Hi,

Well, good chance I may need a set of heads for my 1996 4.0 OHV (older style push rod)

Just wondering to hear from those that have replaced their heads, and what brands you all liked, and don't like? also what can I expect to pay in labor costs for this job, since I think it's a bit over my head (no pun intended)

Also, besides new head gaskets, what else should I do, once the heads are off?

if the job with the parts is over about $1500, I may just sell it, and buy something a bit newer - but I'm afraid to buy anything newer than 2000, since I hear people are having major issues with rear end noises in the rear, on like 2002 and later vehicles - what's up with that?

I Guess, I never see people having problems with like a 1999 - so that would be the year I'd look for maybe?

or do I put $1500 ish into this 96? has 115 on it.

Thanks

 

why do you need new heads?

 

The driver side has a small crack in it - I used steal seal, and it helped a bit, but this morning when it was really cold, I noticed it running rough again, just for the first 30 secs - it doesn't smoke like it used to when cold, and the idle has no more miss in it, but I've been loosing coolant, not too much... maybe a pint every week - I think it's around the #4 plug, since when I pulled it, the insolation was cracked (from extreme heat) - Runs great after the truck is running 3 mins... never overheats - good pick up - but, I don't think steal seal is the same as a head replacement, and/or heat gasket...

Last week, it seemed to have cured the problem 100% - maybe it was just running rich? will a FI engine run rough if you give it too much gas right after you start it on a cold day (like 18 degrees out this morning) similar to a carb with choke when cold? -

Anyways, this is a common problem I guess with the 4.0L from what I understand - previous owner said it did overheat once - and that would have been enough.

the problem I have/had is for sure head/head gasket related - so, if I'm doing head gaskets, I might as well do new heads too...

 

How many miles does your truck have? Is it in good shape otherwise? $1500 really isn't all that much to spend if you like the vehicle and it doesn't have any major flaws.

My '96 has 133,000 miles, and I've had it for over eight years. I wouldn't hesitate to drop $1500 if that's what it needed to get it fixed. That's a lot less money than would be spent to purchase another used Explorer, especially if you have to make payments.

 

I'm guessing at $1500 - mine only has 115K. There are some little issues, like Power steering whine, sometimes steering is tight when you turn the wheel quickly, etc - have a front end clunk sort of sound sometimes, and the drivers side sags in the front about 1 inch -

I would never have a car payment - that's just me - there are a lot of explorers around for under $3K in this year range. I only paid $500 for this one :-)

The previous owner never took care of the truck at all, so I have done a bit to it so far - seats replaced, new rear shackles, new tires. The paint is ok, but the door seams on both sides are starting to rust...

Thanks about it - Tranny shifts fine - no major leaks, 4x4 works fine... I'm just afraid of spending $1500 on the engine, and come to find out, I'd need all new front end suspension too, etc. In the spring, I might try adjusting the torson rod, and see if that helps it out. It rides fine, but looks strange with the lean.

I also had to junk the running boards, or nerf bars (this is a sport) rusted so bad, they were almost falling off :-) - looks cooler without any I think. I maybe should have kept the brackets though... but they are cosmetic.

 

it would be hard for me to put $1500+ into a $500 vehicle.

why not get a good set of heads at the junkyard?

 

Call the guys at Steel Seal, they have a guarantee on that stuff and a good service reputation. We used it as a stop gap measure on son's 92(430k), has put over 45k on it with no further problems. and in the cold north (Canada) it has not reappeared during cold weather -30.

I would invest the money in the truck, better the beast you know than the one you dont.

 

Hi Aqua,

Yeah, I took your advice - They offer a money back quarantee, and/or a free new dose - it really seemed to cure the problem overall, but maybe I have to pull #4 plug to allow the product to work into that cylinder? - Did you have a blown heat gasket, or a cracked head in your son's truck? - did you have any back pressure? if it comes down to running the engine without a plug in it, I would do that, but it looks like the injectors for that side are really hard to get at? I'd feel better running the engine with that injector turned off/unplugged - dumping fuel into the exhaust seems unsafe to me.

I will keep my eye on how much antifreeze it's really losing now - I just tried the SS stuff last week - I wonder if I had a warped head and a crack too? - the truck for sure idles better than it did, so it fixed something for sure... maybe I'm worring about nothing? the amount of coolant will tell me for sure.

Three schools of though:

1) do nothing, and see if it gets worse.
2) new heads and gaskets right now.
3) Sell it, and buy something with the newer 4.0L or the 5.0L

All told, I've only put about $500 into it, got new nice seats for it at the Junkyard, and some other goodies - it's hit or miss there - and the only place I can find anything for my Old 89 aerostar. they don't get many mid to late model explorers in, and my 89 is the oldest one I have seen anywhere - most they get are 91+

My only concern, is that if it is a crack or leak somewhere, that it doesn't get worse - I never take it that far from home, but sometimes we would - if the engine never overheats, will the crack never get any bigger than it is now? I can live with it how it is, if I knew it would never get bigger, and just top off the overflow tank every week, and be done with it.

I just don't want it to leave me stranded somewhere.

Thanks

 

Quicklook - it's not the cost of the heads so much - it's the labor costs I was originally asking about - Just wanted to know if anyone attempted this job on that engine, or had it done, and what they had to pay -

Plus, buying used heads, I might end up with the same problem - I'm sure they don't test them, and even if the offer a money back policy, they would not pay for the labor to re-do the job.

If I was going to have it done, I'd get new heads, but again, is it worth the cost? That was sort of my original question. $1500 would be the most I'd spend, $2K, and I might as well take a gamble on something a few years newer

I saw a 2001 EB for $5K - loaded, sunroof - 80K on it...

so, if I saved the 2K for the repair, and sold this one for $1200, etc etc -

I know buying anything used is a gamble...

I feel sorry for all those people that spend $30K on a new one, still making payments, and they have all those rear end problems that Ford won't pay for... That would make me sick.

Thanks

 

I don't know about that, quicklook. It really depends on the vehicle, and how much of the work you can do yourself. It also depends on your comfort level, and how much of a risk you're willing to take.

For example, I bought my '85 Camry two years ago for $100 and put about $1,300 into it. I did almost all the work myself, except for things like recharging the A/C. It has 133,000 miles, and runs like a champ. Last year I drove it from central Washington, where I lived at the time, to LA and back. No problems at all, and good gas mileage.

With the price of gas today, I figure that I save about $20 to $25 per tank driving it instead of the Explorer back and forth to work every day. I have to say that I wouldn't have done all this to a mid-80s Chevy Cadaver - oops, I mean Cavalier, my bad.

Only mediaman can decide if his truck's worth the money...but I gotta say that '01 EB sounds like a pretty good deal!