Please Read!! Troubles with Ford 4.2L V6
03-16-2015, 02:05 PM
#21
Happened to both my 97 and my 98. Did a rebuild on my 97...even though it had only 110,000 miles. Replaced one bent rod. The piston skirt was scrapping the crank throw because of the bent rod. Pistons looked really good. Replace rings, bearings, gaskets, water pump, oil pump and had the injectors cleaned. On the '98, I took the opportunity to go V8.
Over 200,000 dead 4.2s from the 97-98 era. Ford should have done a recall on those intake gaskets. That's NOT one of their better ideas.
Over 200,000 dead 4.2s from the 97-98 era. Ford should have done a recall on those intake gaskets. That's NOT one of their better ideas.
10-19-2017, 09:15 PM
#22
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by now now I expect to replace the transmission on my 98 manual 4.2 5speed since it went out at 70k miles. Gasketts are definitely a wear and tear item.
I just recently ordered and purchased a brand new, fully-loaded 2008 F-150 XLT regular cab with the 4.2L V6 engine that was made in the final month and year (May 2008) 
, due to Consumer Reports' rave with this engine. Some goody, high-tech options include reverse beeping sensor system, rear-view camera, auto-dim mirrors, etc. Sticker price was $29,350, and the dealer that I bought from thought I was insane. Only ONE fully-loaded F-150 V6 was produced by Ford this year. So far, I have 6,000 miles with no problems at all.
Every time I drive this truck, I always have a hard time understanding Ford's 4.2L V6 engine itself and its role of durability. The early ones did have gasket/rod problems (like all of you are experiencing), which lead to catastrophic failures, but after the gaskets were corrected in 1999, this engine really has rated high in reliability by Consumer Reports. I have all the Consumer Reports used car reliability data since 1965, and I have never seen anything like this before in an American vehicle when Consumer Reports rated the 4.2L V6 engine "excellent" (solid red dot) in reliability for FIVE straight consecutive years. The 2004-2008 generation with this engine all rated "excellent" (solid red dot) in their verdict reliability rating. This is a similar rating to a Honda or Toyota. Besides the V6 F-150, none of American vehicles has earned this rating so far. Not even the V8 Triton, 3.0L V6 Vulcan, and GM (Buick) 3800 can beat this rating. Earning "excellent" in reliability is extremely rare for domestics. Consumer Reports even claims that the 4.2L V6 engine is far more reliable than the old inline 4.9L I6. Despite the 4.9L I6's bulletproof design, the old inline engine earned anywhere from "poor" (black dot) to "average" (white dot) during the 80s and 90s, but never did earn at least "above average" (half-red, half white dot).
I have yet to find anyone having any problems (or gasket failures) with this engine in 2004-2008. I've searched through Google extensively with no luck so far. I'm still surprised (and I praised Ford) as of today that Ford could overturn this ho-hum V6 engine from being the most unreliable/terrible reputation ever made to the most reliable ever made by Ford (and domestics) in history. It's just incredible.
(No, I don't work for Ford.)
, due to Consumer Reports' rave with this engine. Some goody, high-tech options include reverse beeping sensor system, rear-view camera, auto-dim mirrors, etc. Sticker price was $29,350, and the dealer that I bought from thought I was insane. Only ONE fully-loaded F-150 V6 was produced by Ford this year. So far, I have 6,000 miles with no problems at all.Every time I drive this truck, I always have a hard time understanding Ford's 4.2L V6 engine itself and its role of durability. The early ones did have gasket/rod problems (like all of you are experiencing), which lead to catastrophic failures, but after the gaskets were corrected in 1999, this engine really has rated high in reliability by Consumer Reports. I have all the Consumer Reports used car reliability data since 1965, and I have never seen anything like this before in an American vehicle when Consumer Reports rated the 4.2L V6 engine "excellent" (solid red dot) in reliability for FIVE straight consecutive years. The 2004-2008 generation with this engine all rated "excellent" (solid red dot) in their verdict reliability rating. This is a similar rating to a Honda or Toyota. Besides the V6 F-150, none of American vehicles has earned this rating so far. Not even the V8 Triton, 3.0L V6 Vulcan, and GM (Buick) 3800 can beat this rating. Earning "excellent" in reliability is extremely rare for domestics. Consumer Reports even claims that the 4.2L V6 engine is far more reliable than the old inline 4.9L I6. Despite the 4.9L I6's bulletproof design, the old inline engine earned anywhere from "poor" (black dot) to "average" (white dot) during the 80s and 90s, but never did earn at least "above average" (half-red, half white dot).
I have yet to find anyone having any problems (or gasket failures) with this engine in 2004-2008. I've searched through Google extensively with no luck so far. I'm still surprised (and I praised Ford) as of today that Ford could overturn this ho-hum V6 engine from being the most unreliable/terrible reputation ever made to the most reliable ever made by Ford (and domestics) in history. It's just incredible.
(No, I don't work for Ford.)