on the road lol lol

 

[Squirrelmaster]

I had a 1995 XLT with the 4.0L OHV that spent its entire life in hot and muggy Houston that made it to just shy of 200,000 miles with just the maintenance that 410Forture mentioned above. It was an automatic and still on its original transmission as well, even though the 4R55 is hardly known for stoutness and longevity. I'd have kept it except I traded it in on a 2004 Sport Trac that was everything I loved about my 1995 except it could also haul my dirt bike and ATV.

To echo what others have said, replace the coolant and then routinely check the coolant level and condition so you can catch things like a water pump failure or leaking radiator/hoses early and you shouldn't have a problem with overheating. I'd also suggest checking your ground wires, as at this age they have potentially become brittle and are prone to failing and can cause all kinds of strange and annoying issues. The intake O-rings isn't the easiest job, but it isn't too hard either and I did mine on my 1995 at the same time as other routine maintenance like plugs, plug wires, and fuel pressure regulator (not necessarily routine maintenance, by my FPR was bad so I decided to do the other things at the same time).

Enjoy your new-to-you Explorer. I'd love to find one in that spec, as it's a solid vehicle.

 

[96 XLT OHV 5 Speed]

I'd just drive it till there's a problem, unless you plan on getting out into areas with no cell service and no friends around so you're stuck, but more often than not, when the intake manifold starts leaking, it'll misfire along for a while and get you home or to a shop to fix it. Then again, if you have the free time and inclination to DIY, it is not that much labor and low cost to replace the gaskets. Working on the top of the engine is much less painful than some things, don't even need to jack it up.



Everyone has their own philosophy on how much to preemptively replace. It's not going to damage anything if it fails, unless it's massive and extreme misfires to the point where you burn up the catalytic converters, but you'd notice it running that bad. You are at a cross-roads on just how much to replace before something fails and there's a long list of things. Nobody here knows how valuable it is for you to not have downtime on the vehicle but I'd guess not much since your Yukon isn't dead yet.

Excellent points and great to know in regard to the misfiring and some cues that the manifold would be starting to fail vs just catastrophically failing. I thought I had read somewhere that if it started to leak coolant would get into the oil and then implode the engine. I may have been confused on what was reading in that respect. Thanks again for the response and info

 

[96 XLT OHV 5 Speed]

Basic tune up

If I brought that truck home I would
Do plugs and wires, new motorcraft wires and oem plugs

I would do the intake plenum o rings

Replace air filter, fuel filter, change oil to full synthetic

I would drain and fill the t case, 5’speed and rear axle. The front diff I would just check the level

I would drain and fill the power steering

Drain and fill the coolant

Check condition of the brake fluid and clutch master cylinder, suck out old
Fluid and add new, repeat this a few times until it’s all clear


Make sure ac works and battery terminals and wires are good

Do shake down test on front end look for any looseness wheel bearings ball joints and tie rod ends

Drive the crap out of it including a few runs over 4500 rpm to get the carbon out and get the juices flowing again

That sounds just about like the 60+ rangers and explorers I have put back on the road lol lol

This is awesome advice !!! Thank you I will be taking it in Thursday to get it all checked out in detail. I believe the prior owner ran mobile 1 for the oil in the 20k miles he had it for, I will have to look at the records he had again but I think most of the fluids and diff fluids were changed within the last 2 years, 20k miles but, I will have all of that checked again Thursday to be safe. I do plan on taking this on the highway quite a bit as well as daily driving. I know the prior owner made 3-4 trips from AZ to CA in the past year without incident

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Excellent points and great to know in regard to the misfiring and some cues that the manifold would be starting to fail vs just catastrophically failing. I thought I had read somewhere that if it started to leak coolant would get into the oil and then implode the engine. I may have been confused on what was reading in that respect. Thanks again for the response and info

i dont think intake mani gasket mixes oil nd coolant. that is the head gasket usually.

 

[J_C]

^ Yeah I could be wrong but I don't think the 4.0L OHV intake manifold even includes a coolant loop for throttle body de-icing, just the air intake gaskets aka rings.