my 1997 f150 (4x4) may be the worst vehicle I have ever owned. Since buying it last summer I have replaced the starter, gear shift tube, ignition and the rear main seal is leaking. Also it has begun to make a clunking noise when I put it in gear from a stop, does not matter if it is drive or reverse, also it has begun to surge at traffic lights and stop signs. The motor I was told has only 40,000 miles on it and it looks the part but...who knows for sure, where do I begin to unravel all of this?

 

Let's see - you buy a 16 year old truck without a full history, and you call it the worst vehicle you ever owned? Sounds to me like you bought one that's been abused all its life and the last owner sold it because he KNEW that there were a lot of items that needed fixing?

 

and it hasn't had hardly any issues at that...


basic maintenance can and will go a long ways

 

The problem wasn't that the truck is 16 years old, I've had old trucks before. It was the fact that the gentleman who sold it to me had his brother who works at a Ford dealership as a mechanic give the truck a clean bill of health. They had done such a good job cleaning it up that I didnt see the leaky main, but none of that matters now...I just need to figure out the surging issue, I checked all the vaccuum lines and cleaned all other suspect areas..no luck. there is about 3/4 inch play in rear drive shaft I suspect the clunking is there.

 

Is the play at the pinion flange? Or at the u joints? Or at the back of the transfer case output shaft ? There should be some play in neutral if you turn the drive shaft that's the back lash sometimes if you have a limited slip rear end if the clutches wear out the spider gears can clunk.

 

The older Ford trucks typically had a clunk when you put it in reverse.