Possible 2008 Explorer 4.6L Purchase, Educate Me Please

[wildbill23c]

I have found a 2008 Ford Explorer 4x4 with the 4.6L V8 that I am probably going to go look at as I need something newer & more reliable than my 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee. I love the Grand Cherokee's 4WD but the mechanical issues are pissing me off.

Anyways, the Explorer like I said has the 4.6L V8 which I assume is pretty good, odometer shows 146k on it, very well taken care of, 3rd row seating which I don't need, has the push button 4WD of course with auto, high, low. The dealer shows they offer a 3 year 36k mile warranty, which I find outstanding for a used vehicle here in Idaho, usually everything used is buy it at your own risk no warranty, etc.

So is the 4.6L V8 good, and what about any potential transmission issues? I think the 4.6L V8 was what the Crown Victorias had and seemed pretty reliable. Please give me some insight on these. I don't plan on towing much maybe 3-4k at the most, but was told they are capable of 7k. Don't think I'd push an Explorer that far though, maybe an Expedition but not an Explorer.

 

[Roert42]

If you go to buy something with a 4.6, ask them to change the spark plugs first. The mod motors are know for having various problems related to the spark plugs.

 

[wildbill23c]

If you go to buy something with a 4.6, ask them to change the spark plugs first. The mod motors are know for having various problems related to the spark plugs.

Added to my notes, thanks. I would hope they've been changed by now LOL. Who knows though. I usually go through and do a full tune up and fluid change on any vehicle I get so I know what and when stuff has been done. I was reading where they say to be sure the engine is cold before doing spark plugs in these engines, the 4.6L and the 5.4L both have spark plug issues it seems. Other than that I understand they're pretty good engines.

 

[Roert42]

Added to my notes, thanks. I would hope they've been changed by now LOL. Who knows though. I usually go through and do a full tune up and fluid change on any vehicle I get so I know what and when stuff has been done. I was reading where they say to be sure the engine is cold before doing spark plugs in these engines, the 4.6L and the 5.4L both have spark plug issues it seems. Other than that I understand they're pretty good engines.

My mother’s grand marquis had 150k with original plugs and coils, ran like shit. Most local shops didn’t want to touch it or quoted like $1200 to change them.

Other then that, all the ones I’ve had dealings with were pretty reliable. The two valve motors were not very powerful though.

 

[Grumpaw]

Your 2008 Explorer has a 4.6 with 3 valve engine. Up to and including 2008 they used a stupid design 2 piece spark plug. Some, when being changed, would literally break in two pieces, leaving half in the head. To remove it special tools and removal procedures were developed by Ford to remove the broken piece without removing the head.
Best to google up Ford 4.6 spark plug problems.
There are also special procedures to follow in removing the plug, solvents squirted into plug threads, torque removal settings, ect. Followed this for years with my 2007 Mustang GT.
Once the factory plugs are removed, there are one piece standard plugs that can be used. If the broke plug removal procedure is not followed, pieces of the plug can break off and drop into cylinder, and the head must bee removed to fix.
Unfortunately, if you do not have a maintenance history on the Explorer, it will be impossible to know if they have been changed or not.
And, Ford recommends that they be replaced at 100,000 miles, which your has passed.
For info, I did my plug change myself using Ford's procedure and had no problems. Back then, a Ford dealer would routinely charge upwards of $500 or more for a plug change because of the chance of one breaking.
For many years I was on a Mustang forum, and only a handful of owners had problems, but they do happen.

 

[wildbill23c]

Your 2008 Explorer has a 4.6 with 3 valve engine. Up to and including 2008 they used a stupid design 2 piece spark plug. Some, when being changed, would literally break in two pieces, leaving half in the head. To remove it special tools and removal procedures were developed by Ford to remove the broken piece without removing the head.
Best to google up Ford 4.6 spark plug problems.
There are also special procedures to follow in removing the plug, solvents squirted into plug threads, torque removal settings, ect. Followed this for years with my 2007 Mustang GT.
Once the factory plugs are removed, there are one piece standard plugs that can be used. If the broke plug removal procedure is not followed, pieces of the plug can break off and drop into cylinder, and the head must bee removed to fix.
Unfortunately, if you do not have a maintenance history on the Explorer, it will be impossible to know if they have been changed or not.
And, Ford recommends that they be replaced at 100,000 miles, which your has passed.
For info, I did my plug change myself using Ford's procedure and had no problems. Back then, a Ford dealer would routinely charge upwards of $500 or more for a plug change because of the chance of one breaking.
For many years I was on a Mustang forum, and only a handful of owners had problems, but they do happen.

Thank you for the heads up with the plugs. Sounds like that's the most common issue with these vehicles. I'll definitely be checking this thing out and asking for maintenance records as well as seeing if they will replace them if no records are on hand prior to purchase.

Do these have a 4 or 5 speed transmission, and are they known for any issues?

 

[Grumpaw]

Here's a few pic's of the Ford Motorcraft 2 piece plugs. In the diagram it's the lower part that can seperate and stick in the head.
In the photo you can see what happens when the plug separates, leaving the lower part stuck in the head.
What happens is that carbon builds up between the lower half of the plug and the plug hole wall. Ford now recommends that when replacing plugs, of any type in the 3 valve heads, to use nickel anti seize around the lower portion of the plug.
That year Explorer came with either a 5 speed or a 6 speed tranny, depending on model/engine. With a V-8, yours is probably the 6 speed.

