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1995 Ford F150 4.9L 4x2 Manual transmission
Symptoms: Hard Engine Shake, started once and quickly went away, and came back. Now it happens frequently enough that it is not drivable. Heavy exhaust smell from engine, "smoke" came up during testing. Ran OBD1 diagnostics several times and got these codes: 116 (twice), 213, 313, 538, 172.
Had it towed to a shop and they did not have an OBD1 reader and did not do very much diagnostic work, but said that it is common for an old truck like this, with symptoms such as this, it sounded like a compression issue and they felt that it was not worth it to fix the vehicle. They stated that the valves could be worn, warped, or misseated and it would cause symptoms like this. They waived the diagnostic fee and I towed the vehicle home & got OBD1 diagnostics. My fiance's dad (a mechanic who lives far away) suggested we use a compression tester to test whether or not this was the case. We've rented the tool but we're too tired to do the diag right now. We'll do it tomorrow.
I felt though it would be worth posting here for suggestions of diagnostic tests. Thank you in advanced
How did you read those codes? When you post code numbers, you should include the COMPLETE definition with each one, so each of us doesn't have to keep looking them up. This page shows the Ford definitions for all the codes that apply to these trucks:
It's EXTREMELY common for the engine mounts to break, and Ford doesn't make them any more (not that they were much more-durable than the cheapos available now). Read this page & the PREVious few:
Phone apps don't always show signatures, so you may need to switch to a real browser in desktop mode on your phone, or just use a desktop/laptop computer. Put your location in your profile & upload an avatar of the truck. Post pics of the truck the engine, the engine bay, the undercarriage, the wiring, the battery terminals...
Just did a compression test.
Dry:
1. 120
2. 120
3. 180
4. 160
5. 160
7. 150
Wet (just on 1 & 2)
1. 150
2. 140
Does this look like head gasket or piston rings? Should I do further diagnostics?
Additionally, after pulling the spark plugs, I noticed that some looked practically clean and some were dark black with gunk. Does that indicate anything?
Read that page to understand the results, but cylinder #7 looks a little higher than I'd expect. Also:
Originally Posted by Ford Service Manual
Cylinder Leakage Detector
When a cylinder produces a low reading, the use of Rotunda Pressurization Kit 014-00705 or equivalent will be helpful in pinpointing the exact cause.
The leakage detector is inserted in the spark plug hole, the piston is brought up to top dead center on the compression stroke, and compressed air is admitted.
Once the combustion chamber is pressurized, a special gauge will read the percentage of leakage. Leakage exceeding 20 percent is considered excessive.
While the air pressure is retained in the cylinder, listen for the hiss of escaping air. A leak by the intake valve (6507) will be audible in the throttle body (9E926). A leak by the exhaust valve (6505) can be heard at the tail pipe. Leakage past the rings will be audible at the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) connection. If air is passing through a blown gasket to an adjacent cylinder, the noise will be evident at the spark plug hole of the cylinder into which the air is leaking. Cracks in the cylinder block (6010), or gasket leakage into the cooling system may be detected by a stream of bubbles in the radiator (8005).
If the plugs have all been in the same amount of time, and it's more than a couple thousand miles, then yes: their condition is EXTREMELY revealing. Read the inside back cover of a Haynes manual.
All the evidence seems to be pointing to Piston Rings.
Now to make the hard decision: Fix (we'd have to do it ourselves), or sell (as-is, for a low price)
Prices are higher than they've ever been - even for these antiques, when they're NOT in perfect condition. So if you're not comfortable diving in, this is a seller's market. Put your location in your profile.
Alright, I'll go ahead & do that. Maybe someone will stumble on to it. Eventually I'll advertise it, after I clean it up top to bottom & take a bunch of pics. Thanks
I have friends there & in SoWeLA (I'm from Lake Charles), and I'll probably be passing through Ruston or Vicksburg in a few weeks. So I might want to see it if you're somewhere near them. How about changing your location to a nearby city?
Hard engine shake
Also:
If the plugs have all been in the same amount of time, and it's more than a couple thousand miles, then yes: their condition is EXTREMELY revealing. Read the inside back cover of a Haynes manual.
