1997 Ford F-150 Engine Problems

LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE RESULTING IN BENT CONNECTING ROD REQUIRING MAJOR ENGINE REPAIR. *****DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS *******770801. *AK *JB

STARTED THE VEHICLE IN A PARKING LOT. THE SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE HEAD ON THE PASSENGER REAR OF THE MOTOR. TRIED THE APPROPRIATE HELICOIL REPAIR KIT BUT THERE WERE NO THREADS TO TAP INTO.

MY FORD F150 SOMEHOW GOT WATER IN THE CYLINDER AND BENT A CONNECTING ROD AT111000 MILES.

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM VACATION, WITH ABOUT 150 MILES TO GO, THE #2 SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE ENGINE. WITH ABOUT 30 MILES LEFT THE #3 SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT. CURSE OF THE FORD TRITON ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1997 FORD F-150. WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BURST INTO FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,000. UPDATED 02/02/16*LJ *TR

I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE OVERHEATING, HEATER TEMPERATURE WORKING INTERMITTENTLY INSIDE, MISFIRE ON ONE CYLINDER. I HAVE REPLACED THERMOSTAT, SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES, AND COILS. DIAGNOTIC CODE STILL READS MISFIRE ON ONE CYLINDER. MISFIRE IS NOT CONSTANT. AFTER RESEARCHING I FOUND OTHERS STATING THERE IS A RECALL... "RECALL # 99B20". I CAN NOT FIND A RECALL 99B20. I DID NOTICE THERE HAVE BEEN 545 OTHER COMPLAINTS CONCERNING ENGINE COOLING AND MANIFOLD O RINGS, BLOWN HEAD GASKETS ETC DUE TO FAULTY COMPONENTS. I AM ADDING MY COMPLAINT AS WELL FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATIVE ACTION, AS I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A REAL RECALL TO FIX THIS PROBLEM/COMPLAINTS. *TR

WHILE STARTING FROM A RED LIGHT, THE ENGINE BLEW A SPARK PLUG! I HAVE THE 5.4 V-8 ENGINE. FORTUNATELY THE ENGINE WAS NOT DAMAGED OR ANYTHING ELSE. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF ROAD AND HAD TRUCK TOWED TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP. REPAIRS WERE $600.00. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE FLAMES COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CONTACT DID NOT DISCLOSE IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OR NOT AND WHO EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

I CAME HOME FROM WORK ON 12/13 2014 AND NOTICED I HAD A WATER PUDDLE UNDER MY TRUCK SO ON 12/14/2014 I PULLED IN THE GARAGE AND DID SOME SEARCHING ONLY TO FIND THE OUTLET TUBE IN THE MANIFOLD WAS LEAKING I ASSUMED IT WAS THE RUBBER HOSE AND WHEN I WENT TO REPLACE IT THE OUTLET TUBE BROKE OFF AT THE BASE OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. UPON DOING SOME RESEARCH I FOUND THAT THE ONLY WAY TO REPLACE IT IS TO BUY A NEW INTAKE MANIFOLD SO AT THIS POINT MY TRUCK IS STUCK IN THE GARAGE . I CHECKED THE OUTLET TUBE AND FOUND 2 PINHOLES IN IT.THIS IS A CRATE MOTOR REPLACED BY FORD AT 88000 MILES I CAN'T AFFORD THE 500.00 THAT A NEW ONE WILL COSTS SO I'M OUT A VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THE ENGINE GOT CAUGHT ON FIRE. WHEN I HAVE THE MECHANIC LOOKED AT IT HE SAID THAT IT LOOKED LIKE THE ROCKER ARM IN THE ENGINE CAME OFF AND HE SAID THE THAT THE VALVES GOT DESTROYED FROM THE ROCKERS. *TR

THE TRUCK WAS PARKED IN A STRIP MALL PARKING LOT. A FEW MINUTES LATER SOMEONE SAID THAT THERE WERE FLAMES COMING FROM THE HOOD. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL IN 10 MINUTES. FOUR OFF DUTY FIREMEN WERE THERE AND COULD NOT PUT THE FLAMES OUT. NEAR BY FIRE STATION WAS CALLED. ITS RESPONSE WAS WITH IN A FEW MINUTES. TRUCK WAS TOTALED. *TR