 

[wildbill23c]

Here's a few pic's of the Ford Motorcraft 2 piece plugs. In the diagram it's the lower part that can seperate and stick in the head.
In the photo you can see what happens when the plug separates, leaving the lower part stuck in the head.
What happens is that carbon builds up between the lower half of the plug and the plug hole wall. Ford now recommends that when replacing plugs, of any type in the 3 valve heads, to use nickel anti seize around the lower portion of the plug.
That year Explorer came with either a 5 speed or a 6 speed tranny, depending on model/engine. With a V-8, yours is probably the 6 speed.

Thank you for the great information on those plugs.

Going to go take a look at it today. Do you happen to know anything about the 4WD in them? Everything I find is its an AWD system with high and low range but it is in 4auto all the time? I think I read somewhere that you can disable the 4auto so it would be in 2WD mode only by disabling it in the menu somewhere.

 

[Grumpaw]

Sorry wildbill, don't know too much about the systems. Familiar with the engine as it's the same as my past Mustang GT.
Brother in law had a 2007 for a # of years, but with the V6...never had any problems with it.
I pulled up a dealer brochure on google, and the V8 was an option on all the models. V6 with a 5 speed was standard.
With the V8 you automatically got the 6 speed auto.

 

[19Walt93]

We sold quite a few 4.6 Explorers, they had more power and ran smoother than the 4.0SOHC and got the same or better mileage. The spark plug problem is exaggerated, we had very few break. Conventional wisdom said don't take the plugs out of a hot engine with aluminum heads, my techs would warm the engine and carefully replace the plugs on one side. Then run it again to warm it, and do the other side. No air tools, use a breaker bar and some finesse. The coils won't fail if the plugs are replaced around 100k like they're supposed to be. We'd see 130-140k vehicles start having coil failures because the original plugs were still in place and their resistance increased. A friend had 2 4.0 Explorers then bought a 4.6 and loved it. Change the transmission fluid every 50 k or so and use Motorcraft, change the transfercase fluid every 30k using Mercon/Dexron III spec fluid.

 

[wildbill23c]

We sold quite a few 4.6 Explorers, they had more power and ran smoother than the 4.0SOHC and got the same or better mileage. The spark plug problem is exaggerated, we had very few break. Conventional wisdom said don't take the plugs out of a hot engine with aluminum heads, my techs would warm the engine and carefully replace the plugs on one side. Then run it again to warm it, and do the other side. No air tools, use a breaker bar and some finesse. The coils won't fail if the plugs are replaced around 100k like they're supposed to be. We'd see 130-140k vehicles start having coil failures because the original plugs were still in place and their resistance increased. A friend had 2 4.0 Explorers then bought a 4.6 and loved it. Change the transmission fluid every 50 k or so and use Motorcraft, change the transfercase fluid every 30k using Mercon/Dexron III spec fluid.

I was looking around and seemed to find the 4.6L V8 engines really don't get any worse fuel economy than the 4.0L V6 did, which is one reason I thought I'd go with the V8 and with the hills in the area having a larger engine is always a plus.

I'm going to go down and look at the Explorer after while, I found one in town, its a 2003, but the driver's seat isn't torn like it is in the 2008 I was looking at online. Not that a seat cover can't be replaced, but if I can get something without damage to begin with its just that much better.

I was going to inquire when I go look at it if they'd be willing to do a tune up and everything on it if there's no record of it. Its at a dealership here in town and they have a full service repair shop on site.

 

[ford4wd08]

I agree with @19Walt93. The plug change was way overblown. Not difficult to do on a warm engine.

 

[wildbill23c]

Well the Explorer I looked at this morning they really had no intentions of working with me at all, I figured as much, they're not the greatest dealership but thought I would give them a chance. Nope, won't go there again. So back to an 08 Explorer 30 miles away at another dealership that's trying to help me out. The 03 Explorer I looked at this morning had 146k on it, and it came from California through a government auction, came to Idaho then was auctioned again....so who knows about much of its history. The 08 Explorer although higher priced, has 127k on it, and the dealer gives a 3 year 36,000 mile warranty on all his vehicles, so maybe paying more may be a good thing I don't know.

 

[fred m]

I bought a 2006 4.6 3V Explorer new. I don’t drive it much anymore but in 155k it’s needed a radiator, two thermostats, sway bar links once and a few batteries, nothing else except normal service.

When I replaced the plugs at 90k, two broke off and needed extracted. The one piece replacements don’t have that issue. 6R60 6-speed trans is an extremely reliable unit and frankly overbuilt for the application. Change the fluid every now and again with MERCON SP and it’ll be fine. I dropped the pan and changed the filter at 60k and then flushed it at 150k.

Mine has the upgraded towing package with a Class III hitch, I think the rating is 7800 lbs or something. I’ve towed my flat deck car trailer (which weighs about a ton) across town once and the car handled it fine, but it was only 15 miles so I can’t speak to long term repeated highway towing.

 

[adsm08]

Thank you for the great information on those plugs.

Going to go take a look at it today. Do you happen to know anything about the 4WD in them? Everything I find is its an AWD system with high and low range but it is in 4auto all the time? I think I read somewhere that you can disable the 4auto so it would be in 2WD mode only by disabling it in the menu somewhere.

This is really wrong.

Some where AWD, but they were single-speed transfer cases as far as I know.

The 4-auto is not AWD. It defaults to a normal 2wd mode until a wheel starts slipping, and then it will engage into 4-hi for you automatically.

Short of physically disabiling the system, or modifying the wiring, there is no way to turn off the auto feature.