Please help. Major engine failure.

[waywardson]

Hi everyone,

I have a situation that I hope someone can offer me some advice on.

My 2006 Explorer (Eddie Bauer, 4.0L, 4WD), which was purchased new and currently has only 36,000 miles, just had a major engine malfunction. It began to run rough about a mile from work, then the Check Engine light came on. It hobbled into a parking space and quit. All I could get after that was a "click" when the key was turned. The engine wasn't coming close to turning over.

Noticing (with my voltmeter) that the volts were going down to around 5.5 when the key was turned, and since the battery was the original one, I put a new battery in, since I planned on changing it this fall anyway. The result was the same "click". The oil, recently changed, was full and clean.

The engine codes came up as "Misfire on cyl #1" and "Bank #1 lean". I pulled the spark plug on the #1 cylinder. The bottom of the plug, after the threads, for lack of a better way to describe it, was smashed off. It appears the piston hit it. Whatever has broken internally now prevents the engine from turning.

I am in the process of removing the engine for further inspection. When I removed the intake, a piece of the valve guide from the #1 cylinder was rattling around inside the manifold. Looking down the #1 intake port on the cylinder head, I could see where it used to be. I am not looking forward to what I wil see when the head is removed.

I find it absolutely ludicrous that a babied, dealer maintained car with only 36K miles can have such a major engine failure. The Explorer has never been abused in any way, shape, or form since new. No problem of any kind, ever, until now.

My question is this: Is there someone at Ford Motor Co I could contact to see if they may credit me in some way for the repair of the vehicle? Also, is there a known design flaw with this engine? I already called a local dealer here in NJ and they gave the standard line of telling me once the 3/36 warranty period is over, I'm basically SOL. The dealership the car was purchased from (Loman Ford in Parsippany, NJ) is now out of business.

Any and all ideas are truly appreciated, because if there is something Ford HQ can or will do, I will not remove the engine. Unless I find out I am truly SOL, I will either rebuild or replace it.

Thanks in advance for suggestions!

 

[rickybobby]

A call to ford could possibly result in some kind of action, but most likely just excessive frustration. You may get by with just replacing the head and #1 piston, but most likely the cylinder wall is going to be scored bad enough to warrant machining it

 

[markfothebeast]

Let's see. I had bought a brand new 2003 Ranger with a SOHC 4.0L V6. Overheated, blew headgasket, and engine siezed. A week later my brothers 1999 Explorer SOHC 4.0 had the tip of the crank snap-off and the crank pulley and crank tip were just hanging there. The 2003 only had 37k miles (1K after warranty!). Ended up finding an engine with 8k miles on it for $350. Installed. Runs well. Sold. Never going back to SOHC engine (or modular). Had a 5.4 modular crank snap off on a buddies.

Anyhow, I don't think Ford will cover it. Find a great deal like I did for $350. It sucks, I know.

 

[1Aauto]

welcome to the site

 

[ERUSH97XLT]

So sorry this happened! :thumbdwn:

My guess is you may have had detonation in cylinder #1 (for whatever reason: lean mixture, head gasket shard, etc.), causing the the spark plug to break. This chunk was probably caught by the intake valve, causing it to bend, thereby causing the valve train failure (as seen by the broken valve guide) and engine seizure. I'm speculating here, but this failure is exactly what happened on a buddy's truck (shhh! it was a GM... ).

Hate to say this, but you're going to need to rebuild it.

Good luck,

ERUSH

 

[swetrid]

It probably had vale spring break and dropped a valve. We have seen a few over the years on 4.0L SOHC.

 

[waywardson]

Hey all, thanks for all the replies. Here is the latest:

I made a few calls and got nowhere, so I removed the cylinder head.

The intake valve was broken and pummeled by the piston; there are deep gouges in both the combustion chamber and the piston top. It seems the valve keeper or lock gave way, dropped the intake valve and started the chain of destruction. The spring was broken and the rocker was dislodged too.

The piston got so hammered, it seems it began to twist in the bore, because when I removed the lower cradle/oil pan and looked up into cylinder from below, the piston was no longer properly aligned. When I pushed it out after undoing the rod cap, the rod was actually twisted. So much so, the piston became fixed on the wrist pin, unable to pivot. Trying to move up and down in the bore like this, it actually put a two inch crack in the bore, destroying the block.

Since the engine needs to be replaced, does anyone know of a good place to get a used, low mileage engine for a decent price? I would like to spend less than $2,000 if at all possible. Any and all ideas are much appreciated.

