Water discovered in the oil of 4.2l f-150 motor.
1997 Ford F-150 engine complaints
Page 4 of 19: complaints 71 to 100 of 544, newest first, as owners wrote them.
97 f150 4.2 v6. Started to run rough at start up but stopped after warm up. Couple days later , I started truck and rod blew. Towed in and was told I need another motor. Had remanufactured motor put in $3500.
97 f-150 4.2 intake gasket leaking resulting in damaged engine.
On or about dec 2006, I began noticing the engine in my truck behaving strangely. It had around 85,000 miles at the time. I wasn't able to have the truck repaired due to financial reasons, and I rarely drive it anyway, so the truck sat in my garage until I was brave enough to face the problem. I knew by the way it was acting that it was going to cost alot. Last fall, aug 2007, I took the truck to the local ford dealer and was told that the 4.2l engine that had been installed in my truck was faulty but there was nothing I could do but pay to replace the engine. The mechanic told me that the engine was blown and needed to be replaced.
My 1997 ford f-150 4.2 l 6 cylinder engine has been consuming antifreeze at a low but steady rate for a couple years....I did not know why. Now I do the gasket has a leak into a cylinder and the truck has a major engine problem, that will require overhaul or replacement. For some time I have had very hard starts where the engine will not roll over without difficulty this is an ongoing problem among others with this engine.
1997 f-150 xl sb (truck) two days ago, I started the truck and noticed that a large amount of white smoke coming from the exhaust and there was a banging on the engine. I checked the fluid levels..all were within the correct levels..took it to a reputable mechanics..told me that ford should have recalled all of these trucks...he said that the front cover gasket had been compromised and that there was coolant leaking into the engine..I found a website where there were 100's of individuals who were having the same problem with this v-6 engine (4.2 l). I am appalled that ford would allow this to happen...oh, yes.... I never received a tsb regarding this matter..I bought this vehicle brand new in 1997 and I have only 38,891 miles on this engine....I am livid that I have been royally screwed!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Coolant leaking into cylinders causing engine to lock up at startup.
Truck running great,turned on next day loud rattling water out the exhaust oil pressure gone, intake manifold leak, possible bent rod and motor needs to be replaced. 4.2l motor has a know defect that ford did not let the public know.
Check engine light came on and when mechanic service vehicle he informed me that coolant has leaked into the number four cylinder and that this engine has a history of head gasket failures. He can replace gasket but believes that this would only be a temporary fix. He would be willing to replace gasket for $1600 but he can not guarantee results, a replacement engine would cost approx. $4800. After researching this issue on the web it has become apparent to me that ford has long known of this problem but has failed to take any action to remedy this situation.
My f150 xlt 4.2l engine had been operating normally prior to 9/21/07. The truck was sitting at home and had not been driven for approximately one week when I went to drive it. As I cranked it, the engine suddenly began making a very loud clattering noise. I immediately shut off the engine and opened the hood to see if something was hitting the fan blade or some similar event. After inspecting the engine compartment and discovering nothing unusual visually, I again started the engine and again the same horribly loud noise continued. I was told by an auto mechanic who lives nearby that the noise sounded like a rod "knock" caused by catastrophic engine failure. After learning of the 99b29 recall on this 4.2 engine for front gasket defects that cause complete engine failure if not stooped in time, I contacted the original owner and learned that he had never been notified of any such recall, and he specifically stated that anytime he was notified of a problem he always took the vehicle to the dealer as instructed. In fact, his father worked at a ford dealership and his father sold him the truck and he still had no knowledge of any such recall. I had recently added engine coolant to the reservoir before the engine failure because it was very low, but I discovered no leaks anywhere nor anything else unusual so there was nothing appearing out of the ordinary. The engine is now ruined due to the faulty gasket because the vehicle owner was never notified of the defective condition. In fact, the original owner took the vehicle to a ford dealership more that one year ago on may 18, 2006 for an electrical recall (05s28, cruise control) and they should have and could have also fixed the defective gasket at that time, which would have prevented my total engine failure from ever happening... But they didn't. Ford's failure to fix all recalled defects on 5/18/06 was inexcusable. Ford owes me a new engine!
1997 f150 4.2l engine failure. *jb. Updated 01/11/08. *lj the engine main bearings, lower engine gasket and timing belt gasket cover were replaced. Updated
1997 ford f150 4.2l engine - thrown rod/ cruise control fire possibilites.
'97 f150 4.2 v8 coolant leak, engine blown @ 140,000 after several head gasket repairs.
I had my spark plugs replaced twice at $541 dollars at a ford dealership because they were "corroded". Upon taking it some place else goodyear to be specific they pulled up a factory recall on ford f150 from 97 because a gasket leaks coolant onto the spark plugs causing corrosion. Empire ford never even gave me a reason for this, just kept cashing the checks, now they are saying my VIN number was never included, but I have the same problem as those recalled, coincidence, impossible.
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 ford f-150. The contact stated that a rod punctured the oil pan and ruined the engine. The vehicle is unable to be driven and has not been to the dealer. He has discovered several other people who have experienced the same failure. The VIN, speed, and mileage information were unavailable.
