Yes, Ford is very bad. Don even told me last week that he didn't know me I don't think he knew how many people would be calling him and now just wants it to stop.

Ford is really handling this poorly with everyone. As for the info I've posted: It's all right here for everyone to see. There is plenty more as well if you take the time to look or talk to a Ford dealer's service dept. All of the recall and TSB info I've posted came from Ford Motor Co. They can't discredit it directly without discrediting every other piece of info they've ever sent out.

 

Adam, After 3 e-mails to Ann O'Neill I got a call from Detroit. It was customer service who listened to my problem (lower intake) and told me nothing can be done to help me or anyone else. The guy agreed with me gaskets are not wear items and should not be leaking at 77,000 miles. I told him a lot of people were posting their situation on the web. He said Ford at this time had no reason or plans to do anything to help us. Steve

 

If Ford had a mother, I'm sure she'd be ashamed with their behavior.

I was confident that all of the e-mails were being read by people inside Ford. I'm also quite sure that they're are quite upset that we, as customers are able to contact them. I don't think they want us to be able to. I keep getting the feeling, when I call that we're here to help them. Not the other way around. They seem to think that referring us back to the dealer is somehow going to make everything alright and make them heros. They also seem to have the additude that we are somehow bothering them, as customers when we refuse to find it acceptible that our gaskets only last around 80,000 miles on average.

Snow,

I don't suppose, Don bothered to back up his remark about how I'm giving out information that's not true? Did he give any examples? Did he suggest that I'm posting under 200+ names on 10 different message boards, in every city accross the country about just one truck. Am I really having this conversation with just myself

What everybody needs to do is simply look around. Notice how many of these engines are failing compared to the other designs and years. Ford changed the design of the these gaskets and fixed the problem. Their own TSB 99207 tells you which engines received the gaskets that fail at an alarmingly high rate and those that received a revised gasket set.

I believe that if we expect the best form others, that we'll usually find we're right in our assumptions. That people are generally good. I've found that when I'm dealing with those who run Ford Motor Co. however: Always expect them to behave poorly and you'll rarely be surprized.

It's very predictable.

 

I have a 1997 4.2 V6 with 95,000 miles on it. The engine runs fine, but on Friday when I got off of work. I started my truck up and there was a slight tapping on passenger side of engine. Took my truck to dealership and they said my engine was shot. Water came in on my cylinders and bent a rod. The truck still runs fine and doesn't smoke. It had the timing gasket replaced at 45,000 miles. It just started using a little water again about a month ago. What would it take to install a 4.6 out of a 1998 mustang? Will our transmitions work? Any info would help out. You can email me at WAtkins14189@charter.net

Thanks
Billy

 

I am having a similar problem. I have a '97 F150 4.2L V-6 w/ 60,100 miles. I am the second owner of this truck. I got it w/ 36,000 miles in Dec. of 2000. I have a LONG history with my local Ford dealership. I have noticed a very slow engine coolant leak, that I went in to Ford for only to be told that there was no apparent leaking. I noticed that sometimes the engine is quite tough to start when cold. I talked to Ford about that and was told that it was a small leak in a seal in the fuel pump, which over time allowed fuel to back down w/ gravities pull. I was told that it was a popular problem with F150's but that it would never lead to anything other than rough cold starts. That replacing it would be an unnecessary fortune. Also the engine has been running quite rough at idle, and hesitates upon sudden accelleration (although not recently). Recently though (about 2 weeks ago) my yellow (there is a difference between the meaning of a red or yellow light) check engine light came on. Back to the dealer I went, to find out that the computer told them that I had not put the gas cap on correctly before running the engine (although I had not put gas in it for about 1 full week). Within 3 days the check engine light was back on. I went back also. They told me that the onboard computer needed to be replaced and that the warranty would cover it completely so I had it replaced. Well, within 4 days (last Friday) it was back again. Now I have an appointment for tomorrow (Tuesday the 26th) @ 1 to address this check engine light AGAIN. Before I went in again I wanted to do a little research to find out if anyone else was having this problem, and WOW. It seems like this is a huge problem that Ford just will not address correctly (recall). Could this be the same gasket problem you are refering to throughout this forum? What specifically should I ask them to do/look at? Any help would be greatly apreciated. Thank you.

Lee

 

WAtkins925,

A 4.6L should bolt right up to the 4R70W transmission but this is going to cost sooooo much money, it's not really viable. At a minimum: you would also need all of the engine accessories and the PCM to run everything. This is hours and hours of labor.

To have the engine rebuilt is expensive as well. Ford is charging around 30 hours of labor. If you simply need to replace the engine with a used 4.2L, built with the updated gaskets: it should be around $2500.00-$3000.00 total.

Whatever you do: Have a qualified mechanic verify exactly which gasket (s) failed and hold onto your receipt.

leeman125,

There are 2 gaskets that are failing prematurely on many 1997 and some 1998 4.2L engines. The was the engine front cover gasket, addressed partially with 99B29. Then there is the lower intake manifold side gaskets. The lower intake gasket failures are explained but not address in TSB Article No.: 99-20-7.

