Ford Explorer · Engine family · 8 offered

Ford Explorer 4.6L V8

The Ford is the most common engine code the VIN decodes to on the 4.6L V8 configurations below; hybrid variants of the same displacement carry their own code. Rated at 225–292 hp. We decode it on 19,202 VINs across 86 factory builds, and 139 listings are reported active. The configuration price reference is $5,792.

Cylinders
8
Power
225–292 hp
Induction
Naturally aspirated
Fuel
Gasoline
Fitted
2002–2010

◷ Updated October 16, 2026 ▤ National asking prices, refreshed nightly

$5,792
Configuration price reference
139
On sale today with the 4.6L 8-cyl
2002–2010
Model years it was fitted
86
Factory configurations
19,202
Explorer VINs decoded with it

The price reference is the median of configuration medians, not the median of all active cars. Each configuration has equal weight. Configurations with at least 3 priced listings are used when available; otherwise the reference uses the configurations with a recorded price. Model years, mileage and condition vary. Open a model-year report below for its asking prices across all engines.

Where the 4.6L 8-cyl sits in the Explorer engine lineup

Every engine family this model was sold with, ordered by size. The bar spans the model years recorded for it; the price is a reference across priced configurations, with each configuration weighted equally. Older engines look cheaper because the cars are older — overlapping years alone do not match the vehicles by age, trim, mileage or condition.

2.3L 4-cyl turbo
2016–2027
$25,674
270–300 hp · 51,318 on sale
3.0L 6-cyl turbo
2020–2027
$38,999
400 hp · 17,281 on sale
3.3L 4-cyl
2021–2027
$30,998
318 hp · 406 on sale
3.3L 6-cyl
2020–2026
$18,995
285 hp · 1,045 on sale
3.5L 6-cyl turbo
2011–2019
$10,900
290–365 hp · 11,292 on sale
4.0L 6-cyl
1991–2010
$4,998
152–210 hp · 656 on sale
4.6L 8-cyl this page
2002–2010
$5,792
225–292 hp · 139 on sale
5.0L 8-cyl
1996–2001
$4,999
211–215 hp · 18 on sale

8 engine families, one nameplate. Open the Ford Explorer price hub to compare them side by side, or to jump into any of the others.

Which Explorer years got a 4.6L 8-cyl engine

Every model year this engine was fitted to, newest first. The bar is how much of the family's VIN volume sits in that year — long bars are the years this engine was everywhere.

Year Share of VINs VINs On sale Builds
2010 1,102 15 4 2009 378 3 4 2008 1,923 13 8 2007 2,233 21 5 2006 3,614 28 6 2005 2,350 13 12 2004 3,233 17 18 2003 2,482 20 18 2002 1,887 9 11

VIN counts come from our decode of the model's build patterns, not from live listings. A year link opens the full Explorer report for that year — every engine of the model, not just this one.

86 factory configurations with this engine

Each one is a distinct build as the VIN decodes it — trim, body, gearbox and equipment. Open a build sheet for its full spec and the VINs recorded on it.

2010

2 builds

2009

1 build

2008

2 builds

2007

2 builds

2006

2 builds

2005

4 builds

2004

4 builds

2003

5 builds

2002

2 builds

Showing the 24 most-built configurations of 86. Every 2010 Explorer build →

The 4.6L 8-cyl Explorer: common questions

Which Explorer years have the 4.6L 8-cyl?

2002–2010, without a break — 9 model years in our VIN decode, across 86 factory configurations and 19,202 VINs.

What does a 4.6L 8-cyl Explorer cost?

$5,792 is a configuration price reference: the median of configuration medians, with each priced configuration weighted equally. It is not a listing-level median or a valuation of an individual car. The year-by-year ladder shows VIN and inventory counts; its links open model-year price reports covering all engines.

What is the engine code, and does it matter?

Ford — the code the VIN decodes to on the configurations on this page. It matters when you order parts or read a service history: the same displacement badge on another model can be a different code with different outputs.

4.6L 8-cyl Explorer on the market

Individual vehicles carrying this engine, each with its own listing-history page. The sample is pinned to fixed VIN buckets, so it does not reshuffle day to day.