We just bought a 99 Expy Yesterday, it has 173,000 miles and is the 4.6. I will start off with the story from the beggining.

After searching DFW area all day saturday i came across this 99expy. Pretty nice on the outside and immaculate on the inside... Took it for a test drive and noticed it had a miss during acceleration.. So after talking with my Brother in law we decided to go ahead and get it... So we negotiated the price and got him down to 3300 dollars. While we were looking at the vehicle i was a dumb *** and forgot to check the oil, I checked the tranny fluid antifreeze and every looked great..

So after getting it and driving off it started cutting out very badly and backfiring threw the engine, so we drove it to the brother in laws house and i went to the store and got a coil pack, motorcraft plugs (original), wires (original). After about 2 hrs we had everything done and while i was away my bil checked the oil and told me it was pretty black and need too change it when i get home (250 miles away) So after doing this work the truck ran great, no misses or anything...

So me and the wife are headed down I20 and we climbed a pretty good little hill and she called and said the oil gage went to low but it was still driving fine.. So we pulled over and checked the oil and it was full but very nasty looking black color. After letting it sit for a few minutes i started it back up and it ran great. Told the wife to keep a eye on it and lets keep going... So we got another 150 miles down the road and she pulled out to pass a semi and when she got around him the oil gauge went down to low and it started ticking. She pulled it over ASAP and shut it off.

I let it sit for about 30 mins and started it up and after a mile it went back to 0.

So right now its in a small town about 60 miles away sitting at a mechanic shop... When you first start it it runs great but when the oil gauge goes to 0 you can hear a slight tick...

What do i need to start looking at?

My brother in law suggested changing the nasty oil and see what it does after that...

Im at a loss right now and not sure what to start with...

What would be worst case scenario and is there a chance a oil change will fix this?

Is there a GOOD product like a Engine Flush that i can use?

Please help me guys so when i go back tomorrow i will know what to start looking at.

 

put a quart of transmission fluid in the oil and run it for a while, the detergents help clean the oil passages.

you might have a blocked oil pickup tube, sounds like you're building pressure but higher loads/RPMs pressure drops. Probably low flow going into the pump, causing low pressure.

I bet a good cleaning will do it some good, and might be dropping the oil pan to check the pickup tube.

2wd or 4x4?

wheres the truck at? temple area?


And dont make me say "i told you so" about having me come look at it with you :o

 

Ok so tell me more about this transmission fluid... Do i pur a quart and let it idle for a few mins or do i drive it around?

Its a 2wd

We bought it in bedford and right now its sitting in Ballinger 40 miles south of Abilene.

had no choice, had to get something this weekend since i wrecked the lincoln Wed. nite.


I was going to get it towed by a towing company but they told me they couldnt do a out of town run since they were so busy so they recommended me getting it to a town and park it... I was going to get this shop to change the oil in it tomorrow.. I just dont know how far to let this guy go with it!

 

yea just put a quart in, run it for a while, or go drive it for 30-45 minutes and do a normal oilchange. you could do this several times as needed.

Can't remember if the oil filler neck unscrews from the valve cover on these trucks, if they do, its an easy way to look down into the valve train and see how much oil sludge there is

 

make sure the shop is using the correct oil, and filter

 

Ok, should i change the oil then pour the tranny fluid in and drive it then change it again, or just pour the tranny fluid in the old oil?

 

Yes sir!

 

top off with trans fluid, you dont want to run straight trans fluid, adding a quart is plenty of detergents without taking too much from the needed oiling properties.

 

Like Patman said, PULL THE PAN and check the pickup screen and make sure the pickup tube is good and solid. My bet is pickup screen clogged, either by crap (sludge) or using Fram filters that come apart and clog things up. When you let it set a little while and then have oil pressure and at a time a little later (indeterminate) you lose pressure, I'm putting 100% of my money on clogged pickup screen.
P.S. I personally would be careful with the trans fluid. That is high detergent and will only break more sludge loose if that's the problem. I used an engine flush on a friends (not well maintained) car quite a few years ago because of such nastty oil. There had never been problems with oil pressure or running before this. I took it for a drive a few miles down the freeway and the (real) oil pressure guage started dropping to near zero after a few miles. I pulled over and let it set for a few minutes, started it and continued back to the shop. in a mile or so, pressure dropped agin. went therough this about 3 or 4 times to get it back to the shop. when I pulled the pan I was amazed at how quickly and EFFECTIVELY it had cleaned the sludge from the engine and deposited it on the pickup screen. Be VERY careful!

 

code58's got it pegged, -so I'll put up 110% . Maybe I'll still come out ahead ? Not sure how that works, but I am positive it's the pickup screen. I really don't think any filter would help at this point. That's impossible IMO.

It WILL blow within 1500 miles. That's the longest I've seen one go for, once this starts happening anyway.

It may go less, if you use the transmission fluid to clean her out,- @ this point anyway. It's my opinion that it's not enough and may cause the pickup screen to plug solid until you hear a BANG. That's why it plugged in the first place, -new oil is fortified with a percentage of cleaning agents. Old cooked is not, it's thinner and begins to corrode or sludge. That shlit sticks to everything. Therefore, adding new oil frees up the sludge. The sludge being to thick for the pickup screen hangs out there for awhile and waits for friends, -to many friends show up, then you have problems. Some stick around and never leave.

So, - drop the pan and do it right or she won't last.

 

I wouldn't use tranny fluid - if anything, use AutoRX.

I would get the shop to drop the pan, clean it out, and clean the pickup screen.

 

Thanks guys, How much would yal pay for a shop to drop the pan and clean the pickup screen and do a oil change?... I just want to make sure he dont over charge me... Im thinking 150 to 200 dollars?

 

This guy just quoted me $750.00 to drop pan clean screen and a oil change. SERIOUSLY? is this right? He told me 6.2 Hours labor

 

yea the main crossmember is hanging right under the oil pain, its usually easier to pull the engine up a little, then drop the pan.

If you wanna yank it back up here I could give you a hand with it, but sounds like you're on a time constraint....

 

what i dont get any credit for saying it was a pickup screen first?