I have a question: I drove my 97 f-150- xl around all morning, put it in the garage, went to start it for work, engine started and then it sounded like someone was in the right front side under the hood with a baseball bat beatin the $%^& out of it, anyway, had it towed to my mechanic who thinks it's internal and wouldn't touch it, sent it over to another mechanic who won't be in till tommorrow a.m. dying here, I have 109,000 miles on it, never abuse it and take extremly great care of it. My mechanic said it could be a rod, a bearing or internal engine problem, uh yeah got that, but, Has anyone ever had this happen to them or heard of what it might be, no leaking fluids or anything, did have some gray black smoke out of pipe, checked oil for any metal or water and nothing. Please tell me good news or fairly inexpensive. Thanks

 

If it was smoking at the time most likely there is something seriously wrong, rod, bearings, like he told you, sorry to say but it doesn't sound good

 

It has been slightly smokling at the start up idle, for awhile, manual drive not automatic, but I don't know what is a rod bearing anyway, and wouldn't I have some leaking fluids?

 

The pistons are connected to the crankshaft via a "connecting rod", there's a bearing on each rod where it connects to the crankshaft, when they get worn or otherwise damaged, you'll get a knock from the resulting play which gets worse as the slop gets worse until it finally gives.

Not a good thing, not a cheap fix. Sometimes it is possible to replace a bearing without pulling the engine, but chances are if you have one bad bearing, something else is getting there as well, may as well have the engine overhauled which will fix the bad bearing and head off any future problems along that lines for miles to come.

 

Thanks guys for all your help, I mean that for real. Today is monday, and it doesn't look good, I just spoke with the mechanic and he has a few to look at before he gets to mine but, he said when he put it in the lot it doesn't sound good, asked me if I was keeping it or not. I said it was actually being sold but that I needed a working engine, He said he asked because it sounds as if the pistons and so on are not letting the oil get to the bottom of the pan? or something like that? but, wasn't sure till he looked at it. I'll let you know....Prayyyyyyyyyyy.... Never a problem with this truck, then BAM!!!! As the saying goes never let your truck hear you say your selling her!!!!!

 

Thanks

 

Just out of curiousity, what engine is it? If I had to guess, I would say the 4.2 V6.

JMC

 

If a v8, might be a plug spit out.

Steve

 

yeah you guessed it a 4.2 v-6, not a plug I wish this sound scared the crap out of me, it runs but then it bangs like crazy, wish the mechanic would call me back soon, dying here.

 

Steve,

If it is a plug spit it doesn't say much about the mechanics that have already looked at the truck.

JMC

 

Rocsgirl,

I suspect that it is a rod knock.

JMC

 

what exactly is a rod knock, i would love to know why the heck my truck runs perfectly fine and then this so called knock or rod or whatever the heck it is goes bad and I have to by a new engine, can someone explain this to me in plain english. Never had a problem with this vehicle then I get the biggest of all it seems.

 

Rod knock is caused by a worn or damaged bearing, basically it's worn to the point where it's loose, the knocking is the rod end banging around on the crankshaft.

BTW, I have a standing rule of never filling my gas tank, every vehicle I've had that ended up having a major breakdown has done so within miles of filling the tank

 

Any Smoke??? If so check the Head gaskets...Sounds like the issue I had a day and a half before I blew a piston out the bottom of my 98 F-150 4.2L.

 

It's the 4.2 v6 I hate to say it but it prolly isn't rod knock (might be now) but the 4.2's are famous for a blown head gasket then coolant/water gets in the cylinder and BAM hydralocks and breaks a rod/piston/etc.

this would explain a little smoke and the engine running fine then all of a sudden it goes.

just my .01 cent