FORD RECALL 99B29. FRONT COVER GASK UNABLE TO HOLD COOLANT. *TR

TRUCK HAS A 4.2 LITER, V-6 ENGINE. A WEEK PRIOR TO INCIDENT THE TRUCK WAS DRIVEN THEN PARKED IN A MY GARAGE. ON THE INCIDENT DAY I TRIED TO START THE TRUCK BUT HEARD ONLY A LOUD, HARD KNOCK WHEN THE STARTER ENGAGED. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER. THE BATTERY VOLTAGE CHECKED OUT OK. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. THE STARTER WAS REMOVED AND CHECKED OUT OK ELECTRICALLY. THE MECHANIC MANUALLY ROTATED THE ENGINE BACKWARD 1-1/2 TURNS (HE COULD NOT ROTATE IT FORWARD) THEN TRIED TO START IT BUT THE ENGINE AGAIN MADE A LOUD, HARD KNOCK SOUND. THE MECHANIC THOUGH THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED OR A PUSH ROD WAS BENT. HOWEVER, SINCE THE TRUCK RAN FINE THE LAST TIME IT WAS USED I FELT THE PROBLEM DEVELOPED DURING ITS LAST USE AND LAST COOLDOWN. I CONCLUDED A GASKET FAILED (OR A HEAD CRACKED) ALLOWING COOLANT TO LEAK INTO ONE OR MORE CYLINDERS DURING ITS LAST COOLDOWN. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED BACK TO MY GARAGE. I REMOVED ALL SPARK PLUGS AND FOUND COOLANT DRAINING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT CYLINDER WHICH WAS CAUSING HYDROLOCK. I ROTATED THE ENGINE BACKWARD 4-1/2 TURNS THEN FORWARD 9 TURNS. THE ENGINE NOW TURNED FREELY. A TOTAL OF 4 TO 6 OUNCES OF COOLANT CAME OUT OF THE CYLINDER. I SPOKE WITH A MECHANIC WHO CHECKED THE FORD ALERT SYSTEM AND FOUND A POSTING FOR THE 1997 4.2L V-6 ENGINES THAT INDICATED THEY ARE PRONE TO INTAKE MANIFOLD O-RING FAILURES. I FOUND MANY REPORTS OF SIMILAR FAILURES FOR THIS YEAR AND ENGINE TYPE. I INTEND TO CHECK IN WITH THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP TO GET THEIR TAKE ON THIS PROBLEM AND FIND OUT WHY I WASN'T NOTIFIED ABOUT A "RECALL". *JS

WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT THE TRUCK IN 2001, THE ENGINE HAD APPROXIMATELY 82K MILES. I WAS HAVING A HARD TIME STARTING AND SOMETIMES IT WOULD NOT START. AT FIRST THE DEALER THOUGHT IT WAS THE STARTER AND THEY REPLACED IT. THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO PEPBOYS TO GET THE STARTER REPLACED. WHEN THEY STARTED THE CAR A MASS OF GRAY SMOKE COME OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE. TWO DAYS LATER THE ENGINE FROZE. SINCE I HAD A WARRANTY AGREEMENT I TOOK THE TRUCK TO A LOCAL FORD DEALER, THEY STATED IT HAD HYDROLOCKED AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE WARRANTY COMPANY SENT OUT A SHORT BLOCK AND FORD COMPLETED THE REST OF THE REPAIRS. AT THE BEGINNING OF APRIL, MY DAUGHTER WAS USING MY TRUCK AND SHE DROVE IT TO MY HOUSE AND PARKED IT OUT FRONT. IT SAT FOR 2 WEEKS, WHEN I WENT TO START IT, IT WOULD NOT TURN OVER. REPLACE THE BATTERY AND IT STILL WOULD NOT TURN OVER. AT THAT TIME THE STARTER SMOKED AND TOOK THE TRUCK TO A MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE STARTER. HE TRIED TO TURN IT OVER AND IT WOULD NOT TURN. HE STATED THEY TRIED USING A TORQUE WRENCH AND STILL COULD NOT TURN THE MOTOR. THE MECHANIC RECOMMENDED THAT THE ENGINE BE REPLACED. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO MY HOME. AFTER READING THE INFO ABOUT ANOTHER TRUCK HYDROLOCKING, I DECIDED TO CHECK TO SEE IF MY TRUCK HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. WHEN I PULLED THE PLUGS, I HAD COOLANT DRAIN FROM THE #3 CYLINDER AND A SMALL AMOUNT OF COOLANT LEAK FROM #5 CYLINDER. PREPARING TO REPLACE THE LOWER AND UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS. *TR

4.2L F150 HAD A SLOW LOSS OF COOLANT AND NOT BEING NOTIFIED THAT THIS COULD BE A POTENTIAL PROBLEM WHICH COULD LEAD TO ENGINE DESTRUCTION, I WOULD SIMPLY ADD MORE COOLANT. THIS CONDITION RESULTED IN COMPLETE HYDRO LOCK AND DESTROYING #5 ROD BEARING. WHILE I CAN WELL UNDERSTAND PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH VEHICLES OF 1997 VINTAGE I CAN NOT UNDERSTAND AT ALL FORD NOT ADVISING CONSUMERS OF POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH THEIR VEHICLES BEFORE THEY SPEND 4K$ IN REBUILDING AND INSTALLING THIS LONG BLOCK AND FINDING OUT THEY HAD SQUANDERED THEIR MONEY ON TRYING TO RESURRECT A DEAD HORSE WITH 86069 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE, HE HEARD THE HORN SOUNDING OFF. THE VEHICLE ENGULFED INTO FLAMES SOON THEREAFTER. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. THE FIRE CHIEF STATED THAT THE FRONTAL AREA ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 161,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED. NO ONE WAS INJURED FROM THE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND TOOK A COMPLAINT. THE CONTACT DID NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

ENGINE FRONT COVER GASKET FAILED IN LINE WITH RECALL 99B29. FORD DOES NOT INCLUDE MY TRUCK BUILT 1997 IN RECALL CAMPAIGN INDICATING THE ORIGINAL RECALL HAS BEEN INADEQUATE. *TR

FRONT DRIVERS SIDE SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF ENGINE AND DESTROYED COIL PACK RIPPING THE THREADS OUT OF THE HEAD. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE AND A SPARK PLUG EJECTED FROM THE HEAD OF THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC. THE LOCAL MECHANIC CONFIRMED THE BLOWN SPARK PLUG AS WELL AS A COIL, AND ADVISED REPLACING THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER TO ORDER THE NECESSARY PARTS FOR REPAIRS AND THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THERE WERE ONLY TWO ENGINE HEADS AVAILABLE IN THE COUNTRY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THE VEHICLE TO BE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.