Pizza boss said he doesn't want me delivering in my Explorer if it's leaking.

[98FordLove]

Yes front main seal crankshaft seal on the front remove harmonic balancer check crank shaft for scoring install speedy sleeve and new seal

Weird that was the seal I just had changed 5 months ago. But if the heads were leaking wouldn't the oil flow down from right up above?

 

[joney]

The only thing is, if I get another beater I want another AWD and an SUV or truck so I have the cargo space. And I just can't afford it right now, nor do I particularly need it since I'm not even operating my business right now. So I figure just keep this explorer for the time being, put new brakes on and use it only for when I go up the gravel roads by or when I need the cargo space that my car lacks.

If I sell it now I'll maybe get $1000cad tops and the luxury of owning 2 cars (especially a car and a truck) far outweigh the $1000. Doubt I find anything near as reliable for $1000. Especially if I can get this to last me 2 more years. From what I've seen over time, the leak hasn't gotten any worse over time. Its stayed the same.

Also, another thing is I'll just use my Honda for deliveries again, 4 nights, 20 hours a week. Pizza delivery is not a long term job for me and I'm hoping that very soon I can drop down to 2 or 3 nights a week which will be less wear and tear on the car. And hopefully within a year I can find another and better side gig and eventually quit. The Honda can handle it. 5 nights a week was a bit much for my liking but 4 isn't as bad and 2 or 3 will be even better.

i tried to convince myself to convert the Honda as a full time beater but I just can't do it. I've tried too in the past but as soon as I lose a beater I immediately miss having one.

Trade it in if anything on the dealers' lots has something more useful.

 

[98FordLove]

Trade it in if anything on the dealers' lots has something more useful.

True I'd be open to this but if I did this I would trade both the explorer and the car in for an SUV. But the Honda I would get much more through private selling it. The dealer likely won't even give anything for the explorer.

That way just have one SUV for everything including deliveries, still have AWD and save $20 or so a month on the second cars insurance.

For my needs an SUV or light truck suits my needs better at this point in my life than a car does. Hence why I ended up picking up the explorer to get the cargo space and AWD.

I've had the Honda for almost 8 years now and it's by far the lowest maintenance car I've ever owned. Have done nothing to it mechanically except regular maintenance and changed one ball joint (not a cheap repair though). It suited my lifestyle the best at the time but over the years I needed more cargo space. Hence why I eventually got the explorer.

 

[Josh P]

Take pictures of the top of the engine, I'd like to see the heads. The fact there is oil coming down the sides of the engine, the front main seal is one of the leaks.

 

[joney]

True I'd be open to this but if I did this I would trade both the explorer and the car in for an SUV. But the Honda I would get much more through private selling it. The dealer likely won't even give anything for the explorer.

That way just have one SUV for everything including deliveries, still have AWD and save $20 or so a month on the second cars insurance.

For my needs an SUV or light truck suits my needs better at this point in my life than a car does. Hence why I ended up picking up the explorer to get the cargo space and AWD.

I've had the Honda for almost 8 years now and it's by far the lowest maintenance car I've ever owned. Have done nothing to it mechanically except regular maintenance and changed one ball joint (not a cheap repair though). It suited my lifestyle the best at the time but over the years I needed more cargo space. Hence why I eventually got the explorer.

In that case just sell both privately for the best price. If one SUV will do it for you! Best wishes!

 

[94Eddie]

I see a front main seal leak there is more oil coming from the front of the engine than anywhere else.

On the up side, it looks like the truck is being well protected against under body rust.

 

[94Eddie]

Thanks. The only thing is finding space where I could do this. The explorer is parked on the street and my neighbour spy's on me 24/7 so each time she sees me even with the Explorer hood open, she assumes there is something wrong with it.

Which bolt drains the oil?

When the mechanic did this 5 months ago, he got me to degrease the entire underbody and I used 2 full cans of degreaser on it then took it to the car wash right after. I have to say that I was able to get the underbody quite clean and very little oil remained.

