I’ve been on the lookout for a manual second-gen Explorer for a while. This one has 350,000 km but seems to be in decent shape with service history and isn’t too pricey. It’s a few hours away from me, so I wanted to ask if there’s anything I should check or ask the seller before heading over to take a look?
350,000 km is about 217,479 miles, just FYI
Oli said:
350,000 km is about 217,479 miles, just FYI
That engine’s just getting started!
Is it SOHC or OHV?
Harper said:
Is it SOHC or OHV?
OHV
Harper said:
Is it SOHC or OHV?
OHV
The 4.0L OHV is pretty reliable, and the 2nd-gen Explorers don’t have many common issues. At that age and mileage, you might deal with worn seals, sensors, suspension parts, and stuff like that, but that’s typical for any car of that age. If the price is right and it’s in good shape, I’d say go for it. Good condition first and second gens are getting rarer these days, even though they made millions of them.
@Harper
Thanks! That’s helpful. Are there any engine problems with these I should be looking out for? Like head gasket issues, leaks, or anything specific I should ask the seller about?
Oli said:
@Harper
Thanks! That’s helpful. Are there any engine problems with these I should be looking out for? Like head gasket issues, leaks, or anything specific I should ask the seller about?
Not a lot of issues with the engine itself, but I do remember some coolant leaks from intake manifold gasket failures. Also, coolant flows through the timing chain cover, so if that part leaks, coolant can mix with oil. People sometimes think it’s a head gasket, but it’s not. That’s the only thing I can think of. I know a guy who had a Mazda B4000 with the same engine—he sold it at 385,000 miles, and it still ran great.
Harper said:
Is it SOHC or OHV?
I’ve got a SOHC, thinking about swapping the engine for a VG later, still doing some research on that.