B. Walker

I have a 93 Ford Explorer that I purchased from family friends for $2000
last summer which ran great when I got it. But this past November I noticed
a problem that caused me and still is causing me to worry pretty bad. I was
driving up a 4 lane highway without any traffic on it that has substantial
grade (6% or so) and all of a sudden the engine started knocking, the power
went flat, and I dropped speed as I was going across the top of the ridge.
Since that time the knocking has gotten worse to where when I start the
vehicle up the knocking is actually causing the vehicle to shake and I can
hear something knocking inside the block. I am wondering if I blew a
cylender? Or what I might have done to it and what the solution to it would
be.

I did take it into the dealership, they didn't even say what was wrong with
it other that I could spend $4000 and get a new engine for it, but they were
suggesting not even to waste money on that and to pursue another vehicle.
Is it really this terminal or is it something I could fix myself in the
garage (I have alot of hands on experience in technical related things so I
could do it if I have time and tools)?

Brad



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SVTKate

Since you took it to the dealership, and they gave you an unsatisfactory
answer,
Go Back! Tell them that you want to know what's wrong with it EXACTLY so
that you would know why they want to charge you $4,000 to repair the
vehicle.

If the rest of the rig is in good condition, I don't see a new engine being
a bad investment but those in the know may say otherwise.

Kate

"B. Walker" wrote in message
news:STY4e.623$7M2.489@news02.roc.ny...
|I have a 93 Ford Explorer that I purchased from family friends for $2000
| last summer which ran great when I got it. But this past November I
noticed
| a problem that caused me and still is causing me to worry pretty bad. I
was
| driving up a 4 lane highway without any traffic on it that has substantial
| grade (6% or so) and all of a sudden the engine started knocking, the
power
| went flat, and I dropped speed as I was going across the top of the ridge.
| Since that time the knocking has gotten worse to where when I start the
| vehicle up the knocking is actually causing the vehicle to shake and I can
| hear something knocking inside the block. I am wondering if I blew a
| cylender? Or what I might have done to it and what the solution to it
would
| be.
|
| I did take it into the dealership, they didn't even say what was wrong
with
| it other that I could spend $4000 and get a new engine for it, but they
were
| suggesting not even to waste money on that and to pursue another vehicle.
| Is it really this terminal or is it something I could fix myself in the
| garage (I have alot of hands on experience in technical related things so
I
| could do it if I have time and tools)?
|
| Brad
|
|
|
| --
| ___________________________________________________
| Get your very own Free and Personal E-mail account for life @
| http://www.modemnet.net
|
|

sleepdog@optonline.net

But how much do you spend on an accurate diagnosis? $200? $500? They
can't just look at it with their x-ray specs and tell you what's
exactly wrong, they need to start taking stuff apart. That takes time,
and time costs money.

Can I suggest getting another vehicle for the time-being? In the
meantime, consider spending that money on an engine puller/stand, some
tools and manuals and pull the block yourself if you really want to
know exactly what went wrong. Kind of puts things into perspective if
your time is worth big bucks.

You can try getting an engine from a donor vehicle for probaby $500,
but that's a crap shoot.

B. Walker

The dealership confirmed it was a dead cylender but didn't or wouldn't
elaborate further. My thought was did I crack a piston rod, were valves
blown out or something like that. They also said that due to the age of the
vehicle that they simply don't have the time to take out the engine, tear it
down, rebuild it, and fix the cylender. Also that they can't get specific
parts as easily either. Instead they only go out and get full engines and
replace the whole engine, but at a much higher cost.

Considering now I'm getting about 10mpg for highway driving something is
really a miss as to what is going on with the engine. I am seriously
considering not even dropping anymore money into it to go out and get a
Subaru Outback instead with much better mileage and great AWD. Although
it'd be a sad waste to see this vehicle sit when there is something I could
do in my spare time to fix it and give it to my sister or something.




