FORD 4.0 L SOHC LIFE EXPECTANCY

[aughtsix]

Hi all......

I have a '98 Ford Explorer with 4.0 Liter SOHC engine. It has 138,000 miles on it. Runs like a champ. Doesn't burn any oil or leak any oil!! So far!!

How many miles is this engine good for? I mean, on average. It is used every other day or so. Never less than 30 miles a day, when used. Over 700 miles a day on many occasions. I live about 10 miles from town, so engine is usually pretty well warmed up, before being shut off.

Oil and filter is changed every 3,500 - 4,000 miles at Ford dealer. Not same dealer all the time. Some have put semi-synthetic in and others have put in full synthetic.

Any thoughts of life of said engine??

Thanks to any and all replies!!!!!!

[Keith L]

I had one in an Aerostar that started sucking oil at 80,000 and went to live elsewhere, one with 150,000 in an Explorer going strong, and one that cracked a block at 180,000 in a Ranger.  I still have the truck but put a remanufactured long block in it and now the truck has over 220,000 and is still better than most.  The one in the aerostar was an early one and had head problems that Ford stood by.

[30-30man]

The only issue I know about is the timing chain tensioners, they are made out of plastic.  Sometimes they chip and fall apart, fall into the oil passages and you have no oil pressure. It happened to me.  I was told by the Ford Tech that it was common for the 4.0sohc. Overall it is a good engine.  I had one in an Explorer that was a 2002.  The engine was good,  it was the transmission that was questionable.  The thing had no dipstick and you could not change the fluid.  It was a sealed transmission. I don't know what Ford was thinking when they designed that one. It had plenty of power, towed a heavy Sunbird with a 4.3 no problems.  I got rid of it as  it became a gashog .My wife averaged only 15mpg...I have since trade it in on a Honda.  We didn't need two towing vehicles.

[aughtsix]

Thanks to all for the info!!

[EVOC ONE]

I just turned 150,000 on my 2000 Explorer. It has the 4.0 OHV.  I drive 150 miles round trip to work every day and on average 150-300 miles on a couple Saturday excursions each month doing the "gun shop crawl".  The oil is changed once each month or at 3000 miles, which ever comes first.  The week before Thanksgiving it went into the shop for shocks, ball joints and to have a leaky intake manifold gasket replaced.  Those were the first repairs ever made to the vehicle.  It still has the original hoses and spark plugs (although they will be changed during this months service).  The serpetine belt has been replaced twice (more than ten cracks per inch and out it goes).  I still get 20-21 mpg to and from work.  Sometimes I have to travel to Georgia for work and can easily pull 23-24 MPG crusing I-95 from Maryland.  I am not a hot rod driver ... its the slow lane at 65-70 or less, when I can get a way with it, or the back roads, when possible.

EVOC ONE

[John020769]

I have a 91 aerostar 3.0 from what I was told was the frist gen of 4.0 271,000 before it lost a cyclinder (spelling) and the wife still drivres it around close we will be getting it fixed at tax time.............John