2001 Eddie Bauer 4x4 - Repair or Replace?

[kingsfoil]

Hey all, 2001 4x4 Eddie Bauer here. 242k miles. Love this truck. Just started having a slight hitch in the transmission (original), might be just starting to slip a tiny bit. Got quoted $6k for the repair... and I Just put in new belts, new coils, new spark plugs, and a new fuel tank assembly... Tires are Yokohama Geolandars and have been great on snow.

Given all of this, what do you think someone would reasonable pay for this truck? The interior is in good shape.

I am struggling with the question of whether to repair or replace. Will I drop $6k on a transmission fix and then have the engine go out 5k miles later? I know nobody has a crystal ball, but any advice would be appreciated.

 

[JamaicaJoe]

I would do an assessment of rust underneath, body mounts radiator support, sills, paint etc. If all is good, I would keep enjoying it. If it is rusted structurally, I would not put new power train in it. If it were low miles, good mechanical, put money toward the body. But don't do both.

 

[BigOleFordFan]

Well, just for comparison purposes, on 3 occasions, I have been offered $6-7K for my '011 EL Limited with 85K, which is in above average condition inside & out, with no engine, transmission or suspension issues...1 of these offers came from my local dealer that does some of my service work, and the other 2 were from private buyers, 1 on craigslist & 1 from a person in my town who sees it in my driveway every day

Therefore, given your situation (way more years & miles + expensive repairs needs), I would not expect to get more than $1-2K for it...UNLESS you find somebody who just REALLY, REALLY wants it.....

You might wanna consider selling it for parts, since you could probably get about $400 just for the tires & rims, if they are still in good condition...let alone the body panels, interior assemblies & engine parts...

But there is no way I would be sinking anywhere near $6K into it at this point...you'd be better off putting that money towards a newer model IMHO.

Just a thought

 

[kingsfoil]

Thanks for the replies! Appreciate it. Hard to let this one go.

If anybody is in CA, feel free to make an offer. Comes with new parts (not attached to the truck yet): front disc brakes (Bosch), a new OEM steering idler arm, and new inner and outer OEM tie rods.

 

[JamaicaJoe]

My 01 is at 97K with entirely new Michelin Defender tires, refurb OEM rims, repaired and replaced steering rack upper and lower ball joints , tie rod ends, aligned, brakes all redone, runs terrific, complete service records, seats are in great shape. A year ago I bought a 2013 and I am having trouble giving up the old one, which needs paint. I will probably sell it on BAT , but the Gen 1 styling is pretty awesome, and i don't use that word lightly. There is still demand. It would be a shame to part out.

 

[JamaicaJoe]

Kings foil, scour your local wreckers for a used transmission with a 30 day guarantee. Should not be hard to find one and not that hard to get installed, even DIY. Just get matching part numbers.

 

[kingsfoil]

JamaicaJoe, I am an engineer but not a mechanical engineer, and not a lot of experience with jobs of this scale.

Advice on how to do this job DIY in a garage? I don't have access to a lift. I have the Chilton manual and they sure make it sound easy. I have a few professional mechanic mentors that might be willing to help. Think this is doable?

 

[kingsfoil]

Mechanic friend said he could help, thanks for the inspiration JamaicaJoe!

 

[JamaicaJoe]

Let us know how it works out. Your truck is worth a lot more in running condition. Finding a used transmission for a Ford Expedition should not be the holy grail.

 

[kingsfoil]

Not sure which transmission I have.

I know it is one of the bottom three. Looked on the transmission but could not find a tag with one of those numbers on it. Any advice?

 

[kingsfoil]

Got a check engine light finally, the code says cylinder misfire. Oil is white and foamy under the gas cap.

Sounds like a head gasket right? Worried it might be cracked...

 

[jr1under]

As JamaicaJoe said, I wouldn't consider putting large $ into it if there's structural rust. However if that's ok, there's a different question which is not about market value. Suppose you drop $6k on a new transmission. You've probably spent more money on it than it's worth (to someone else) but again have an Exp that runs well and you're very familiar with. Compare that against what you'd spend for a later generation Exp and it doesn't seem quite so expensive.

