1997 FORD F SERIES Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT THE TRUCK IN 2001, THE ENGINE HAD APPROXIMATELY 82K MILES. I WAS HAVING A HARD TIME STARTING AND SOMETIMES IT WOULD NOT START. AT FIRST THE DEALER THOUGHT IT WAS THE STARTER AND THEY REPLACED IT. THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO PEPBOYS TO GET THE STARTER REPLACED. WHEN THEY STARTED THE CAR A MASS OF GRAY SMOKE COME OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE. TWO DAYS LATER THE ENGINE FROZE. SINCE I HAD A WARRANTY AGREEMENT I TOOK THE TRUCK TO A LOCAL FORD DEALER, THEY STATED IT HAD HYDROLOCKED AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE WARRANTY COMPANY SENT OUT A SHORT BLOCK AND FORD COMPLETED THE REST OF THE REPAIRS. AT THE BEGINNING OF APRIL, MY DAUGHTER WAS USING MY TRUCK AND SHE DROVE IT TO MY HOUSE AND PARKED IT OUT FRONT. IT SAT FOR 2 WEEKS, WHEN I WENT TO...

WENT TO START TRUCK. HYDRO LOCKED. WOULD NOT START. *TR

4.2 ENGINE PROBLEM, THE 1997 FORD F150 HAS 90,000 MILES ON IT, AS OF THIS DATE THE ENGINE MAIN BEARING WORE OUT. THIS VEHICLE HAS ALL WAYS BEEN SERVICED, AND WITH OIL CHANGES EVERY THREE MONTHS OR 3000 MILES SINCE I PURCHASED IT WITH 6 MILES ON IT. AND THIS WAS A ONE OWNER VEHICLE. I THINK THE BEARING WERE WORN BECAUSE OF DEFECTIVE ENGINE PARTS FROM THE FACTOR DUE TO THE LEAKING OF LOWER INTAKE GASKET THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY RECALLED THESE VEHICLES. THEY REPLACED THIS GASKET ,BUT STILL SOME OF THESE VEHICLE HAVE HAD COOLANT PROBLEMS . BEFORE THE ENGINES WENT BAD IT HAD TO BE REPLACED , AND THE COST OF THAT ENGINE I WAS APPROXIMATELY $4,000. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO FORD DEALERSHIP ,AND THE ENGINE WAS CHECKED FOR COMPRESSION, AND THE COMPRESSION WAS LOW DUE TO THE BEARINGS FAILURE. YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER WOULD...

ENGINE DEAD DUE TO FAULTY GASKETS, COOLANT LEAKING INTO ENGINE. *NM

UPON STARTING MY TRUCK, A LOUD BANGING OR RATTLING NOISE COULD BE HEARD. THE NOISE WAS NOT PRESENT PRIOR TO THAT DAY. I SHUT IT DOWN AND UPON DOING RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, FOUND NUMEROUS PEOPLE WHO CLAIM THAT A FAULTY GASKET DESIGN CAUSED WATER TO LEAK INTO ONE OF THE CYLINDERS INSPECTION OF THE CYLINDERS SHOWED COOLANT TO BE POOLED IN THE FRONT, PASSENGER-SIDE CYLINDER. CERTIFIED MECHANICS ATTRIBUTE COOLANT IN THE CYLINDER TO BE DUE TO A PREMATURE GASKET FAILURE. IF NOT CORRECTED, THE PROBLEM LEADS TO MAJOR ENGINE DESTRUCTION. DOCUMENTED EFFECTS OF THE COOLANT LEAK ARE WORN OUT BEARINGS AND SURFACES, AND BROKEN OR BENT CONNECTING RODS, NECESSITATING AN ENGINE REBUILD. FORD SENT A TSB TO SOME OWNERS OF THESE ENGINES TO REPLACE THE FAULTY GASKET BUT NOT TO OTHER OWNERS. THE KNOWLEDGE OF A FAULTY GASKET DESIGN WAS WITHHELD FROM SOME 1997 4.2L F150 OWNERS. THE DISTINCTION...

COOLANT IS LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE- LIKELY DUE TO GASKET FAILURE - HEAT NON- FUNCTIONING AS A RESULT

LIGHTS STAY ON CONTINUOUSLY - HAVE TO REMOVE FUSES - BACK UP LIGHTS AND DOME LIGHT WON'T GO OUT. DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS STAY ON WHEN VEHICLE IS OFF. BOTH TIE ROD ENDS HAVE FALLEN OFF (AT DIFFERENT TIMES) ENGINE IS GONE. INFERIOR GASKETS LEAKED COOLANT INTO THE ENGINE AND DESTROYED MAIN BEARINGS. JUNE 2001 FRONT EENGINE SEAL LEAKED ANTIFREEZE ONTO GROUND. TWO LETTERS TO FORD MOTOR CO (ADDRESSED TO WILLIAM CLAY FORD) HAVE BEEN ANSWERED BY DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN THE EXECUTIVE OFFICES: DUNCAN ALDERSON AND D KULLA. BOTH HAVE ADVISED THAT FORD WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS EVEN THOUGH I ADVISED THEM I KNEW OF THEIR TSB'S TO THEIR DEALERS ADVISING THAT THESE TRUCKS WERE ASSEMBLED WITH DEFECTIVE GASKETS IN THE ENGINES. I NOW HAVE A TRUCK THAT I CANNOT DRIVE AND NO ASSIST IN GETTING IT FIXED,