1997 Ford F-150 Engine

1. LOSS OF COOLANT 2. PRESSURE TEST SHOWED FRONT GASKET LEAKING 3.FRONT GASKET REPLACED AT COST OF $1000.00 , MAY HAVE LOWER INTAKE GASKET LEAK NOW, ALL COMMON SERVICE ISSUE , NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. *JB

I USED TO BE A PROUD OWNER OF A 1997 FORD F150 4.2 LITER V6. THAT WAS UNTIL TODAY WHEN MY ENGINE HYDROLOCKED FOR THE THIRD TIME. THE TRUCK NOW HAS 164000 MILES ON IT, HOWEVER, THE FIRST TIME HAPPENED AT APPROX. 110000 MILES. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE V6 ENGINES, AND THAT FORD WILL NOT DO ANYTHING DO TO THE "HIGH" MILES. I REPLACED THE ENGINE WITH A COMPLETE NEW SHORT BOCK,AND THE RECOMMENDED BY FORD 4MM HEAD GASKETS INSTEAD OF THE 3MM THAT THEY ORIGINALLY INSTALLED. THIS ENGINE LASTED ANOTHER APPROX 20000 MILES BEFORE IT HYDROLOCKED AGAIN. THIS TIME IT WAS REPAIRED UNDER THE WARRANTY FROM THE ENGINE SUPPLIER...THANKFULLY. NOW, HOWEVER THERE ISN'T ANYTHING TO DO BUT REPLACE THE ENGINE AGAIN. IT'S NOT WORTH MUCH AS A RUNNING VEHICLE DO TO IT'S AGE, BUT AS A NON-RUNNING ONE IT'S REALLY WORTHLESS. I JUST HOPE THE SOMEDAY FORD WILL BE PRESSURED INTO MAKING SOME KIND OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THESE ENGINES AND AT THE VERY LEAST OFFER ADVICE THAT TRULY HELPS THE CONSUMER NOT JUST BAND-AIDS THE ISSUE UNTIL IT'S TOO LATE. ON A SIDE NOT I'M NOT A DISGRUNTLED FORD OWNER I CURRENTLY OWN FOUR OTHER FORD VEHICLES DATING FROM 2003 BACK TO 1986. I JUST HOPE MAYBE I CAN HELP GET SOMETHING DONE BY WRITING THIS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *NM

NORMAL USE OF 4.2 V6 FORD ENGINE OIL PRESSURE DROPS TO 0 PSIG AT ENGINE IDLE AFTER TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEM MY SELF (25 YEARS AUTO MECHANIC 17 YEARS AVIATION TECH) AND SEARCHING THE WEB FOR OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THERE ARE THOUSANDS I HAVE FOUND THE FIX IS REBUILD OR REPLACE THE ENGINE $2000.00 - $6000.00 FOMOCO SHOULD SHARE IN THIS EXPENSE BUT I HAVE NOT HEARD OF ANYONE WITH HELP FROM FORD I WILL STATE THAT MANY HAVE BEEN AND WILL BE INJURED MOMENTARILY. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT DETERMINED THE SPARK PLUG EJECTED FROM THE CYLINDER HEAD. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SEEN BY THE DEALERSHIP, BUT THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

STARTED VEHICLE IN DRIVEWAY, LOUD BANG, WHITE SMOKE OUT OF TAILPIPE, AND KNOCKING IN ENGINE. MECHANIC SAYS THE ENGINE IS RUINED - BEND RODS. ONE OWNER VEHICLE WITH 55,000 MILES.

I HAVE A FORD F150 V6 4.2 WITH A BLOWN ENGINE. I STARTED IT ONE MORNING TO A LOUD KNOCKING AND SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST. I UNDERSTAND THIS HAS BEEN A FREQUENT PROBLEM THAT FORD REFUSES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR. MY TRUCK HAS 81,000 MILES ON IT. *JB

PERIODIC LOW COOLANT LEVELS WITH NO VISIBLE LEAKS, PROGRESSIVELY WORSE LOW OIL PRESSURE, TROUBLE STARTING, STEAM IN EXHAUST COOLANT LEAKING INTO CYLINDER CAUSED BENT ROD AND NECESSITATED ENGINE REBUILD. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE FOLLOWED BY THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AS WELL AS SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST. ALTHOUGH THE PROBLEM PERSISTED, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER.