If both the transmission and engine need replacing, then I would be saying my goodbyes.

 

[BigOleFordFan]

Oil is white and foamy under the gas cap

Can you please elaborate on this ????

 

[Fastcar]

I agree with J Joe. With limited mechanical ability you will have to depend on friends to pull this off. I'd suggest to hunt around for a wreck that has a low mileage drive train and swap the whole thing out, engine and transmission.

 

[Fastcar]

As JamaicaJoe said, I wouldn't consider putting large $ into it if there's structural rust. However if that's ok, there's a different question which is not about market value. Suppose you drop $6k on a new transmission. You've probably spent more money on it than it's worth (to someone else) but again have an Exp that runs well and you're very familiar with. Compare that against what you'd spend for a later generation Exp and it doesn't seem quite so expensive.

If both the transmission and engine need replacing, then I would be saying my goodbyes.

Very true!
I've been looking for an older Bronco that has been gone through correctly. I've had it with all the electronics with the glitchs and bs.

 

[KC7HP]

Between the transmission and late-breaking discovery of impending engine trouble, I suspect the OP will start looking for a replacement vehicle. He says he likes the EB, but isn't set up for major rebuild. In my own case, I had a 95 Explorer Sport that I would have repaired such things because I loved the truck, and the body stayed essentially rust-free, but finally gave it up (Hagerty Marketplace and it moved from West Coast to East Coast!) because I needed a truck with higher towing capability.

 

[JamaicaJoe]

Oil cap milky is simply condensation from water aka humidity building up in the oil. You need to run the engine hot to boil it out. You can always get the oil tested by Blackstone Laboratories and they will tell you if there is coolant. But usually not. I don't thing head gasket failure is a huge issue with these engines.

 

[JamaicaJoe]

Well, just for comparison purposes, on 3 occasions, I have been offered $6-7K for my '011 EL Limited with 85K, which is in above average condition inside & out, with no engine, transmission or suspension issues...1 of these offers came from my local dealer that does some of my service work, and the other 2 were from private buyers, 1 on craigslist & 1 from a person in my town who sees it in my driveway every day

Therefore, given your situation (way more years & miles + expensive repairs needs), I would not expect to get more than $1-2K for it...UNLESS you find somebody who just REALLY, REALLY wants it.....

You might wanna consider selling it for parts, since you could probably get about $400 just for the tires & rims, if they are still in good condition...let alone the body panels, interior assemblies & engine parts...

But there is no way I would be sinking anywhere near $6K into it at this point...you'd be better off putting that money towards a newer model IMHO.

Just a thought

I have a Gen 1 and a Gen 3 and frankly the Gen 1's will be serviceable a lot longer into the future than the later Generations due to the increased complexity and scarce availability of electronic modules of later generations. Plus the Gen 1's really look a lot nicer, I think all would agree.

 

[Fastcar]

Oil cap milky is simply condensation from water aka humidity building up in the oil. You need to run the engine hot to boil it out. You can always get the oil tested by Blackstone Laboratories and they will tell you if there is coolant. But usually not. I don't thing head gasket failure is a huge issue with these engines.

Blackstone will read about everything that is in the oil,water metal all the fun stuff. Utilizing them should help you make a decision on wtf to do.

 

[kingsfoil]

Can you please elaborate on this ????

Here is a photo.

The oil on the dipstick actually doesn't look bad.


The coolant looks like it might have some film on the surface... might be oil? Can't really tell though.

The code it threw is P0304, DTC severity 2 of 3. Definitely issues while driving. I had to turn around after a mile and wasn't sure I was going to make it home! Pressing accelerator and RPMs go up, but not a proportionate increase in speed. Erratic RPM gauge. Definitely feels rough.

Thanks for all the responses.

I love the older vehicles and don't like a lot of the new tech.