So first off I'd like to say thanks to everyone reading this and thanks in advance to anyone who will give me advice. I feel like I should give the whole story to the f150 I just bought for 500 bucks. It was originally my great uncles, he bought it used with under 40k on the clock, at around 79k he hit a pole head on. My aunt bought the truck from insurance for around 2.4k (clean title) to repair and give to my father. She gave it to a family friend with almost 4k up front. He straightened the front end bought a few junk yard body parts and had a stroke. My father also passed the same year and the truck sat for almost 10 years. Last year my aunt was finally able to get it towed back home and I was able to buy it 3 days ago for 500 bones. She told me at some point my uncle tried to start it and the engine was "seized". He had also pulled the plugs and put some atf in the cylinders in an attempt to free it but didn't have any success. Now my question here is, if the truck wasn't turned over in those 10 years (it's sat with no rad or battery, plus the gas gas is pegged on full) would it be safe to assume that any coolant that was in the cylinders had actually seized the pistons from moving and actually prevented a bent rod or should I just hunt for a junk yard 4.2?

 

Well, what condition is the REST of the truck. IE trans, interior, suspension, etc. A junkyard 4.2L would probably be your best bet, but pulling the engine and rebuilding it is a possibility.

 

Besides being multicolored from the junkyard replacement parts its pretty clean, no cancer rust on it any where. Only surface rust is underneath as expected.

 

If you go for a junkyard 4.2, get a 99 or newer engine. What year is the truck and is it auto or stick? 2wd or 4wd?

 

96 2wd 5 speed

 

96 is the old body style and used a 4.9 inline 6, not a 4.2 V6.

 

They introduced them late in 96, it might even be titled as a 97 but the vin sticker even has it as a 96

 

Built in 96, but it's a 97 if it's the new body style.

The 97 and 98 engines had the gasket/hydrolock issues, which is why I'm suggesting a 99 or newer engine. There may be some minor sensor and accessory differences you will have to sort.

The other option is pull the old engine and rebuild it using the new style gaskets.

 

which sucks when you have to do it 3 times

 

If it's a 4.2 V6 it's a '97 model at the oldest, they did start production early since it was an all new truck so it's not uncommon at all to have a build date earlier in 1996 than you'd expect.

-Steve

 

Put some wd40 and marvel's mystery oil down the cylinders today. Started trying to free the engine and actually put enough *** behind it to loosen the crank pulley's bolt. Tomorrow or the next day I'm going to attempt to pull the pan and check the rods.

 

Post pics