recommendations/suggestions for new owner 4.2
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recommendations/suggestions for new owner 4.2
Greetings and thanks.
I've just purchased a 2002 F150 XL 4.2 (6) with stick. My first truck; my first Ford. No frills, but I saved for a long time time to get this and want it to last. (Have mostly owned Toyotas but always wanted an F 150.) Can any give me general advice on the maintenance and reliability of this truck? May I ask some specific questions?
1. I read that some had problems with their head gasket with low miles. Is this statistically significant? Ought I be concerned with this or any other issues?
2. I intend to take it to my regular mechanic, a very fine mechanic who worked on my Japanese cars and said (reluctantly, as a true Toyota devotee) that if I bought an F150 he'd be pleased to service it. Any reason to take it soley to a Ford dealership?
3. Recommendations on oil/filters.
4. Can someone point me to a decent service/maintenance schedule?
Any other advice is appreciated. I will be in Flagstaff for a day and will not be able to check postings for that time, but I appreciate anyone's taking time to addrss my concerns.
Yours, dgross1027
I've just purchased a 2002 F150 XL 4.2 (6) with stick. My first truck; my first Ford. No frills, but I saved for a long time time to get this and want it to last. (Have mostly owned Toyotas but always wanted an F 150.) Can any give me general advice on the maintenance and reliability of this truck? May I ask some specific questions?
1. I read that some had problems with their head gasket with low miles. Is this statistically significant? Ought I be concerned with this or any other issues?
2. I intend to take it to my regular mechanic, a very fine mechanic who worked on my Japanese cars and said (reluctantly, as a true Toyota devotee) that if I bought an F150 he'd be pleased to service it. Any reason to take it soley to a Ford dealership?
3. Recommendations on oil/filters.
4. Can someone point me to a decent service/maintenance schedule?
Any other advice is appreciated. I will be in Flagstaff for a day and will not be able to check postings for that time, but I appreciate anyone's taking time to addrss my concerns.
Yours, dgross1027
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Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Aggieland, TX
I'm not totally sure about #1, but I do believe it is a bit of a problem with that engine.
#2: If it is still under warranty I would take it to a dealership for anything you can get them to pay for. Otherwise, if you trust the mechanic I would stick with him.
#3: Stick to motorcraft filters (FL-820S), and you'll get all kinds of opinions on what kind of oil to use. The majority here swear by Mobil 1, but in my opinion you will be fine with any kind of oil as long as you keep you a good service schedule (about 3000 miles with dino oil, 5000 with synthetic). I think in that engine you can just use 5w-30.
#4: How many miles on the truck?
Good luck with your new truck, hopefully its problem free for you.
#2: If it is still under warranty I would take it to a dealership for anything you can get them to pay for. Otherwise, if you trust the mechanic I would stick with him.
#3: Stick to motorcraft filters (FL-820S), and you'll get all kinds of opinions on what kind of oil to use. The majority here swear by Mobil 1, but in my opinion you will be fine with any kind of oil as long as you keep you a good service schedule (about 3000 miles with dino oil, 5000 with synthetic). I think in that engine you can just use 5w-30.
#4: How many miles on the truck?
Good luck with your new truck, hopefully its problem free for you.
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Joined: Mar 2002
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From: NH
The 4.2 V6 is a very stout motor, especially with the 5-speed. I owned an 01 XLT Sport 4.2 V6 with 5 speed, hence the name but now own a 2003 Lightning.
At about 5,000 miles on the 01 I had to have the drivers side head and head gasket replaced due to a bad mating surface of the head itself. Anyhow, I was told that there were “some” that had this problem but those with a problem would show it very soon. In other words at low miles.
If your truck has more then 10,000 miles or so and shows no signs of oil leakage from the either head you will be fine.
As far as maintenance, my preference would be:
Change oil every 3,000 – 5,000 miles. Use a good quality motor oil, Motorcraft, Mobil One, Royal Purple, Valvoline or who ever you prefer. I would stay with a 5W-30 even though 5W-20 is recommended.