I HAVE A 1997 F150 V-6 4.2L PICK UP TRUCK. I HAVE BEEN LOOSING ENGINE COOLANT AND MY ENGINE OIL LEAKS OUT. I HAVE FOUND THAT THE LOWER INTAKE GASKET PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON WITH THIS ENGINE TYPE AND TRUCK. I FOUND OUT THAT FORD HAD A RECALL ON THIS GASKET BUT THEY DID NOT SEND ME ANY INFORMATION ABOUT IT. THE RECALL ON THE GASKET EXPIRED IN 2005 ( I WAS TOLD BY FORD). I ONLY HAVE 66,000 MILES ON THIS TRUCK. CAN YOU GUYS HELP ME? *NM

I NOTICED MY FORD 4.2L V-6 WAS LOSING COOLANT. BUT, THERE WAS NO LEAKS EXTERNALLY. I WENT OUT TO START IT THE OTHER MORNING, AND IT WOULD NOT TURN OVER. I SEARCHED THE INTERNET, AND FOUND INFO ON HYDROLOCKING AND BAD GASKETS. I REMOVED ALL THE SPARK PLUGS, AND CRANKED THE ENGINE. LOTS OF COOLANT CAME OUT OF CYLINDER 1. NOW, I'M LOOKING AT BEST ALL NEW GASKETS, OR POSSIBLY A NEW ENGINE IF THE TIMING COVER GASKETS WEREN'T REPLACED UNDER THE RECALL. *NM

ON OCCASION, TRUCK WOULD HESITATE, TAKING A BIT OF TLC ON THE GAS PEDAL TO CLEAR IT UP. ONE OCCASION, IN TRAFFIC, ATTEMPTING TO AVOID A NEAR MISS, I ACCELERATED THROUGH THIS. WHITE SMOKE BEGAN POURING OUT THE TAIL PIPE. HEAD GASKET FAILURE. LIMPED HOME. ENGINE HYDRO-LOCKED. DIAGNOSIS = REPLACE HEAD GASKETS ($2,100) IN THIS SAME 'WEAK' 4.2 V-6 OR REPLACE MOTOR ($2,500) WITH NEWER 4.2 V-6. REPLACEMENT WILL BE DONE TOMORROW. FORD FAULTY ENGINE / GASKETS - NOT MY FAULT. MY PROBLEM THOUGH. *JB

I OWN A 1997 FORD F150 WITH THE 4.2 V-6 MOTOR. THE TRUCK HAD 70, 126 MILES WHEN IT SUFFERED HYDROLOCK. I DROVE THE TRUCK ON A WEDNESDAY, AND IT WAS RUNNING FINE. FRIDAY EVENING WHEN I TRIED TO START IT, I THOUGHT THE BATTERY HAD GONE DEAD. I PULLED THE BATTERY OUT AND HAD IT TESTED, AND IT WAS OK. INSTALLED THE BATTERY AND AGAIN ATTEMPTED TO START THE TRUCK, WHEN I HEARD AN UNUSUAL "KICK BACK." I WAS ABLE TO GET THE TRUCK STARTED, BUT THERE WAS WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE EXHAUST AND THE SMOKE HAD A SWEET COOLANT SMELL. I PERFORMED SOME INTERNET RESEARCH AND FOUND THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE HYDROLOCK PROBLEMS. I PULLED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND FOUND A CRACK IN THE GASKET. I THEN PULLED THE LEFT SIDE HEAD AND FOUND THE NUMBER 4 CONNECTING ROD WAS BENT. I PULL THE MOTOR AND PERFORMED A COMPLETE REBUILD. *JB