He did use sandpaper on the spot where the crack is but after getting it back and us looking in the hood again it was really obvious that the crack on the oil pan was just one spot of many leaking. There is oil leaking from somewhere above the oil pan gasket on the drivers side. Looks like directly from the engine and this would explain why the mech said that he strongly believes my heads are leaking.

Also the oil pan gasket on the drivers side looks to be seeping oil too. So say the RTV does work for the crack, I would very likely still be leaking oil elsewhere.

I suggest just driving the Honda. You make it nearly impossible to help you. Also, take advantage of Youtube. You can find a video there to show you how to do any repair or maintenance needed. Lastly, your engine is leaking oil like a sieve. Oil is literally coming from everywhere from the looks of those photos. If you can't find an oil plug then you really can't do much in the way of RTVing that leak. Even if you did there are other places that are leaking just as bad. Your viable options are, IMO, sell the Explorer and buy another beater, use the Honda or keep using the Explorer for deliveries until they fire you.

 

[98FordLove]

Take pictures of the top of the engine, I'd like to see the heads. The fact there is oil coming down the sides of the engine, the front main seal is one of the leaks.

Hope these work? If not I can take new ones. Its still dry up at the engine.

 

[C420sailor]

Sell it.

Not because it isn’t fixable, but because these trucks simply aren’t for people who can’t do their own work. They become prohibitively expensive and/or end up with problems like this.

I straight up wouldn’t have my explorers still if I didn’t have a garage, and the tools and know-how to do the work they need.

It sucks to put miles on the Honda, but it’s more fuel efficient and they last FOREVER. Your Ex isn’t long for this world anyway, may as well make some $$$ while you can and maybe someone else will give it some love.

And don’t do the catch idea. First road debris you meet will send it all over the cats. Fire.

 

[Josh P]

Every possible place that motor could leak oil, it is. The oil/dirt buildup around the exhaust manifolds will eventually catch fire.

 

[98FordLove]

Only use the Honda when you have to use it. Otherwise, use the Explorer.

What do you mean? I think you meant the opposite, to only use the Explorer when I have to use it, otherwise use the Honda? All city driving outside of deliveries I've always been using the Honda. In fact I'm still trying to convince myself to convert my Honda to a full time beater.

 

[98FordLove]

Yes front main seal crankshaft seal on the front remove harmonic balancer check crank shaft for scoring install speedy sleeve and new seal

I just don't understand how the seal can already be leaking again when it was just replaced last May.

 

[94Eddie]

What do you mean? I think you meant the opposite, to only use the Explorer when I have to use it, otherwise use the Honda? All city driving outside of deliveries I've always been using the Honda. In fact I'm still trying to convince myself to convert my Honda to a full time beater.

I meant what I said. If you have to use it for deliveries then use it for this and everything else use the Explorer. Or turn the Honda into your beater. At this point I am done with the entire discussion. Every time someone gives you a solution or advice you seem hell bent on picking it apart. Just make a decision. Any decision.

 

[Turdle]

Wonder if the oil pressure sender is leaking? But then, it would need replaced and I doubt that's gonna happen here

 

[DintDobbs]

@98FordLove Not trying to attack you or anything, but I read the whole thread (minus bothering to look at the pictures) and I am morally obligated to say three things...

Firstly, the leaks. That truck has serious problems, and there is only one right way to address each of those problems. If you're adding a quart every week, you've already submitted yourself to an endless waste of money. If I add a quart in a YEAR, that sucker's going to the garage until it doesn't leak any more.

Secondly, given the condition you've told us your truck is in, leaking a quart of oil per week (can you say, "sheesh"?), and you expect the frame to rust through to where the truck is no longer safe to drive within two years, your nosy neighbor is probably seriously concerned for your safety.

Thirdly, the Honda's suspension. You find it a more worthwhile expense to pay somewhere in the scope of $200/month to keep a dying truck on the road, against the advisement of your boss, and you see this as a reasonable alternative to spending the, say, $600-ish it would cost to get a dealership to do the suspension on your Honda? Three months of not driving the Explorer would cover that cost. Source your own suspension parts on RockAuto.com. My dealership quoted me around $750 for the tie rod ends and upper ball joints on my Durango, went to RockAuto and got 'em for less than $100, shipped.