The engine front cover gasket can leak coolant into the engine oil and damage the engine bearings as well as other surfaces. The lower intake manifold gaskets can fail and leak coolant into the oil and or into the intake itself, past an open valve and into a cylinder.

If the coolant level drops: that coolant is going somewhere. It's escaping through a leaking hose, failty radiator cap or entering the oil or combustion chamber.

These leaks are not always easy for someone to track down on their own. A cooling system pressure test should indicate whether or not there is a leak. Actually tracking down that leak can be very difficult however. That is why it's imortant to have a trained tech inspect the engine.

A lower intake manifold gasket leak can be quite similar to a head gasket leak, in the end result. Coolant may leak into the intake manifold and then drain down into a cylinder or cylinders where is can mix with the combustion cycle and be expelled through the exhaust. Coolant does not compress or ignite like the fuel/air mixture so it can cause idle and starting problems. It also does't lubricate the piston rings very well so it can cause hydor-lock along with broke or bent rods.

 

As more and more of these engines fail: it's going to become very apparant that the original 99B29 was very, very inadequate. Not only did it not cover all affected vehicles, it also did not address the lower intake gaskets, which are now becoming more of a problem than the timing cover gasket.

 

Thanks AJ for a fast response. You really know what you are talking about. Thanks for your help.

 

Add me to the list guys! 1997 F150 with 4.2 V6.....with new intake gaskets and head gaskets now! I suspected it was the head gaskets, but it didn't show all the signs of failed head gaskets, especially since it didn't run hot. Never showed any signs of water in the oil, but it kept fauling out the #1 spark plug with antifreeze. I went to start it the other morning and it was hydro-locked. Had the engine torn down and found the intake gaskets had failed as expected after reading all the info here! My mechanic told me I was lucky that it didn't trash a rod when it locked! I had them go ahead and change the head gaskets, do a valve job and mill the heads again just to make sure.

And just think, I had to have all this done with 71003 miles on the motor with regular 3000 mile oil changes and servicing! Ford definately has a big problem with this motor and I'm sure they now it. I only hope like a lot of the rest of you guys, that Ford will do whats right and recall those that haven't failed and reimburse guys like me!

I'll definately do my homework before I buy my next truck.....whenever that might be!

 

Well put more on the list boy's
I have a 97 4.2 as well and at 121000km, had the front cover done only 1100km out of war. ford laughed at me. About three weeks ago noticed a slow coolant leak again, tore it down on sat. morning to find lower intake bad in four spots seeping and just about to go, once i got to the heads the head gasket also slow leak at #4 , soounds farmilar doesn't it!!!!!!!! sent my heads out today had them planed to be safe replaceing everything on top possible and can only hope for the best as to what damage may be done. Hopefully i caught it early enough but who knows.

Second if you can beleive this coincedence,
My friend wit hsame truck same motor just hydrolocked his last thurs, and it destroyed his motor, he had also had the cover gasket replaced about a year ago

I think ford's new slogan should read
another 4.2 fixed or repaired daily lol

 

Caper,

I'm in the same boat. I only hope that the bottom end of my motor wasn't affected. Without pulling it and tearing it all the way down, I don't know any way to check. I had all the fluids changed out and they told me there was no sign of antifreeze in the pan when they drained it......I hope they were right!

I think another version of there slogan could be this......

4.2L
Found On Road Dead

 

I hear caddman, did you replace head gaskets and intake gaskets, and how long do y9ou think it was leaking,

 

lol lol don't mind me caddman your last post answered my question lol

 

Well I just go the title to my 1998 F150 (with the 4.2) in the mail yesterday. I found out today that I need a new engine. My truck has 91,000 miles on it and doesnt get much use while im at college. The last time I started it it was the worst knocking i have ever heard. I have always added coolant in the winter because the heat doesnt work well when its low. But I had never thought about where that collant was acually going. The dealership here in Newport News says that there is a large amount of coolant in the oil and now I need a new motor. $3600 and he emphasized ESTIMATE. I too have looked to Ford for help but I havent recieved any. The dealership couldn't care less. I will be paying to have it towed back to my house tomorrow, roughly 120 miles, until my college student bank account can afford a new motor. However, as a pre-law student, I have done research and Ford is liable. Maybe after the Spring semester Ford will know all too well about us 4.2 owners, just dont give up trying. Until then its a $500 beater to get me to and from work.

 

Well guys chalk up another 4.2 lol
A guy from my home town, lost his the other day, 6 months after having timing cover replaced.
upon inspection oil pump plugged with silicone, from when the front cover gasket was done, aparently when they replaced it he left on some sort of a long drive right away and some of the uncured sealant got washed down,The mechanic who done the job was a back yard guy and will not help. bearing had let go and made a real mess.and in our part of the country the 4.2 is a hard find