5.0 EFI - No Low Mileage Donor Options

[ShoeSlinger]

For my daily driver I want to the Explorer 5.0 conversion. I can not find any low mileage donors so what do you think the best options are? I am thinking of getting donor, buy short block, and rebuild the heads. Sound like the best setup for reliability? Donors are only $500-800 so with selling off leftovers it will be free.

 

[sykanr0ng]

What do you consider low mileage?

 

[Broncobowsher]

What do you call low mileage for an engine that has been out of production for 17 years?

 

[ShoeSlinger]

Most have about 180k miles. I know the motor might go 250k, but I really don't want to risk reliability if I am towards the end of the engine's life.

 

[sanndmann3]

I parted out a 98 and made some money off it. Running vehicle but trans shot for $400. ended up making around $800 net. Kind of a pain to part out but it is feasible.

 

[Broncobowsher]

180k on an 18 year old vehicle is only 10k a year. That's generally a low mileage vehicle.

If you want under 100k, that means you are looking for something that has only done an average of 5k a year. At that point the regular maintenance probably hasn't been done. Oil changes timed out but people go off mileage. Been run with acidic oil. That engine is probably in worse shape then a higher better maintained engine.

 

[ShoeSlinger]

Guess my point is what would you do if your donor had 180k miles on it.

 

[garberz]

Guess my point is what would you do if your donor had 180k miles on it.

Put it in and run it. I’ll probably go another 5 years, just needing some oil and one more set of spark plugs.

Mark

 

[sykanr0ng]

Guess my point is what would you do if your donor had 180k miles on it.

Send a sample of the used engine oil in for analysis.
That will tell you if there is metal from the bearings or other wear.

 

[KyleQ]

EFI engines with modern oil actually hold up real well. My 351w out of a van had over 200k on it and all it needed was a hone as it still had cross hatching in the cylinder walls. Pull a valve cover and look what the cylinder head looks like - if it is dark and stained move on as it hadn't seen many oil changes.

 

[blubuckaroo]

Would anyone really swap in a 180K motor without even looking at things like the timing chain, bearings, and cylinder bores??:?
Unless you have actual experience through the donor's life, how can you be sure of the condition or mileage?
I'd have to disassemble it for an inspection and gaskets before risking the wasted time. Actually, new gaskets and and seals is a good idea anyway at that age.

That's just me and how I roll.

 

[904Bronco]

180k on an 18 year old vehicle is only 10k a year. That's generally a low mileage vehicle.

If you want under 100k, that means you are looking for something that has only done an average of 5k a year. At that point the regular maintenance probably hasn't been done. Oil changes timed out but people go off mileage. Been run with acidic oil. That engine is probably in worse shape then a higher better maintained engine.

Here is the 96 Explorer 5.0 that I was going to drop into my 67... It had 127K on it, paid $350.00 for the whole rig.
I had started to change the water pump, timing chain, and oil pump. I found that someone had been in it already.
#2 main bearing toast, ridge in #7 hole. Rest of the holes look new? Someone did not do regular maintenance.

Needless to say it is at the Machinist getting refreshed

No mater what you buy, you need to give it a once over... a few new parts and a little elbow grease and it could go another 100K...