I change mine in the 01 at every 3,000 and used Valvoline 5W-30. I now use Mobil One full synthetic 5W-30 in my Lightning and will change it every 5,000. Many will tell you I can go longer and most likely they would be correct but I feel better changing it at 5,000. Stick with the Motorcraft filters, they are good quality. Change the filter every time you change the oil.
Has the power steering fluid or coolant been changed in the past 2 years? If not I would recommend a power steering flush and coolant flush as well every 2 years regardless of miles.
If you have more then 30,000 miles I would recommend having the plugs changed. Sure you can go for 100,000 but I personally would not recommend it.
Want to get real ****, like me and a few others? Change the transmission fluid and rear end fluid at 30,000 miles.
Change the air filter every 30,000 miles.
Rotate the tires at 5,000 miles and you will get more miles out of them.
Want to be reminded of preventive maintenance? Steve, the webmaster, has another site www.ownersite.com that some people use. You might want to take a look at that and see if it would fit your needs.
Can’t think of anything else at the moment so welcome to the site…
At about 5,000 miles on the 01 I had to have the drivers side head and head gasket replaced due to a bad mating surface of the head itself. Anyhow, I was told that there were “some” that had this problem but those with a problem would show it very soon. In other words at low miles.
If your truck has more then 10,000 miles or so and shows no signs of oil leakage from the either head you will be fine.
As far as maintenance, my preference would be:
Change oil every 3,000 – 5,000 miles. Use a good quality motor oil, Motorcraft, Mobil One, Royal Purple, Valvoline or who ever you prefer. I would stay with a 5W-30 even though 5W-20 is recommended.
I change mine in the 01 at every 3,000 and used Valvoline 5W-30. I now use Mobil One full synthetic 5W-30 in my Lightning and will change it every 5,000. Many will tell you I can go longer and most likely they would be correct but I feel better changing it at 5,000. Stick with the Motorcraft filters, they are good quality. Change the filter every time you change the oil.
Has the power steering fluid or coolant been changed in the past 2 years? If not I would recommend a power steering flush and coolant flush as well every 2 years regardless of miles.
If you have more then 30,000 miles I would recommend having the plugs changed. Sure you can go for 100,000 but I personally would not recommend it.
Want to get real ****, like me and a few others? Change the transmission fluid and rear end fluid at 30,000 miles.
Change the air filter every 30,000 miles.
Rotate the tires at 5,000 miles and you will get more miles out of them.
Want to be reminded of preventive maintenance? Steve, the webmaster, has another site www.ownersite.com that some people use. You might want to take a look at that and see if it would fit your needs.
Can’t think of anything else at the moment so welcome to the site…
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Thanks for your responses
I appreciate your responses. Thanks v. much. Going to save them.
The truck has 38,000 miles and seems to have been taken care of. I bought it from a Dodge lot days ago for what seemed a very reasonable price. Tam Le, my mechanic, has been closed for Christmas. I will ask him to go over it and whatever needs to be done for its upkeep (as written) I will have him do little by little. (I got this truck to keep for a long time.) I plan to contact the dealership in Wickenburg (where the truck was purchased according to the paperwork) to see if they have the maintenance records. dgross1027
The truck has 38,000 miles and seems to have been taken care of. I bought it from a Dodge lot days ago for what seemed a very reasonable price. Tam Le, my mechanic, has been closed for Christmas. I will ask him to go over it and whatever needs to be done for its upkeep (as written) I will have him do little by little. (I got this truck to keep for a long time.) I plan to contact the dealership in Wickenburg (where the truck was purchased according to the paperwork) to see if they have the maintenance records. dgross1027
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 964
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From: Lancaster, PA
the 2000 model year fire issue is due to fault in the cruise control circuitry.
If you don't have cruise control, don't fret.
If you do, don't know what exactly to say about it. The odds are very very low, but you never know. From what I heard, most folks noticed their cruise control stopped working for a period before the fire. At the minimum I would use it frequently to check it's working status...
If you don't have cruise control, don't fret.
If you do, don't know what exactly to say about it. The odds are very very low, but you never know. From what I heard, most folks noticed their cruise control stopped working for a period before the fire. At the minimum I would use it frequently to check it's working status...