11/16/2005 ~ GO IN FOR A ROUTINE OIL AND LUBE. ATTENDANT GIVES ME DETAILS, I HAVE AIR FILTER REPLACED AND COOLANT ADDED BECAUSE IT WAS LOW. 2/23/2006 ~ GO IN FOR MY ROUTINE OIL AND LUBE. I ASK THE ATTENDANT TO LOOK AT THE COOLANT, I TELL HIM THAT IT KEEPS GETTING LOW. SURE ENOUGH HE COMES BACK AND LETS ME KNOW ITS VERY LOW, DID I WANT TO PUT COOLANT IN IT. 4/28/2006 ~ I GO TO MY 97 F-150 TO HEAD OUT TO AN INTERVIEW, SHIRT AND TIE, CUP OF COFFEE AND PAPERWORK IN HAND. PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND IT WONT TURN OVER. IT ISN'T THE "BATTERY IS DEAD" WON'T TURN OVER, ITS A "I WANT TURN OVER BUT I CAN'T" OVER AND I CALL MY MECHANIC. HE ARRIVES AND GETS OUT HIS JUMPERS TO SEE IF IT IS A DEAD BATTERY. WE LOOK AT THE STARTER, ELECTRICAL EVERYTHING AND CAN'T SEEM TO FIGURE IT OUT. HE SAYS TO ME, "YOU DON'T HAVE VERY LOW OR LITTLE COOLANT, PUT SOME IN THE RESEVOIR" HE ASKS ME IF I NOTICED ANYTHING ODD, ANY HESITATION THE PREVIOUS DAY, I TELL HIM NO, I LITERALLY DROVE 3 MILES TO GO TO THE MARKET AND THAT WAS IT FOR DRIVING THAT DAY. HE ASKS ME TO PUT IT IN REVERSE AND WE TRY AND PUSH IT BACKWARDS TO TURN THE MOTOR OVER. IT WON'T BUDGE, AT THIS POINT HE SAYS THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING IN THE CYLINDER(S), GAS, WATER, OIL, SOMETHING AND WE'LL PULL THE PLUGS AND SEE WHAT COMES OUT. WE PULLED THE PLUGS AND COOLANT CAME POURING OUT OF CYLINDER #2. I HAVE PICTURES ETC OF THE COOLANT AND PLUGS. I FOUND THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE HAVING ISSUES IDENTICAL TO THIS WITHIN THE SAME TIMBERING OF MILEAGE AND EVEN THE SAME CYLINDER. HTTP://FORUMS.TREEMEDIA.COM/FB/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=224 HTTP://WWW.FORD-TRUCKS.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=473230 HTTP://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/FORD_ESSEX_V6_ENGINE_(CANADIAN)#4.2 MY MECHANIC IS NOW PRICING A COMPLETE GASKET KIT AND WILL NEED TO TAKE THE MOTOR APART TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE MOTOR SOUNDS AS IF IT IS OK AND WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO REMEDY THE GASKET SITUATION AND SEE IF WE CAN'T GET IT TO RUN NORMALLY. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE LOST POWER INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT ANY HIGHWAY SPEED. THIS HAPPENED MORE OFTEN WHILE TOWING SOMETHING BEHIND THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE SPEWED COOLANT ONTO THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FIVE TIMES. THE HEADS HAVE BEEN CHANGED ONCE; THE RESERVOIR SYSTEM HAS BEEN CHANGED TWICE. THE EGR VALVE HAS BEEN CHANGED TWICE. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS.

RE: 97 FORD F- 150 PICKUP W/ 4.2L V 6 IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT THIS ENGINE GIVES TROUBLE W/ FAILING HEAD GASKETS . MINE FAILED AT 86,560 MI. ENGINE COOLANT/ANTIFREEZE LEAKING INTO #S 3 & 6 CYLINDERS SO BOTH SIDES OF ENGINE WERE AFFECTED FORD OWES ME $1765 DOLLARS IF THEY KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM PLEASE HELP! *NM

1997 FORD F150 4.2L V 6 ENGINE. WENT TO START THE TRUCK AND IT RAN VERY ROUGH. CUT IT OFF AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER, THEY SAID IT HAD A BENT ROD AND WOULD NEED A REBUILT ENGINE AT A COST OF $5,000. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND 100'S OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ENGINE ALL WITH THE SAME SYMPTOMS. NOW I'M STUCK SHOPPING AROUND FOR A BETTER DEAL ON REBUILT ENGINES THAN THE FORD DEALER PROVIDED. *NM

