Hey all glad to see a Ford fan room.
I got a problem.
1997 5.4 triton.
Had a front impact to the driverside.
Killed the suspension but did not cause more than $1700 damage to the van.
Get it towed home cause tire is pushed into fender
Find oil in the water.
This model does have oil cooler.
Check heads no cracks.
Insurance says no pay cause impact could not have cracked block.
Mechanic says he believes impact cracked block but cannot prove it.
Get second opinion he says same thing.
Get lawyer! He says we have to find a mechanic that knows fords and will give facts if case goes to court.
HELP!

I went to Tulsa to pick up 7.3 for my other Ford van at
Old 33 salvage, Chouteau Ok,I highly reccommend this guy.
So impressed I will give a link.old 33 auto sales and salvage <old33auto@chouteautel.com>
He says the blocks on the triton are thinner than ever to keep wieght displacement down.
I love my triton dual overhead cams 260 hp.
Can any on confirm this?
I am taking my insurance company to court.

 

How hard were you hit? The reason I ask is we buy a lot of f150s from the auctions and have never encountered a damaged block.

 

Bent front fender in.
pushed tire back against fender.
Gave me a sprained neck.
Totaled the Car of lady that pulled out infront of me.

 

I think you need to find out how the water got in your oil.

It might be easier to prove that way.

 

You have to remember that the block is made of cast iron.
Iron is very tough, but at the same time it is very brittle.
If a part of the suspension was to hit the block during the
impact it could have cracked the block.

 

A reply from an aggie!
Hey are you guys still running the 610 loop to evacuate from the hurracaine? Just Kidding.I lived in Houston and my wife is from La Porte.
Water did not get in the oil.oil got in the water that is a classic sign of a cracked block.Water in the oil is a blown head or head gasket.That has been ruled out.The block is cracked somewhere
I would have to have it xrayed to find the crack.
What I need is input on the thin block issue and something I can take to court.

 

LOL, I wasnt down here during that whole hurricane thing :P I just transfered down here for last fall.

Oops, read the oil in water part backwards.
In any case, it still looks like you would have to disassemble the engine and inspect the block, and hopefully that would help prove (somehow) that the accident caused it.

Also, I would think that the fact there was no oil in the water before the accident would mean something to them...

 

They do not care about that.
The motors is sitting with no heads right now.I had the heads magnafluxed, no cracks , no blown head gaskets.