V6 repair or replace

[Gordp]

Hi, I am new to the site. Thanks for letting me join and ask questions that may be ... dumb. But this is my Son's first truck and I need some advice/help.

I bought him a 2000 Explorer Sport with the SOHC 4.0l V6, body and interior is real nice. It runs rough and has a lot of noise from the front of the engine. The posts all seem to suggest this is the chains. I expect this is the Jack Chain and Tensioner and possibly/probably the Cam chain Tensioners.

Gas milage is pitiful, he is getting 300KM to a tank. Not good for a kid in grade 12.

I have replaced the Ball joints, upper and lower, Shocks, Brakes, Ebrake, bearings and Hubs and other misc. items. So lot's already invested.

The engine has 155KM and I think I need to fix at least the Chains. Ford Dealer is quoting me $1500. to fix the Tensioners and chain rattle. I have found a new (500 miles) 2004 4.0 SOHC available for $1600.00. Seems like a great deal versus the price of all the work and parts to fix the exisiting engine.

So my question:

Will the 2004 engine drop in? What will I have to change? Do the economics work? Anyone done this or similar?

Thanks for any help you can provide. Gord

 

[boominXplorer]

You should be able to swap long block for long block. I don't know if any of the manifolds stayed the same.