Car People / Mechanics need some advice

[chewyxrage]

My ford explorer is fucking up on me. One of the engine cylinders no longer works.

Apparently they checked and it only gets 10 PSI or something - what the mechanic told me.

It is still drivable - vibrates a bit, but feels overall ok.

My question is - For how long? The mechanic guy was telling me it could freeze the whole engine and I'd be fucked but I kinda think he wanted me to get it repaired (woulda been like $4,000).

Any insight greatly appreciated.

 

[PICK3]

Need more info.

Having the heads reworked to increase compression (rebored and rings) shouldn't cost $4k and isn't a likely culprit to make the engine freeze up.

How many miles on it? Is it a 4.0l?

 

[John C Calhoun]

You have low compression in that cylinder only? You should have ~ 120-140 psi in each cylinder. Possibly rings are shot, a bad exhaust valve or the head gasket is blown. If you have low compression in only one cylinder its probably an exhaust valve, if its more than one I would guess you blew a head gasket or the rings and valves are shot and it needs an engine overhual. I can't tell you how long the thing should run with one cylinder down, but I suspect not for too much longer. I would try and nail down the cause before you have a total engine overhaul.

 

[heavy_duty]

drive into the ground then get a new car.
depending on how old yours is it may not be worth 4K

do you have the 4.0L engine.

you can sell your rig for parts.

 

[PICK3]

drive into the ground

I'm guessing he's just about done that

 

[Raptorex]

take a road-trip to see the Patriots play

 

[puddlemonkey]

I'm guessing he's just about done that

lol so true, so true.

 

[chewyxrage]

Need more info.

Having the heads reworked to increase compression (rebored and rings) shouldn't cost $4k and isn't a likely culprit to make the engine freeze up.

How many miles on it? Is it a 4.0l?

Truck has 180,000 miles on it, majority are highway miles. Yes it is the 4.0l.

I'm wondering whether I should trade it in ASAP or try my luck for the winter....

 

[digimon7068]

Truck has 180,000 miles on it, majority are highway miles. Yes it is the 4.0l.

I'm wondering whether I should trade it in ASAP or try my luck for the winter....

get a 2nd opinion. . .like someone indicated above, could just be a bad valve which may not be a big deal. . .

 

[BNG]

Don't panic yet. It could be as simple as a dropped valve or head gasket, but if you're in that deep you may as well fix it right. Rebuild the top end, throw on a new timing chain.

 

[chewyxrage]

What would happen if I don't do anything? Can the entire engine really be fucked from this one cylinder?

 

[FriendlyCanadian]

What would happen if I don't do anything? Can the entire engine really be fucked from this one cylinder?

haha oh fuck yeah..

it might already be fucked depending on your problem.. if it's a headgasket it's pretty much game over..

I'd get something different.. ditch the exploder.. pretty impressed it lasted as long as it did, I hated my exploder with a passion.

 

[redguru]

What would happen if I don't do anything? Can the entire engine really be fucked from this one cylinder?

you can get a whole reman'ed engine for $1200, guy was blowing smoke up your ass.

 

[bigmann245]

you can get a whole reman'ed engine for $1200, guy was blowing smoke up your ass.

i agree, but if you cant do it yourself then its still upwards around 4k anyway. id trade it in and get a better dependible car. fords arent made to last bro. this week its a cylinder valve or gasket next week its the gas pump then the power steering then the AC..... it just goes downhill from there with fords. i love fords but i hate the fact they do not last at all. but they are easy to work on.

 

[chewyxrage]

I'll let you guys know how long it lasts.....

 

[chewyxrage]

it's def a fucked gasket

I'm testing my luck here

my tbird got fucked up by a shitty driver ("there was a car parked and I couldnt see so I pulled out anyway"...I wanted to punt his little ass)

got the explorer hand me down (paid my parentals a G for it)

I was able to buy my tbird back from the insurance co. for $250, the gave me around $3,000 for it, so I have that as a backup I guess.

should be interesting...

 

[FriendlyCanadian]

it's def a fucked gasket

I'm testing my luck here

my tbird got fucked up by a shitty driver ("there was a car parked and I couldnt see so I pulled out anyway"...I wanted to punt his little ass)

got the explorer hand me down (paid my parentals a G for it)

I was able to buy my tbird back from the insurance co. for $250, the gave me around $3,000 for it, so I have that as a backup I guess.

should be interesting...

fucked headgasket is bad fucking news.. you're pretty much fucked if that's what it is..

I'd get something else.. unless you can get it fixed for cheap.. but I doubt it..

 

[chewyxrage]

fucked headgasket is bad fucking news.. you're pretty much fucked if that's what it is..

I'd get something else.. unless you can get it fixed for cheap.. but I doubt it..

it's doing ok, I mean I'm babying it, not accelerating fast, etc... It's running decently smooth. I can hear when the cylinder misses every time but overall it seems drivable for a while.

my tbird is fine besides not being able to open the passenger side door

so I have that as backup.....kinda banking on these 2 shit vehicles to last me long enough to put a nice down payment on a new car in a couple years.....

 

[digimon7068]

a bad head gasket does not always equal a spent motor. . .depends on whether water/coolant got down in the crankcase and wiped out your mains. . .if so, it's only a matter of time. . .if not, get the fucker fixed and put another 100,000 on it. . .