rebuild 95 4.o or get used other year 4.0

[NOS/86]

well , not knowing a bunch about the 4.0 motors . what would be my best bet ? rebuild my 95 4.0 ....? blown head gasket or worse ? also 199,000 miles . or would it be better to just pick up a low mileage engine in the parts yard ? if so any year better than the other ?

btw , i searched swaps , engine rebuilds this morning . i'd do a 5.0 swap , but it seems costly .

also ...if i rebuild
does anyone make aftermarket cams for the 4.0 ?
what headers to buy ?
what exhaust for a 95 4-door ?

and as you can see from my # of post i don't get on here much . really only here and there , or when i have a problem i can't figure out .

thanks
eric

 

[hotkarl]

Best thing, if you have the money, is to do a rebuild. Junkyard motor is a crapshoot, unless you are fortunate enough to hear the motor run before you buy it. Even then, you never know.
It's a big job, and to go through all the effort to do a swap and find out the engine is no good really sucks.

In the old days, it was no big deal to swap out an engine, anything through the early 80's was a piece of cake, and on more than a few occassions
I have actually swapped a junkyard motor in and out because it was no good, it totally sucked, but definitely not as bad a swapping an engine on a newer vehicle.

 

[dynamite196]

With that many miles you're looking at replacing everything but the block. I'd find a reputable parts yard and go through there. I was able to find a 4.0 ohv with 52k on it for a grand. You can get a pretty good idea of the engine's condition if you thoroughly examine it even if you can't hear it run.

 

[Cobraguy]

finding a low mileage OHV like that will be a rare occurrence. You will probably want to rebuild so you are certain of what you have.

 

[bluestream1]

Rebuilding an engine that old will not make any sense. Are you going to do the rebuild yourself, or take it to a shop? The block will be fine, but you are going to need it re-bored, or at least honed. Do you have micrometers to measure the wear on the cylinders on camshafts and crank journals? At that mileage you will need new pistons and rings. A valve job, maybe some new valves and new valve seals. The springs need to be tested for strength. Likely some new valve springs. All new valve lifers if you are smart. A new oil pump for sure. New crank and rod bearings, new seals, new gaskets of course. That engine will also need new pushrods and rocker arms. The list goes on and on…

You can buy a good used engine for $500 to $1000 and just drop it in and go. Lots of low mileage engines or trucks that have been in an accident to source these from. Ebay, Craigslist, auto wreakers, ect.

Have a read and you will think twice about a rebuild

Dead Link Removed

 

[Cobraguy]

And you could very easily end up with an used engine that needs to be rebuilt just as your original does. A used engine with a lot of miles is almost never a bargain...even if you get it for free.

You can buy a reman long block from a respected rebuilder (including Ford Reman) and get a warranty. I build my own...and do all my own machine work including grinding the crank. That isn't for everyone of course, but I end up with EXACTLY what I want. If you want a good engine for a reasonable price that will last you a long time, get a quality reman. If you want an engine that is exactly what you want, have it rebuilt by a machine shop to your exact specs. That is an expensive option though. But I would shy away from a high mileage used engine if I were you. Plus, you just never know what abuse a used engine has endured.

By the way, if you do go used, make darn good and sure you get the serial number of the vehicle it came from. ANY reputable business will give you that. If not, do not buy it! Not unless you want the cops to come to your door some day and tell you to give back the engine... One other thing...take the serial number and run it through carfax. Make sure it wasn't submerged.

 

[dynamite196]

You would really have to try hard to find a low mileage engine with the same wear and tear on it as one with 200k. That being said IMO it isn't worth it to buy a brand spankin new rebuild either unless you are planning on keeping the vehicle for quite some time; in this case with 200k on the odometer it probably won't make much sense financially to keep the vehicle for much longer.

 

[bluestream1]

Buying a high mileage used engine is obviously not an option. Deal with a quality auto wreaker and you will get a good engine with a warranty. (They don't stay in business long if they rip people off.) Go out and walk through the yard and look at what they have. Vehicles bought from an insurance company that have been in an accident make an excellent donor, and you can see the mileage before you buy.

I recently saw brand new Ford 4.0L SOHC engines on Craigslist for $750. No re-built can beat that!.

 

[Four0Sport]

i have a 97 4.0 OHV with 63K complete with engine harness for sale.. $300 if you wanna make a trip. just thought id let you know. needs an oil pan gasket.. i was gonna replace the rods/mains/ and oil pick up while it was out, but it can be put right back in a truck.

 

[NOS/86]

thanks guys for all the info ....if it gets rebuilt i'll be doing it myself . to be honest i really ,really hate to spend a whole bunch on the explorer ....its been good to me ,but being a 95 with 200,000 it's not got much resale around here . i have a buddy in the junkyard business and hes checking to see what he can find me . i have found a 2000 model 4.0ohv with 80,000 on it for $300 out and ready to drop it . just hate to buy and never heard it run .


fourosport ...i'll keep your motor in mind .