"SVTKate" wrote in message
news:i985e.4839$44.2771@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net...
> Since you took it to the dealership, and they gave you an unsatisfactory
> answer,
> Go Back! Tell them that you want to know what's wrong with it EXACTLY so
> that you would know why they want to charge you $4,000 to repair the
> vehicle.
>
> If the rest of the rig is in good condition, I don't see a new engine
> being
> a bad investment but those in the know may say otherwise.
>
> Kate
>
> "B. Walker" wrote in message
> news:STY4e.623$7M2.489@news02.roc.ny...
> |I have a 93 Ford Explorer that I purchased from family friends for $2000
> | last summer which ran great when I got it. But this past November I
> noticed
> | a problem that caused me and still is causing me to worry pretty bad. I
> was
> | driving up a 4 lane highway without any traffic on it that has
> substantial
> | grade (6% or so) and all of a sudden the engine started knocking, the
> power
> | went flat, and I dropped speed as I was going across the top of the
> ridge.
> | Since that time the knocking has gotten worse to where when I start the
> | vehicle up the knocking is actually causing the vehicle to shake and I
> can
> | hear something knocking inside the block. I am wondering if I blew a
> | cylender? Or what I might have done to it and what the solution to it
> would
> | be.
> |
> | I did take it into the dealership, they didn't even say what was wrong
> with
> | it other that I could spend $4000 and get a new engine for it, but they
> were
> | suggesting not even to waste money on that and to pursue another
> vehicle.
> | Is it really this terminal or is it something I could fix myself in the
> | garage (I have alot of hands on experience in technical related things
> so
> I
> | could do it if I have time and tools)?
> |
> | Brad
> |
> |
> |
> | --
> | ___________________________________________________
> | Get your very own Free and Personal E-mail account for life @
> | http://www.modemnet.net
> |
> |
>
>

sleepdog@optonline.net

I can't blame the dealer for making that call, eventually they all turn
into money pits and its no longer economical for you or the dealer to
pursue it any further.

It's really not a bad idea to hold onto it and tinker with it in your
spare time, assuming you have the spare time, inclination, space and
funds for tools and replacement parts.

B. Walker

That'll be the key, although one dealership that I was at when looking for
Subaru's was willing to give me a $2000 trade in value on it. It depends on
what I can get out of it trade in wise on whether I'll get rid of it or park
it and get a few friends to come over and have an engine building party.
heh.



wrote in message
news:1112889905.308013.112610@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
>I can't blame the dealer for making that call, eventually they all turn
> into money pits and its no longer economical for you or the dealer to
> pursue it any further.
>
> It's really not a bad idea to hold onto it and tinker with it in your
> spare time, assuming you have the spare time, inclination, space and
> funds for tools and replacement parts.
>

Balto

> "B. Walker" wrote in message
> |I have a 93 Ford Explorer that I purchased from family friends for $2000
> | last summer which ran great when I got it. But this past November I
> noticed
> | a problem that caused me and still is causing me to worry pretty bad. I
> was
> | driving up a 4 lane highway without any traffic on it that has
> substantial
> | grade (6% or so) and all of a sudden the engine started knocking, the
> power
> | went flat, and I dropped speed as I was going across the top of the
> ridge.
> | Since that time the knocking has gotten worse to where when I start the
> | vehicle up the knocking is actually causing the vehicle to shake and I
> can
> | hear something knocking inside the block. I am wondering if I blew a
> | cylender? Or what I might have done to it and what the solution to it
> would
> | be.
> |
> | I did take it into the dealership, they didn't even say what was wrong
> with
> | it other that I could spend $4000 and get a new engine for it, but they
> were
> | suggesting not even to waste money on that and to pursue another
> vehicle.
> | Is it really this terminal or is it something I could fix myself in the
> | garage (I have alot of hands on experience in technical related things
> so
> I
> | could do it if I have time and tools)?
> |
> | Brad
> |
> |
> |
> | --[/color]



Another thing that you might consider is a bent pushrod(s). I have had the same problem happen to me several times in my older vehicle where there were pushrods that got bent and caused the engine to backfire and lose power and consequently bend more pushrods.

It will also produce the same knocking noise that you were hearing. You might check them and the valves just to be on the safe side.

Hope that helps and good luck!