Ford Repair: Engine trouble, blown head gasket, coolant level

Question
Hi,

I have a: 1992 Ford Explorer Auto. with a 4.0L V6 Pushrod engine. When I push the accelerator down fully real quick, or when I try to accelerate in a high gear, my engine seems to hesitate just a little. It tends to slightly backfire as well. I don't notice any trouble while driving through town, unless my motor is under load (like on a hill) but only when I try to accelerate quickly. This happens when the engine is warm or cold, however not all the time. It does this as well when it's in neutral and the accelerator is deressed quickly. Sometimes it will also idle rough for a few seconds when I first start it in the morning. It has also stalled when i engage a gear, but only when the engine is cold. On occasion, I've also had to crank the engine longer than ussual before it will start when cold. I was just wondering if/which sensor or ignition component is most likely to cause this. The wires and plugs are new. The coil seems to also have the proper resistances. Ironically I have a parts truck that runs flawlessly, and would really like to do the repairs myself. Any insight would be appreciated.  Thank you  

Answer
Hello and thanks for the question...I'll try to help.
 I would suggest that you look into and check the coolant level. This sounds like the starting of a blown head gasket, which is extremely common for this engine/vehicle. Also, if you have access to a scan tool, check the engine computer for stored codes.
Hope this helps,
Erik