Is she dead, or do I try and revive her

[Hotswopp]

On the way home tonight as I pulled up to a stop the oil low/hi-temp light came on and the oil gauge bottomed out. Was only like 3 lights from the house. made it home never overheated, but did rattle more than normal when I pulled in. I have noticed over the last few weeks a sound like push rod tapping, it comes and goes but has been more frequent lately. oil levels are good, and always kept up. checked nothing in the exhaust for oil or water, water res is full and clean.


Over the last 3 years I have done the following, rebuilt the whole front end, hubs, inner outer strut towers ball joints. Had the transmission rebuilt about 11 months ago. Installed front and rear cross drilled/slotted cryo-ed rotors all the way around and composite pads. Just put new tires on it 3 weeks ago.


At this point I am leaning towards having the timing chain, guides, tensioners, water pump and oil pump replaced since it all must come off to get to the oil pump. Probably looking at 1500-2000 for everything local mechanic. Engine has 190k on it, but still runs very smooth and gets decent gas millage.


Since I have so much into it already, it is hard to just walk away. But thinking if there might be damage from this, I don't know what else to do?


Any ideas?



James

 

[JExpedition07]

If their is significant engine damage due to losing oil pressure you may be better off looking into reman engines. Timing set gone bad is normally clanking and eventually misfires and timing off. What year is your expy?

 

[Hotswopp]

it is a 2003, but my thoughts were replacing everything since it all has to come out, rather than putting old parts back in. It was running fine when i shut it of. I don't know how to check for engine damage?

 

[Hotswopp]

How much would I be looking at for a crate engine? any ideas? it is the 4.6

 

[ManUpOrShutUp]

If you're looking at $1,500-2000 even, that's a significant percentage of the value of that truck. If it were me, I would think long and hard before plunking down any more cash. Don't let the sunk cost fallacy push you deeper into a potentially bottomless pit.

 

[R W Carpenter]

If you're looking at $1,500-2000 even, that's a significant percentage of the value of that truck. If it were me, I would think long and hard before plunking down any more cash. Don't let the sunk cost fallacy push you deeper into a potentially bottomless pit.

The sentimental part of my brain says fix what you have. I have 2 06's (one eddie bauer and the other a limited) and I am quite attached to them. However the logical side of my brain says that $1500-$2000 is a decent down payment on a newer or maybe even new expy. But then there is the dreaded monthly payment to consider as well.

 

[JExpedition07]

The sentimental part of my brain says fix what you have. I have 2 06's (one eddie bauer and the other a limited) and I am quite attached to them. However the logical side of my brain says that $1500-$2000 is a decent down payment on a newer or maybe even new expy. But then there is the dreaded monthly payment to consider as well.

Depends on your situation. If you can’t swing a ride in much better shape than the current one, your money is better spent fixing your current 03’ rather than buying another with all old parts in it to start all over. That’s my take. Lots of people ditch one ride for a different one in equal or worse shape because of the “time to move one factor”, when it made no sense to do so.

 

[ManUpOrShutUp]

I sold my old SUV a few years ago for $2,600. Now I'm looking for a third vehicle as a backup in case my wife or I need it, and my first thought was that old SUV. Much like that old GF you broke up with 10-20 years ago, you mostly remember the good times. Then you start to think about it a little more or maybe you even go back for a nostalgic f**k and it all comes rushing back to you. Now I remember! That old SUV had no AC (believed by my mechanic, who is a heat/AC specialist, to be the dreaded blend door that required removal of the heater core to access), a leaky roof, rotted rockers, and needed ~$2K worth of suspension work. Even if that 240K engine went another 100K+, I was looking at an opportunity cost of $5K+ to keep driving her ($2,600 + $2K + AC/rust repair/etc).

 

[JExpedition07]

I sold my old SUV a few years ago for $2,600. Now I'm looking for a third vehicle as a backup in case my wife or I need it, and my first thought was that old SUV. Much like that old GF you broke up with 10-20 years ago, you mostly remember the good times. Then you start to think about it a little more or maybe you even go back for a nostalgic f**k and it all comes rushing back to you. Now I remember! That old SUV had no AC (believed by my mechanic, who is a heat/AC specialist, to be the dreaded blend door that required removal of the heater core to access), a leaky roof, rotted rockers, and needed ~$2K worth of suspension work. Even if that 240K engine went another 100K+, I was looking at an opportunity cost of $5K+ to keep driving her ($2,600 + $2K + AC/rust repair/etc).

You have some good points, in that case for you it was time to move on. It’s all situational and depends on the finances and owner. A new truck can be over $1,000 a month easily, that’s a money pit that is tough to beat lol, and at the end your left with a heap of valueless scrap, or you trade in and take a huge hit and a newer higher payment. Vehicles are a bad investment but they are a need. We either blow money fixing them or blow money buying them.....it’s time for me to go to bed.

 

[1955moose]

I guess it boils down to the shape of the SUV. Is it a rust bucket, or sound. Problem is you've got so much new, it might be worth a motor. You do have one of the better 2nd gen SUVs, at least the bigger brother 5.4 is. The only way to access the wear, is to totally disasemble your motor, all the way down to the crank. Anytime you have an oil starvation problem, it's usually not pretty inside. If you have another vehicle to drive, which at this point you kinda have 2, go for it. You might want to scour around for a good low hours used 4.6 motor at the local pick and pull. Should be able to find one cheaper than the 5.4. I'll bet one of our members has one that got wrecked, and is parting out.

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