At 1:50a.m. On 8/1/2007 our 1997 ford f150, which was under recall, burned in our driveway. Damage was also done to 2 other vehicles, our home, driveway, and basketball goal.
Purchased a 1997 ford f-150 in early spring of 2006. Vehicle had less than or close to 100,000 miles. Drove the vehicle between 1,000 and 2,000 miles over the next year. In late march or early april of this year the vehicle's engine, a 4.2 l 6 cylinder motor self destructs. On the morning in question, I went out and attempted to start the vehicle. The motor turned over very sluggishly as if the battery was low. When the motor started, it made a terrible racket and blew a chunk of the engine block out approximately the size of my thumb. After this happened, I researched the problem on the internet only to find that 1997 4.2 l ford motors have a defective gasket which allows water to flow into the cylinders. The gasket had failed and allowed water to leak into the cylinder(s) overnight causing the vehicle to hydrolock and "blow up". Ford has been aware of this problem for many years, and even sent out numerous technical service bulletins regarding the problem. I have even found evidence that they may sent out a few recall notices, but not to every owner. Hundreds of '97 f-150 owners have had this same problem, and they, like me, cannot afford to pay the approximately $5,000 to repair their mistake. I currently owe about $5,000 on this vehicle, which at this time is only an expensive lawn ornament. Fortunately, there was not fire or injuries when this occurred, but they could have. I'm certain that ford never replaced the gasket on this vehicle, as the only recall "sticker" is one for the engine computer. As for being too old to be recalled, several months after I purchased the vehicle, I received a recall notice for a wiring problem on it. Certainly ford should issue a recall, or at least pay to have the problem fixed. The incident date is only approximate, as I cannot recall the exact day that it happened.
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 ford f-150. The contact noticed flames coming from under the hood while the vehicle was parked. The dealer has not inspected the vehicle to determine the cause the vehicle was deemed totaled. Updated 09/05/07.
I own a 1997 f-150 ford pickup with the triton v8 4.6l engine. After having 10,5000 mile schedule service to replace spark plugs and tune up the number 4 cylinder plug began to pop-out" of the block. So far no damage to the vehicle, but it was not fixed yet. I knew this was a"common problem that was investigated before, but I wanted to document that the problem continued, and ford needed to acknowledge the defect. I was told by my ford dealership that if I drove with number 4 cylinder misfiring for an extended period it may cause hydro lock or fire damage to the engine. That was pretty serious and sounded like an admission from fords dealers that there was a serious problem. The dealer has been very helpful, and was working to fix the problem so I have no complaint against the dealer. However, just because there hasn't been a fatality with this defect did not mean there shouldn't be an admission by ford of the design defect, and a recall to fix the problem without charge to the customer.
I went outside one early morning to start up my vehicle when I heard a loud pop that originated from the engine of my 1997 ford f-150 xlt. I took a look at the engine; however I am no mechanic. I attempted to start the engine again, but the engine would not turn. I later found out that the engine was locked because of the coolant leaking from a gasket into the cylinder causing one of the rods to bend. My mechanic informed me that the liquid was not allowing the rod to fully compress because of the pressure caused by the liquid. Needless to say, he told me that the ford pick ups' engines have that problem and I would just be wasting my money repairing the original engine. He advised me to search for a rebuilt engine that had a warranty on it. Due to the expense, my pick up is sitting there with a defective engine. This is the second ford I had purchased because I was so pleased with the first ford vehicle. However after this disappointment, I purchased a nissan instead. I make sure that I tell all my friends and relatives of this experience with ford and the unsatisfactory product they have put out. No wonder the toyota tundra and nissan titan are leaving ford behind! "built ford tough, right....
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 ford f-150. While driving 60 MPH, the contact heard a loud popping noise coming from the vehicle's hood. He was able to drive the vehicle home, but was unable to restart the vehicle once he shut it off. The vehicle was towed to a mechanic who stated that coolant was found in the cylinders due to a cracked head gasket or a crack in the cylinder. The mechanic installed a remanufactured engine and there have not been any more failures. The current mileage is 99,600 and failure mileage was 98,780.
Engine threw rod, just like the few thousand other complaints I have seen on the internet. Treated this truck like a baby, heard from a ford master mechanic that they knew about this problem already ,and he actually laughed as he told me I was screwed. Happened one morning when to start it and bam blew rod. Was full of oil, full coolant, wet spark plug amazing I come from a 4 generation ford family and because of this I will never buy a ford again.
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 ford f-150. While driving 45 MPH, the contact heard a knocking noise coming from the engine. The vehicle was brought to the dealer and the engine was replaced. As a result, the engine began to overheat and a significant lost of coolant resulted due to a reservoir failure. At 80,000 miles, the contact began to experience oil pressure failure, which the dealer stated was caused by a bent piston rod on the crank case. The manufacturer would not assist the contact because the VIN excluded the vehicle from the recall. Ford claimed to have only issued a partial level b recall. The failure originated 6 weeks ago, but has been ongoing since june of 2006. The technician suggesting waiting until the engine fails to have it replaced again. The current mileage is 850 and failure mileage was 108,000.
