my engine has problems... | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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my engine has problems...

cstmcomps

Member
Joined
February 27, 2007
Messages
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City, State
Salt Lake City
Year, Model & Trim Level
'93 XLT
Hi,

I am searching for answers to a delema. I need to get ahold of a preferably new engine for my 93 Explorer XLT. Currently it has an strait 6 and I would like to stick with that. It is a strong motor, but it has 160k miles on it, most are city miles. It has a serious coolant leak that I have traced to a crack in the block. It is also leaking oil slowly.

Does anybody know where I can find a good crate strait 6 at a decent price?

Thanks much
 



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Your best bet is local junk yards, they will give you a warranty

160K miles is a bit but its about half of what you could get from that block if you replace the heads and head gaskets

Your engine is not a straight six, its a 60 degree V6, 4.0L OHV (pushrod)

They made this same engine (basically) until 2001, so its possible to get a low mile "running take out" from a later model Ranger or Explorer and drop it into your 93

What transmission do you have? stick or auto?
 






are you sure it's not a v6? i've never seen a straight 6 in an explorer. look at psengines.com, they have one for 1836.00 with a 250 core, 3 year 100,000 mile warrenty with free shipping.
 






I Thought it was a strait, but I could be mistaken. I am used to the older vehicals, so these newer machines are a bit confusing.

It's got an auto with overdrive.
 






Another thought...

Do you know what size speakers are in the doors, and if it is possible to hide a sub somewhere?

The stock speakers and stereo are shot. I took the stereo out and put one in that read SD cards, USB, and MP3/WMA CD's. Then I found that the speakers are all blown.

I also put in a power inverter so that I can hookup my laptop. I currently have a 9db wifi antenna on the roof powered by a 1.25watt amplifier. That, paired with the 300mw wifi card gives me over a mile and a half range. I think my wifi setup far exceeds the value of my truck, but that will soon change with ya'lls help finding the parts to fix/make better my Explorer.
 






yes you can stereo the hell out of a 4 door ex, do some searching on this forum

If your automatic has 160K miles on it too I would think twice about rebuilding it before you put a new engine in front of it, the auto trans is your trucks weakest point and if this truck has been overheated (likely has with head leaks) then the trans may have been cooked as well

Search for the A4Ld rebuilds on this forum too
 






Awesome! Thankz for the answers... gives me something to look for.

If anybody wants to know how to setup a wardriving (wifi) configuration in your truck, I can do some write-ups and post them on here. That kind of stuff I'm good at.
 






hell yeah post it up!

I know some of our members have that kinda stuff and I would love to eventually
I want all my new MP3's to download to my trucks MP3 hard drive when I pull into the garage :)
 






If you want, you can send me the specs and preferably a diagram on how your system is setup. I can then take a look at it and see if I can adapt something to that. It would most likely include some kind of computer setup. Those are fun!

The same thing goes for anybody else too.
 






Back to my engine though,

I found a crack in the block, and that seems to be where the steam is comming from, there is also the slight odor of fuel in that steem. I am guessing that is a really bad thing.

What I am wondering is if I can get a used motor and put it in there. Is there a bigger motor that would simply bolt in? Or should I stick with the 4.0 V6?

I have a budget of under $500 to do this. I can't afford to spend $2k. I would rather feed my wife and son. LOL.

So what could I do for that price range?
 






Call Utah Junk yards, find a 93-2001 OHV 4.0L with the fewest miles you can

should be anywhere from $300-700 with a warranty (they run them before they pull them)

make sure its an OHV not SOHC (Sohc is 97+, both engines available those years)

95+ has stronger heads

Have you ever pulled a transmission or engine before?
Do you have the tools and ability?

You are still going to want to spend $200 or so on fluids and consumables (plugs, belt, thermostat, filters, gaskets, etc)

If you get any OHV 1995+ you are going to have to park the two engines next to each other and swap the sensors and intakes from your 93 onto the new block

In this thread I installed a 97 engine into a 95 truck, gives you an idea of whats involved:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=151705

I am doing an engine and trans replacement into a 91 Explorer right now, pics and details will be up in a week or so

I would say a budget of $700-800 is more do-able, all the work being done by YOU or with free help
It can be done in a weekend but I would plan at least a week
 






theres one on ebay for 350 right now, 150 to ship it anywhere in the united states. they have a website with a few more 4.0 motors ranging between 350 and 450. WWW.RITENOURAUTO.COM, do an inventory search., but 410fortune's idea is probly better.
 






I can't do the work myself as I am unable to lift much. (Work injury, long story), but I have a friend that is a machanic and has offered to help.

If I go with a pre-95 would that be better than having to change everything over?

I have done an engine swap before. My dad and I restored a 68 Impala a few years ago. We took out the 307 and put in a 350. It was a lot more work than we expected, that's why I was wondering about the work involved with this project.
 






how bad is the crack? i know there is alot of top brands selling block sealer now saying that there product will seal most block cracks, I dont know if they work or not but maybe worth a try.
 






nope

changing the intakes and sensors over to the new engine is your best bet, its not that much work and your chances of getting a low mileage stronger engine is much much better

Not a whole hell of alot of 93 engines around these days anymore, and they were weaker then the later models to begin with

Its just the intake manifold that needs to be changed for the most part
Besides a used 4.0l that has sat for a while could use new intake manifold gaskets

If he spotted the crack and its gushing coolant and smells of fuel no block sealer is gonna help, I am guessing there is water in the combustion chambers as well
 






Theres no water in the chanbers... no smoke... but theres no way I can think of for fixing that.

Thanks to levishake!!! Engine and tranny for $750 shipped. They only have 63k miles on um and they are from a 93 Explorer. The engine has had all its gaskets changed too.
 






sounds fishy to me, they can tell you the gaskets were changed and the miles are low, how will you know?
just be careful

You said you found a crack in the block, where?
 






thats great! but like 410 fortune says, be careful! i have never delt with this company but they have pretty good feedback on ebay, go to there ebay page and you can read comments from other people who bought engine's and tranny's from them, Alot of people commented that the engine and tranny they revieved works great. 750 seems pretty cheap for them to change all the gaskets as well. If they will give you the vin of the donor vehicle i'll pull a car fax up for ya to check the miles.
 






you should also check local yards. I could take a truck down to my local yard right now and pick up one of 4-5 OHV 4.0L's they have sitting on pallets for $400 with a 90 day warranty
 



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The crack is right under where the thermastat is... just above the water pump. It's about an inch and a half long and not quite a quarter of an inch wide.
 






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