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Need Ford explorer mechanic in the IE

Done-it-again

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Apparently I have a water pump leak on my explorer. Its at the dealer for recalls and some other items but the water pump work is quoted at $4600 which seems high. Apparently a lot of labor to get to it.

Want to get it fixed but not looking to spend $4600.
 

was thatguy

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Apparently I have a water pump leak on my explorer. Its at the dealer for recalls and some other items but the water pump work is quoted at $4600 which seems high. Apparently a lot of labor to get to it.

Want to get it fixed but not looking to spend $4600.
Side question:
Is the recall for the windshield and post trim?
 

Done-it-again

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Note to self.
Do not buy 3.5 v6 turbo Explorer.
really has me thinking on keeping it now.. Its been paid off for a long time and its my work suv/dog hauler and soon to be toad for a motorhome. But shit at this rate I will be money ahead if I had a 500 month payment for the amount of work this thing is needed. The Turbo work was around $4500 itself
 

K-DOG

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I had to do this on our Explorer. It will happen on all 3.5 engines. A friend that works for a Ford Service Dept was able to do it for me for $3500. Cost is high because of all the labor involved.
 

Done-it-again

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I had to do this on our Explorer. It will happen on all 3.5 engines. A friend that works for a Ford Service Dept was able to do it for me for $3500. Cost is high because of all the labor involved.
A family connection is gone for me, he moved to TX and was the service manager at the ford dealer.
 

Orange Juice

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A family connection is gone for me, he moved to TX and was the service manager at the ford dealer.
How many shop hours are quoted? Hourly rate?

I might specialize in late model Ford Explore engine repairs in Retirement. 😉
I’m sure after I get one or two under my belt, I could cut the time down by 30%.

Any way you can patch the leak with a little High Temp Putty, and dump some water pump lubricant in the radiator to extend the bearing life? 😂

Then sell it before something else goes wrong. 😳
 

Done-it-again

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How many shop hours are quoted? Hourly rate?

I might specialize in late model Ford Explore engine repairs in Retirement. 😉
I’m sure after I get one or two under my belt, I could cut the time down by 30%.

Any way you can patch the leak with a little High Temp Putty, and dump some water pump lubricant in the radiator to extend the bearing life? 😂

Then sell it before something else goes wrong. 😳
I didn't know it leaked, no sign on the floor.... I supposed they found it under the "100k maintenance" I had them do, just because it was there for recalls.

I'm sure book time stated "many many" and really the tech can get it done under "many" hours.
 

4Waters

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Apparently I have a water pump leak on my explorer. Its at the dealer for recalls and some other items but the water pump work is quoted at $4600 which seems high. Apparently a lot of labor to get to it.

Want to get it fixed but not looking to spend $4600.
I think so, 2016 with the turbos ? that has eaten 2 of them already. one under warranty , 2nd one not so lucky.
4600 is normal, I had to have it done on my wife's flex and with cost +10% on parts and a discount on labor rate it was still 3200.

IDK when you change your oil but going to 10k in-between changes is gonna be hard on the turbos. My mom had 180k on her Lincoln MKT with no issues with the turbos and my dad had 130k on his F150 with no issues and oil was changed every 5k
 

4Waters

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I didn't know it leaked, no sign on the floor.... I supposed they found it under the "100k maintenance" I had them do, just because it was there for recalls.

I'm sure book time stated "many many" and really the tech can get it done under "many" hours.
They don't leak like that unfortunately, there is a weep hole but it doesn't always leak out of it, it usually leaks into the pan
 

4Waters

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How many shop hours are quoted? Hourly rate?

I might specialize in late model Ford Explore engine repairs in Retirement. 😉
I’m sure after I get one or two under my belt, I could cut the time down by 30%.

Any way you can patch the leak with a little High Temp Putty, and dump some water pump lubricant in the radiator to extend the bearing life? 😂

Then sell it before something else goes wrong. 😳
If you get to it enough to do what you are saying you might as well replace it. It’s behind the timing cover and driven off the timing chain

s-l1200.jpg
 

Blue Oval

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I had to do this on our Explorer. It will happen on all 3.5 engines. A friend that works for a Ford Service Dept was able to do it for me for $3500. Cost is high because of all the labor involved.
My HD tech is really good at it. Still a very labor intensive job. We service all the local police and sheriff cars. Those car go out even sooner due to the idling hours. No big secret, a poor design.
 

monkeyswrench

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20241106_112150.jpg

Just did an inspection on one yesterday. This one was leaking from the weep hole...way up there, and running down off the AC bracket. Did not look like fun. Doable? Sure, but definitely labor intensive.
 

was thatguy

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Mines a 2014 3.5 non turbo plain Jane.
Work beater.
151K miles. 75K of those in the last 2 1/2 years.
It gets 2500 miles a month on average. Oil change every 7K or so.
Did the brakes once, dumped the tranny fluid a couple times.
Couldn’t tell you if the water pump is leaking and will never know if it does because I’ll never look.
If and when it dies somewhere in the middle of nowhere I’m fully prepared to tape the title to the windshield and abandon the vehicle.
The explorer of those years are the epitome of the Ford design flaw sweepstakes.
From my experience with this car and the basic maintenance I’ve done, my opinion is that EVERYTHING besides the brakes and maybe the glovebox is over engineered to the point of uselessness.
But, it has served me ok for what I bought it for.
A freeway runner that looks like a cop car and can be thrown away if it dies. Every trip it develops new noises…some go away. I had Robinsons do front wheel bearings once, that made it quieter. Now I think the CV shafts may need attention…but I’ll push it another 10K or so?
I got my 3 years out of it, if it goes another 48K or so it will be the champ that gets me to retirement!
At that point I’ll donate it to the boys club and call it a win.

Btw, the only other ford I’ve ever owned was my 1963 Falcon futura.
 
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Cray Paper

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Yikes. The Explorer is a nightmare, 8-10 hours, lots of parts.

Timing chain driven.

This guys accent is the same as the Ukrainian low voltage crew that has been running mechanical controls wiring on my project for the last couple of months. I ran in to them on the manlift a couple of weeks ago and grilled them about T -Stat locations, the manlift operator told me after they got off he didn't understand a word they said. Typical operating engineer! I explained it to him as I had been trying to talk to them for a month.
 
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