To pull and sell or not

[cee21]

To pull and sell or not to pull and sell, that is the question. At a local junk yard, there are two v8 explorers that still have the whole front dress, brackets, fan, water pump and timing chain cover. I can get all this pretty cheap, just wondering it I should even mess with going and pulling this stuff to turn around and sell it. Also, how much should I try and sell this for if I do it? Everthing is there but the alternators and really I hate to see these go to the crusher really. The heads and intake are already gone.

[Teddyzee]

Any idea what year, and whether they are 2wd/AWD?

[cgrey8]

The only valuable parts are the brackets & balancer it sounds like.

The timing cover isn't that valuable. In fact, they pit and wear out. Both my Explorer engines had pitting from cavitation and I considered buying new covers. AutoZone sells replacement coves. And I believe they are the same covers used on 94-95 Mustang 302s.

And of course, the water pump is fairly useless for anything more than recycled aluminum.

There's very little value in the block or pistons other than just being a 302 block. But it's only valuable if you need a 302 block. Right now, 302s are still quite available. Perhaps in 10-15 years, they won't be? But do you really want to hold onto those blocks until they become valuable?

The "real" value is in the heads and intake of which you said are gone (not a surprise). If the vehicles are newer than 97, the 4R70w trannys might be worth something.

[cee21]

One for a fact is a 2000 2wd. The other if I remember right is 99, and I think it is awd, if I remember the v8 door emblem sticker.

cgrey,

You are a wealth of info. Yeah after yanking that one motor out of the 97 (with a trans that would seperate until I got it all out), I'm done pulling motors there unless it is required of me to have it (this motor was a want, and $220 for it all was a steal). Where should I look for the same wear on my timing chain cover? Anyone need a torque converter or flywheel? I just left those on after 5 hours of getting the motor out.

[Dave]

I was just thinking about the front brackets, think Grumpy was looking for some, know others do not have good access to them. Seen people wanting close to $200 for them at other sites. Even the oil pans from them for the later swaps, Mustang double sumps don't alway work. Exhaust manifolds if they are cast iron ones. If the wiring from drivers side power panel to starter, loops under the crank balancer or the trans harness is good on any after '99', I'm looking for them. Even the engine harness goes for over $50 on E-Bay, same for the computer, these swaps are getting popular. The blocks only value is that they are usually lower well cared for miles, only then good if you don't plan on a rebuild. Chris is right on the interchange of the timing cover, just been looking that up what came off a Ford crate short block. In some areas, two wheel Explorers are almost unheard of so the trans is worth something. Found a picture of where the corrosion occurs on the cover, it would be behind the water pump. This one is not bad at all.
Dave

[cgrey8]

...Where should I look for the same wear on my timing chain cover?...

Look in the round cavity where the water pump impeller goes. The "wear" will usually be near the wings that guide water back into the block. The surface should obviously be flat and smooth but instead is rough and pitted. I'll see if I can get a picture of what my 302's timing cover looks like. It's still good/usable, but much more worn than the new engine's cover was. Replacement timing covers are ~$145. That's a lot of money for a piece of cast aluminum. But minuscule compared to the cost of having to tear down the front of the engine to replace it if it were to go bad. Although to be honest, I can't say I've ever heard of anybody's cover wearing through to the point that it had to be replaced. That might explain why they are so expensive (low turnover).

Similar thing when I was replacing tierods. All 4 links were just shy of $100. The little cast iron dog-bone of a pitman arm that goes from the primary link to the steering box all by itself was also $100. Best I can figure is very few people buy them. So the people that do pay the cost of stocking them.

[Teddyzee]

I might be interested in the wiring/ECU from the 2000 2wd if it is worth your time, and reasonably priced.
Everything from the 3 firewall plugs forward. If I ever swap my '01, it would make life easy.

[Dave]

Chris, like I said, been looking at the vary same timing cover. Lots of suppliers have them for half that price or places like this
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Timing-Cov ... es&vxp=mtr
Saw a lot of them under $50
Dave

[cgrey8]

Here's that the pits look like:

Click the images to view larger.

[Chris]

Here's that the pits look like:

302TimingCoverPits.jpg

302TimingCoverPits_2.jpg

Click the images to view larger.

This pitting is called cavitation. In this case, it is caused when the water pump impeller sucks in air pockets due to low coolant level. It can also be caused by vibrations in the cylinder walls. This happens more commonly in Diesel engines due to their increased combustion vibration. When the cylinder walls vibrate, the surface tension of water causes an air pocket on the cylinder wall. This air pocket will cause that spot to get hot rapidly. Then when the cylinder wall vibrates back out, it "pops" the surface tension air pocket. The rush of coolant onto the hot cylinder wall causes a mini explosion which causes a very small piece to break off. It is a microscopic process, but if it happens enough could cause the cylinder walls or engine cover to cavitate through. I've seen poorly maintained engine blocks with cavitation cracks into the cylinders or front engine covers that cavitated through causing coolant to mix with engine oil. While this happens much more rapidly on a Diesel engine due to vibration, it will still happen on a poorly maintained gasoline engine.

To help avoid this cavitation, always ensure your coolant system is properly filled INCLUDING your degas tank. Also, invest in a coolant additave such as "Water Wetter" or some other type of anti-cavitation additive. This stuff helps lower the surface tension of water there by reducing the air bubbles and hot spots. Also keep in mind that some coolant manufactures now include an anti-cavitation additive, Motorcraft Gold coolant being one of them.

Sorry for thread-jacking, just saw the pics and wanted to give some info.

[cgrey8]

I figured it was cavitation. But was surprised that my 302 had it worse than the engine I just built. Although I can't recall what the pitting looked like when I 1st got the engine. I remember it being there even when it was pulled from the junkyard, but I don't remember just how much. So it was no surprise when I saw it on the 2nd Explorer engine's timing cover too. But had the engine I just installed looked as bad as the pics I showed, I probably would've replaced the cover.

[cee21]

Sorry guys, been away for a bit. Still hadn't made it there yet, its like the Amazon rainy season has moved up here. May try to go there today. So should my focus really be just on getting the brackets and no accessories? From what I have found the balancer and the water pump pulley can still be bought new.

Teddy, I'll see if anyone hasn't cut the wires, but I don't know if I will even have time to pull one or not.