Need Ford explorer mechanic in the IE

[Done-it-again]

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]

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]

Side question:
Is the recall for the windshield and post trim?

Yes and a drag link and a fan relay.

I bought a post trim over a year ago cause it blew off. lol.

 

[was thatguy]

Yes and a drag link and a fan relay.

I bought a post trim over a year ago cause it blew off. lol.

Mines somewhere on I-15…

 

[Blue Oval]

I'm guessing it has a 3.5 V-6?

 

[TimeBandit]

Norco

@BigRedBryan13

 

[Done-it-again]

I'm guessing it has a 3.5 V-6?

I think so, 2016 with the turbos ? that has eaten 2 of them already. one under warranty , 2nd one not so lucky.

 

[Done-it-again]

Norco

@BigRedBryan13

What's the business name?

 

[TimeBandit]

What's the business name?

Send him a PM?

 

[pull-on]

What's the business name?

Norco Automotive Inc.
3394 Hamner Ave.
Norco, CA 92860

(951) 444-6064

 

[Done-it-again]

Send him a PM?

I didn't see his screen name pop up @BigRedBryan13 does not populate

 

[RadMan]

Note to self.
Do not buy 3.5 v6 turbo Explorer.

 

[Done-it-again]

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]

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]

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.

 

[TimeBandit]

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

Timing chain driven.

 

[Orange Juice]

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.

 

[CLdrinker]

Note to self.
Do not buy 3.5 v6 turbo Explorer.

And f150, expedition.
They are bad ass when running but when they don’t. You get these threads.

 

[Done-it-again]

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]

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]

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

 

[ChumpChange]

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.

Integrity much? Douchbag move.

 

[4Waters]

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

 

[Blue Oval]

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.

 

[Done-it-again]

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

Timing chain driven.

F’me.

 

[Willie B]

F’me.

… Unbelievable… Maybe this is why I prefer to drive beaters…

 

[monkeyswrench]

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]

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.

 

[Cray Paper]

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.

 

[mash on it]

2013 Ford Taurus, 3.5 V6.
Water pump failure at 175K miles.
Tackled it myself. In August.
General hand tools, plus a cam position tool.
I had 4 days in it. 110°+ daily, worked mornings and evenings.
Replaced timing chain and related parts, spark plugs, antifreeze and changed the oil after completion.
Definitely time consuming.

The water pump has a dedicated channel to divert the coolant to the outside of the engine, from the weep hole. Exits out behind the alternator.

Dan'l

PS 3.5 V6 cam alignment tools four sail, cheep.

 

[Done-it-again]

2013 Ford Taurus, 3.5 V6.
Water pump failure at 175K miles.
Tackled it myself. In August.
General hand tools, plus a cam position tool.
I had 4 days in it. 110°+ daily, worked mornings and evenings.
Replaced timing chain and related parts, spark plugs, antifreeze and changed the oil after completion.
Definitely time consuming.

The water pump has a dedicated channel to divert the coolant to the outside of the engine, from the weep hole. Exits out behind the alternator.

Dan'l

PS 3.5 V6 cam alignment tools four sail, cheep.

Sounds like you are a pro, I don't need this car back anytime soon.

 

[mash on it]

Sounds like you are a pro, I don't need this car back anytime soon.

Far from a pro.
Just a jet bote hack that had to 'git er done'.
Couple of YouTube vids.
One , engine was on a stand. It's easy that way.
The other was Melling, the timing chain mfgr. for making sure it was correctly in time. ( Not exactly a dot to dot like an SBC/BBC)

Dan'l

 

[ChumpChange]

Sounds like you are a pro, I don't need this car back anytime soon.

Took him four days. He didn’t need it back soon either. lol

 

[@BigRedBryan13]

We do these all day long, on average about $3000 with all ford parts.

 

[Done-it-again]

We do these all day long, on average about $3000 with all ford parts.

Cool. Is it worth replacing the timing chain like the video said above?

Who do I call to get this scheduled. Car is still at the dealer for other work, not sure of the eta getting it back.

 

[@BigRedBryan13]

Cool. Is it worth replacing the timing chain like the video said above?

Who do I call to get this scheduled. Car is still at the dealer for other work, not sure of the eta getting it back.

Absolutely, we replace the chain with all the guides and tensioner, that price also includes a new belt, plugs, and thermostat. Call my shop at 951 444 6064. Talk to myself or Robert, or you can pm me.

 

[t&y]

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

Timing chain driven.

Yup. Had this done on our escape with the 3.5. Mid 3k range a few years ago at the dealer.