Or may be just... get another second-gen Explorer? They're a dime a dozen here in the States, just come south of the border for a week and you'll see 'em for sale on street corners in the three-digit range. Every other body shop has one, or find some guy at Wal Mart and offer him a few hundred bucks, he'll probably let you have his.

 

[Mbrooks420]

I just don't understand how the seal can already be leaking again when it was just replaced last May.

Your mechanic either did a poor job, or the crank has a line worn in it and needs a “speedy sleeve” to repair the seal mating surface.

 

[RoyKelly2]

Well my other car is a 2010 Honda Accord 4cylinder and when I compared it to the Explorer for gas mileage for deliveries, the Explorer was only costing me 60% more in gas.

60% more would not be acceptable in my house. That is why the 1967 F250 that gets about 5-6 MPG sits 95% of the time and is only used to pull the camper or for large heavy loads

 

[98FordLove]

@98FordLove Not trying to attack you or anything, but I read the whole thread (minus bothering to look at the pictures) and I am morally obligated to say three things...

Firstly, the leaks. That truck has serious problems, and there is only one right way to address each of those problems. If you're adding a quart every week, you've already submitted yourself to an endless waste of money. If I add a quart in a YEAR, that sucker's going to the garage until it doesn't leak any more.

Secondly, given the condition you've told us your truck is in, leaking a quart of oil per week (can you say, "sheesh"?), and you expect the frame to rust through to where the truck is no longer safe to drive within two years, your nosy neighbor is probably seriously concerned for your safety.

Thirdly, the Honda's suspension. You find it a more worthwhile expense to pay somewhere in the scope of $200/month to keep a dying truck on the road, against the advisement of your boss, and you see this as a reasonable alternative to spending the, say, $600-ish it would cost to get a dealership to do the suspension on your Honda? Three months of not driving the Explorer would cover that cost. Source your own suspension parts on RockAuto.com. My dealership quoted me around $750 for the tie rod ends and upper ball joints on my Durango, went to RockAuto and got 'em for less than $100, shipped.

Or may be just... get another second-gen Explorer? They're a dime a dozen here in the States, just come south of the border for a week and you'll see 'em for sale on street corners in the three-digit range. Every other body shop has one, or find some guy at Wal Mart and offer him a few hundred bucks, he'll probably let you have his.

No offense taken. I will be driving the Explorer significantly less now so it definitely won't be losing a quart a week. I won't be using it for deliveries anymore.

The main reason why I chose to use the Explorer for deliveries the past 5 months over the Honda was because I have a new front end on the Explorer and the Honda is still stock (aside from one ball joint replacement). I didn't want to accelerate the wear on the expensive suspension components and repairs on the Honda such as ball joints. And I figured since the Explorer has limited life remaining, that the truck would be sold or scrapped off well before I would need any front end work done to it, so it would save me the cost there. Plus I didn't want to put the hard miles, aka extreme driving conditions on the Honda if I could avoid it. The Honda is the car that I plan on keeping until it falls apart or rusts out. I can easily keep it for another 5-7 years if not longer. It's the lowest maintenance car I've ever owned.

 

[98FordLove]

Your mechanic either did a poor job, or the crank has a line worn in it and needs a “speedy sleeve” to repair the seal mating surface.

I bet it's the speedy sleeve that he didn't put in, at the time he said it didn't need it.

 

[CDW6212R]

I have fixed a bunch of fluid leaks in my many prior mail vehicles, and all of them were minor to fix. The only hard leaks to fix are the rear main seal or the oil pan, plus the rare front pinion seal. Most all others just take the time to locate them, and then replace or seal the problem parts. A bad mechanic can ruin a vehicle for an owner, it sounds like you did find a bad one before.

I've had cars with multiple leaks, say 5-6 at least. When it's really bad, you have to start by cleaning it really well, just to look for the first bad leak or two. Then you fix what you find, and clean it again, and do it again until it stops leaking.