MY 1997 FORD F-150 HAS A LOUD TAPPING SOUND IN THE ENGINE. IT EITHER BROKE A ROD OR A PISTON. *NM

I OWN A 1997 F-150 . I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK FROM A PRIVATE PARTY WHEN IT HAD 52,000 MILES. THE TRUCK NOW HAS ABOUT 90K MILES. ON MAY 16 I STARTED THE VEHICLE AND HEARD A RAUCOUS NOISE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. ON MAY 17TH I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO AUTO SPECIALTIES, AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THEY IDENTIFIED THE NOISE AS A BENT CONNECTING ROD. THEY DISCOVERED STEAM COMING FROM THE TAILPIPE AND BELIEVE COOLANT SEEPED INTO THE CYLINDER THROUGH A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. I ASKED HOW THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED. THEY SAID PROBABLY OVERHEATING. YET, IN THE ENTIRE TIME I OWNED IT, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE HAS NEVER REGISTERED HIGH, NO STEAM AROSE FROM THE ENGINE AREA. I HAVE ALWAYS CHANGED THE OIL EVERY 3K MILES. I HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINED CORRECT FLUID LEVELS. I HAVE NEVER TOWED ANYTHING WITH THIS TRUCK AND NEVER CARRIED ANYTHING MORE THAN A HALF-TON LOAD. I ALWAYS LET IT WARM UP AND DRIVE IT GENTLY WHILE IT IS WARMING UP. IN ADDITION, THE TRUCK SPEED CONTROL DEVICE WAS REPLACED BY THE LOCAL FORD DEALER ON SEPT. 14, 2005. IN THEIR INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE THEY UNCOVERED NO PROBLEMS WITH COOLING OR OVERHEATING. THIS IS THE FIRST FORD I HAVE OWNED, THE FIRST AMERICAN CAR. I HAVE OWNED 1 MITSUBISHI AND 2 TOYOTA PICKUPS WHICH I BOUGHT SECOND HAND. I OWNED THEM UNTIL THEY HAD OVER 125K MILES AND THEY NEEDED NO REPAIRS OTHER THAN NORMAL MAINTENANCE. I HAVE DRIVEN A PRE-OWNED INTEGRA TO OVER 140K MILES WITHOUT PROBLEMS AND A HONDA CIVIC WHICH I DROVE FROM 60K-120K WITHOUT THE SLIGHTEST PROBLEM. A TRUCK WITH 90K MILES SHOULD NOT NEED A NEW ENGINE. BY JUST ABOUT ANY MAKER STANDARDS THE ENGINE SHOULD LAST OVER 200K MILES. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SPOKE WITH CHARLES WHO SAID FORD WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PROBLEM, SINCE THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT PART OF A RECALL. SHOULDN'T FORD BE CONCERNED ABOUT A LEMON, EVEN IF IT IS NOT A COMMON PROBLEM? I BELIEVE FORD SHOULD REPLACE THE ENGINE, SINCE ITS FAILURE IS PREMATURE. *JB

1997 F150 4.2L V6 60K MILES WATER IN CYLINDER WARPED ROD. ENGINE NO GOOD. CANT AFFORD TO SPEND 5K DOLLARS TO TRY TO REPAIR ENGINE. *NM

BOUGHT A 1997 F-150 USED IN 2001 WITH 62,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE PUT LESS THAN 15,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE IN THE 4.5 YEARS I HAVE OWNED IT AND CHANGED THE OIL TWICE. I HAD NOTICED IN THE PAST THAT I WOULD HAVE TO FILL UP THE COOLANT, BUT COULD NOT FIND A LEAK. I ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE HEAT GOING IN AND OUT. WENT TO START THE TRUCK AND IT SHOOK AND CAME TO A STOP. STARTED IT AGAIN AND THERE IS NOW AN AWFUL BANGING/KNOCK. I BELIEVE TO BE A ROD OR OTHER INTERNAL PART. HAVE NOT HAD THE PROBLEM DIAGNOSED BY A PROFESSIONAL, BUT AFTER READING THE FORUMS ON THE FORD 4.2 LITER ENGINES I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT I CAN SELF DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AS HAVING TO DO WITH THE COOLANT LEAK PROBLEMS. I HAVE NOT RAN THE ENGINE AND HAVE NOT HAD THE MONEY TO FIX IT OR REPLACE IT. I CAN'T BELIEVE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THE SOME PROBLEM, SYMPTOMS, AND OUTCOME AS ME. THEY HAVE TO NUMBER IN THE HUNDREDS-THOUSANDS. FORD SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET AWAY WITH THIS AND HAVE TO BE FULL AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THEIR 4.2 MOTOR. THERE NEEDS TO BE A CLASS ACTION SUIT AND A RECALL. ON BEHALF OF ALL THE F-150 OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM WE NEED HELP TO RESOLVE THIS. THANKS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND PLEASE INFORM ME IF ANYTHING HAPPENS OR CAN BE DONE AS I HAVE NOT FOUND ANYTHING AS FAR AS A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST FORD. JB

COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE ON 1997 FORD F150 4.2L 145K DUE TO LEAKING GASKET IN ENGINE, ALLOWING ENGINE COOLANT INTO ENGINE, CAUSING ENGINE TO FREEZE CYLINDER AND THROW A ROD THEN ENGINE COMPLETELY STOPPED. I NOTICES THAT ENGINE COOLANT WAS DISAPPEARING AND WHITE SMOKE OUT OF TAIL PIPE, THEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON, THEN SOON AFTER THROUGH A ROD AND ENGINE SEIZED UP. MY CAR NOW REQUIRES A NEW ENGINE DUE TO DEFECTIVE GASKET ALLOWING ENGINE COOLANT INTO ENGINE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING THEME WITH FORD ENGINES IN THIS YEAR. *JB

1997 FORD F-150 INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED ALONG WITH A TON OF OTHER PEOPLE. HAD TO PAY A HEFTY REPAIR FEE. THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO IT, JUST SAW WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM MY TAIL PIPE. LUCKILY I CAUGHT IT REAL QUICK AND IT ONLY COST THE ME REPAIR OF THE ENTIRE GASKET. A LOT OF TIMES IT IS A WHOLE NEW ENGINE. MY REPAIR COST $500. *JB

MY TRUCK WAS TAKEN IN FOR A BRAKE REPAIR THE WEEK OF MARCH 6- 10, 2006. WE GOT THE TRUCK BACK DROVE IT A 100 MILES ON THE WEEKEND WITH NO PROBLEMS. ON MONDAY, 3/13/06, I NOTICED IT MISSING AFTER 40 MILES AN HOUR. MY HUSBAND DROVE IT TO WORK THE NEXT DAY TO SEE WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT. HE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I TOOK MY SON TO WORK ON THURSDAY AND IT WAS STILL MISSING. WHEN ON THE FREEWAY, I GOT IT UP TO 65/70 MPH WHEN IT JUST STARTED SLOWLY DOWN. I COULD NO LONGER GIVE IT ANY GAS. I WAS ABLE TO PULL ONTO A LARGE SHOULDER WHERE I HAD IT TOWED INTO A TRANSMISSION SHOP I TRUSTED. ON INSPECTION, THE TRANSMISSION WAS FLOODED WITH WATER AND COOLANT AS WELL AS THE ENGINE DUE TO A FAULTY RADIATOR. I HAD REPLACED THE RADIATOR APRIL 11, 2005. THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST RADIATOR REPLACED. THIS WAS THE 4TH RADIATOR. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT INSTALLED THE RADIATOR AND WAS TOLD THAT MY ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. I'M WAITING FOR A CALL BACK WITH AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY. I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE AN ENGINE BREAKDOWN WHICH WOULD COST ME, TO FIND OUT WHY IT FAILED. WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE WHOLE COOLING SYSTEM IN GENERAL SINCE 1999. RANGING FROM CHANGED HEAD GASKETS, HEATER CORES, RADIATORS, ETC. IT HAS BECOME APPARENT FROM READING ON THE FIGHT BACK SITE: [HTTP://FORUMS.TREEMEDIA.COM/FB/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?P=836&PAGE=2&PP=15] THAT THIS A COMMON UNRESOLVED ISSUE WITH THE FORD COMPANY. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT THAT HAS YET TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. I COUNTED OUT 226 COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA SITE UNDER ENGINE AND ENGINE: COOLING THROUGH E/E:C:EXSYS:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAILPIPE. I'VE ALWAYS TRUSTED THE FORD COMPANY AS MY FATHER-IN-LAW RETIRED FROM THERE. WE ALWAYS HAD GREAT SERVICE UNTIL HIS PARTICULAR DEALERSHIP CLOSED. I AM NOT COMPLAINING ABOUT ANY ONE DEALER AS I'VE BEEN TO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE TO SERVICE MY CAR WHEN THEY CLOSED. THIS SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTURE RESPONSIBILITY *NM

OWN A 1997 F150 WITH 4.2 FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW. NEVER SEEN THE SMOKE COMING. HYRDOLOCKED ON ME WITH 150,000 KMS WHICH I HAVE HEARD IS KINDA LOW KMS FOR THAT TO HAPPEN. LOOKING AT GETTING A REBUILT BUT WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THIS. *NM

COOLANT LEAK. *NM