I'm in the market for a new truck since I've about had it with my 90 F150. It's pretty much just one problem after another (which is about what I expected from a 17 year old truck that was worked hard before I owned it) and it's pretty much gotten to the point where I've put more money into it than it's worth. So I started looking around at new (to me) trucks tonight. I found one on AutoTrader.com

It's a 98 F150 4.6L 5sp 4x4. The paint looks (in the pictures anyway) like it's in perfect shape, as well as the interior. It has a bedliner and a tool box, but from what it looks like, nothing was hardly ever put in either. Here's the kicker... only 38,000 miles. The guy wants $9500 for it. So I'm gonna go look at it over the weekend. Its a short bed flare side, which I'm not too crazy about, but for the condition the truck is in, and the amount of stuff I haul around (next to nothing), I'm willing to deal with it.

I know that the 5.4's have the problems with COPs and all, did the 4.6s this early have them? I'm more of an older Ford truck kinda guy (96 and older) so I'm not used to dealing with the mod motors at all. I'll be giving the truck a full look over and a thorough test drive, but is there anything in particular I should really look for? With the amount of mileage, I don't think there could really be much wrong with the truck yet, but I did e-mail the guy tonight asking why he was selling.

Thanks in advance for the help, I'm off to read up on these things some more!!

 

I have a 98' 5.4, never had a problem.

 

Might be 138,000 miles.
The ignition isn't COP, it's still plug wires and two modules.
Brakes, exhaust, tires, shocks etc all unknowns.
Good luck.

 

Well, I have a 98 F150 w/4.6 and the auto tranny... have 165,000 and still going strong... only replaced the alternator and rear axle bearings so far. If you tow alot (like I do), I cant say that I would recommend it per se, (especially with the manual) but otherwise, I think I got my $25,000 out of it.. of course that was in 2000 when I bought it.

BTW, the 4.6's do not have coil packs, nor (as I understand) any major issues with plug blowouts, and although underpowered for towing IMO, is a great motor.

 

The 98 4.6's have coil pacs. Like Bluegrass said - it isn't a COP system. The 4.6 is good motor, not much of a puller tho.

No major problems with the 5.4L here. 207,000 miles.

 

It may be 138,000 but I doubt it. It looks too clean, kinda like an old man's truck (no offense to any old men here

I'll definitely check that out though. It should be a digital odometer right? Those are nearly impossible to roll back without messing with the computer aren't they?

Good to hear it's not COP, nothing wrong with it...I'm just a fan of the old style wires and plugs (it'll take me a bit of getting used to not having a distributor...maybe this is a good stepping stone, haha.)

As far as the 4.6 not being as powerful as the 5.4, I'm not really worried about it. I'm sure there will be times when I wish I got a 5.4, but for the amount of hauling I do (occasional trips to Home Depot or the furniture store, etc no more often than about every 6-8 months) I think I will be just fine. I don't own a trailer, nor do I have any desire to in the forseeable future.

Of course the brakes, tires, shocks, etc. are unknowns, but those are maintenece items and would need to be checked on any used vehicle. I'm looking for more along the lines of common problems to look out for so I don't get sucked into a money pit.

Thanks for all the responses and advice.

 

I doubt the odometer is digital in that one. It'spossible I guess..

 

hmmm...i thought all the newer clusters had the digital odometer. guess not. anyway, i'm not too worried about the mileage, but i will check it out anyway. It's kinda hard not to notice the differences between a truck with 38,000 miles and 138,000 miles.

 

*post deleted. question answered*

 

There an extra tumbler in there though - so it will read up to 999,999.99 miles.. I leased a 92 way back when and that was digital. I've seen some 2000's that were digital , but no 98's yet.

 

When you take a look at it , if you take a pic of the tag inside the drivers door or copy down the numbers , we can tell you what your getting - the goods and maybe the not so goods lol. If you copy the vin on the dash , you can find out actual milage thru OASIS.

 

i'll definitely check out the door tag and copy down the vin and report back.

 

Sorry, I knew what I meant, not what I said... not the COP's that give people problems.


My 98 is not digital (hence no tire size adjustments with Edge ) However, as stated, it does have the extra digit for over 100K

 

LOL - I called coil-pacs COPs once

I was corrected

 

just realized the vin was posted in the ad....

2FTZF0861WCA61793

anyone care to look it up? i'd appreciate it.