I just got my 1997 ford f150 xlt with the 4.2l engine back yesterday, after paying $1430 for engine repairs. This truck only has 47,700 miles on it. I went out to the truck one day and turned the key, and - nothing. Turns out to be hydro lock but I didn't know it at the time. I finally got it started, & got it into the dealer, and the technician thought it needed to be tuned up, plus I was having the heat fade at stops so he flushed & refilled the coolant. I mentioned that I was having to top off the coolant about once a month, but I didn't know where the coolant was going, and it wasn't showing up in the oil. I got it back, and it was still running really bad, so I dropped it off again 2 days later. This time he thought it was the coil pack. They had it again for another day, replaced the coil pack and a sensor. I go out to the lot and start it, and it was still running really bad. So, I go back in & get the technician, and he came out to check it himself, and he was amazed at how bad it was running. We took it for a ride, and it smoothed out a little, but it was still not right. I told him I would let him consult his boss, and call them back on monday. Monday comes, and I go to start it to go to work, and - hydro lock again. So, I take my wife's car to work, and called them from there, and told them what it was doing. They were there within a half hour to get it. This time I get a call from the service manager, and he told me that he put his best technician on it, and would call. When he called, he told me that the head gaskets were leaking, and letting coolant into the cylinders. I said to go ahead & fix it. Then they called me back the next day and told me that they found that the lower intake manifold was cracked, and letting coolant pour into the cylinders. I asked about getting a used intake manifold, and he said they would look for one, and they did find one. Plus, they put in a new thermostat.
1997 ford f150 4.2 v6 oil pressure falls to zero after warm up... With warning. I was deceptively sold this problem without warrantee just last month. My truck has only 66k miles and now I discover a big ongoing problem... Just by placing this top line in any seach engine you'll reach... Http://forums.treemedia.com/fb/showthread.php?t=224 that is 400 hits of the same problem which leads to engine failure. Even if its repaired prior to failure.
Hydro lock 1997 ford 4.2 v6 44,000 miles.
1. Failure of ford motor company and dealer where vehicle was purchased new, family ford sales inc., florence, al to notify customer of defect with 1997 4.2 l v6 engine as published in ford service program, number 99b29 which could lead to engine failure through engine front cover gasket failing and polluting the oil with coolant, resulting in destroyed engine. Further family ford sales inc. Diagnosed this problem on this vehicle 11/20/02 and repaired it for $432.08 cost to owner. No mention of the ford no-charge service program or possible engine damage was given at this time. 2. Failure of 1997 ford f150 engine with 87,522 miles due to a known failure to ford motor of faulty gaskets (lower intake manifold (ford tsb 99-20-7) and engine front cover gasket failing and polluting the oil with coolant (ford service program, number 99b29) neither of which were communicated to the original owner of the vehicle. This action caused $3,061.20 of damage due to replacement of engine long block 1/26/2007 the babbitt was removed from engine bearings, resulting in low oil pressure and engine oil light coming on which was diagnosed by family ford on 1/5/2007 (cost $73.50). Again ford servicing dealer/oem selling dealer did not inform customer of any issues with this engine or earlier no-charge service program. Failure to notify or fraudulent actions by the dealer and ford motor company have cost me over $3,500 and the lost time associated with this faulty product. Vehicle VIN is [xxx]. Documentation to prove all claims are available for submittal. *nm updated 07/11/2012 *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)
1997 ford 150, 144,000 miles. Engine knocks and is loosing coolant. After doing research just found out this was a common problem with the 4.2l v6 engine. I never received a recall from ford stating a problem with the manifold gasket. I am the original owner.
Complaint: ford motor company, poor design of lower intake plenum/manifold gasket in the essex 4.2l v-6. 1: events leading up to this failure originally there were no obvious signs of impending failure. The indications of failure are loss of engine coolant with no visible external leak, and coolant in the combustion chamber. 2: failure and it's consequences this defect allows coolant leakage into the combustion chamber, causing a hydraulic locking condition which will break/bend one or more connecting rods. This renders the engine unusable, and it must be pulled, repaired if possible (some are not), and re-installed. 3: failure correction. In most cases the engine can be repaired by replacing a connecting rod, piston, and crankshaft, and all the other associated parts that are involved with this level of disassembly. In some cases the connecting rod will break and damage the block beyond repair. This happened in my case. The replacement engine was over $2000, not to mention the labor involved in it's replacement. Ford motor company is aware of this design flaw, and has issued a technical service bulletin regarding it. However, to this day they will still not offer any aid, in any form, for damages incurred due to this design flaw.
This week the engine in my 1997 f-150 blew. The plugs were wet. Coolant leaked. I went on the internet to see about purchasing an engine and I found a website called fight back with david horiwitz. There are 27 pages of complaints that are exactly the same as mine. Http:www.forums.treemedia.com/fb/showthread.phpt=224 you need to see for yourself. It is unbelievable.
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