Time for a rebuild/replace?

[jwinker]

Hey guys,

Mentioned in my intro post - I have a 2000 Ranger 4x4 4.0L OHV with about 175k and it's struggling. The truck is rusty - thanks MN winters - but the problem is the engine. The CEL has been on for...I dunno? 2 years now?...ever since the intake gasket ruptured one February and I spent the remainder of the winter pouring coolant down the neck while it sprayed out the front of the engine. It was too cold to fix and too much snow to park the truck. I ended up repairing my truck in a parking garage stall, and it's 80% fixed (or thereabouts?)...

Then there's the catalytic converter...

My neighbor caught someone trying to hacksaw my catalytic converter one day several years ago. I had the cut welded up, but the truck never ran "quite right" after that. A few years later - the year after the intake, in fact - the cat failed miserably, and I limped the truck to the shop to have it replaced for $1200. Yuck!

Last winter, the starter failed and I ended up replacing it in an open parking lot on, literally, the coldest wind-chill day of the Minnesota winter. That was miserable...

The muffler ruptured, had it replaced with a generic. The guy who replaced it welded the tailpipe like my 14-yr old nephew, so that's leaning up against the wall of my garage.

The fuel door is 60% rust....You're probably getting the idea by now, right?

Point is, I want to rebuild or replace the engine to get a couple more years out of this truck. The thing is a mountain goat in the winter, goes anywhere I want it to, just not very well.

I have a number of questions about the project, but first off I would like to know about the possibility of replacing my OHV engine with a SOHC engine (because I have one available, on the cheap). Would I need to change the ECU? The computer from this particular SOHC engine has already been sold.

Should I just rebuild my OHV engine? It doesn't look too difficult, but if this is the better route what should I watch for as I'm tearing it down? Cracked heads? Blown head gaskets?

Engine rebuild kits, what's good and what's garbage? I have never done a 4.0L and most of the names I know from the vintage stuff do not exist for this engine. What have others used with success or failures?

Thanks for all your input! Looking forward to the forums.

 

[scott9050]

If the goal is a few more years, why not go with an intermediate mile used engine and call it a day? A quick search of car-part.com shows many 75,000-85,000 engines for well under $1000. Saw a 56,000 mile one for $600 as a matter of fact:

https://cpprohomeky.car-part.com/im...splay=1999 Ford Explorer Engine-Stock# GG147#

 

[lobo411]

Can't you get a used Ranger in better condition for what you've spent on repairs so far? Sounds like a money pit, and that always ends badly.

 

[Flash]

From what you've said I'd say the best solution for all your problems would be to move to somewhere warmer than MN.

 

[jwinker]

Can't you get a used Ranger in better condition for what you've spent on repairs so far? Sounds like a money pit, and that always ends badly.

I promise you are correct, but the money has been spent in small chunks over many years. Other than the cats, I haven't had a problem > $200. I've replaced the ball joints, alternator, starter, mirrors, rear springs, - heck, even replaced the seats when they wore out - and the little truck just keeps going. I've been able to do almost everything myself, other than the cats & welding the muffler.

I would prefer to replace the engine with another, moderate mileage 4.0L. I'm finding many more SOHC engines than OHV engines. I'm not opposed to the SOHC engine if it will actually drop-in, but if I have to change a bunch of peripheral devices to make it work, I'd rather find a good OHV engine.