 

[matthewfriez]

hmm

Ouch!!!!


try a junk yard engine with fairly low miles, and before install replace the oil pan gasket, do a head gasket kit and inspect heads, and put in a new water pump that will do you good for about $1200 or less (junkyard motor here w/60k miles is about $600.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! I've moved your thread into the stock 2006-2010 section. Check a local junkyard.

 

[joecrna]

Remember, a Mustang SOHC will work too. You do need to retain your bolt-ons, intake exhaust, don't know about 2006 but probably all of the accessories too. They are a bolt up. Never heard of fitment issues doing this.

 

[Beargap]

Hey all, thanks for all the replies. Here is the latest:

I made a few calls and got nowhere, so I removed the cylinder head.

The intake valve was broken and pummeled by the piston; there are deep gouges in both the combustion chamber and the piston top. It seems the valve keeper or lock gave way, dropped the intake valve and started the chain of destruction. The spring was broken and the rocker was dislodged too.

The piston got so hammered, it seems it began to twist in the bore, because when I removed the lower cradle/oil pan and looked up into cylinder from below, the piston was no longer properly aligned. When I pushed it out after undoing the rod cap, the rod was actually twisted. So much so, the piston became fixed on the wrist pin, unable to pivot. Trying to move up and down in the bore like this, it actually put a two inch crack in the bore, destroying the block.

Since the engine needs to be replaced, does anyone know of a good place to get a used, low mileage engine for a decent price? I would like to spend less than $2,000 if at all possible. Any and all ideas are much appreciated.

These trucks come with a 5 year/50K mile warranty on the engine and powertrain. For gosh sakes, contact Ford!

=Vic=

 

[Explorer_PL]

Second that, contact Ford.
It is not unusual for manufacturer to cover part of the repair if that happened right outside the warranty. Just keep calling the Customer Service at Ford.

 

[feetwet]

These trucks come with a 5 year/50K mile warranty on the engine and powertrain. For gosh sakes, contact Ford!

=Vic=

5/50 came in on 2007 models ... most 2006 ones are 3/36

 

[waywardson]

Hey all,

thanks for the suggestions, but feetwet is right - 3/36 is what this Explorer came with.

I am still trying to contact Ford and looking for a used motor.

 

[waywardson]

Say, does anyone know how a VIN "N" 4.0L Mustang engine differs from an Explorer VIN "E" engine? As long as the long block is the same, I can easily transfer all the accessories.

 

[johnnytulips]

i worked at a ford dealer. bring it in. there maybe a campain or extended warranty on this issues. if not the dealer can still contact the engineers. and if you make enough noise the engineers can authorize a warranty repair to avoid embarrassment. Ive seen this on ford,gm, and chrysler's all with really good customers and we tell them the same thing, some it worked some not . be sure to have as much proof of maitenance performed as possible good luck.

 

[johnnytulips]

if it comes down to it get whatever insurance money for it if you can. buy one with a 4.6. its such a reliable motor. you just have to replace ign coils every now and again. i have 2 with 200,000mi and run mint.

 

[joecrna]

The Mustang motor will lack a balance shaft. The Explorer only had one if it was a 4x4. Search for threads on this swap or the camshaft tensioner; replace,death rattle etc. It is often recommended to just swap in a new engine if the secind Gen Explorer's cam tensioners fail.

 

[swetrid]

That sucks! I hate being right about something that expensive.

 

[waywardson]

Mustang 4.0L

Hey all, thanks for the replies and suggestions.

I am waiting to hear back from Ford, and still looking for an engine if there's nothing they will do.

I have noticed, in looking for engines, that a used '06 Mustang 4.0L is much cheaper than a used '06 Explorer 4.0L. Are they really that different? The dealer says there are different part numbers for the Mustang and Explorer long block assembly, although the price ($3,500) is almost the same.

joecrna, do you know if the balance shaft, which my motor has, could be installed on a Mustang 4.0L block that may not have one? Or is is just too much hassle? And what if it was left out?

The reason I ask is because I have worked on Mazda engines with balance shafts, and I've seen aftermarket kits out there to eliminate the balance shaft setup with no ill effects. Some who have eliminated it say its worth HP and causes no harm, but for my money and time, I would need to be sure.

If I hear from Ford, I will post the result in case it may be able to help anyone else who may run into this kind of dilemma. Thanks again to all who reply.