97up-list-digest Sunday, October 25 1998 Volume 01 : Number 256



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Ford Truck Enthusiasts - 1997 and Newer Trucks and Vans
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In this issue:

FTE 97up - 5.4L in a SD and other questions
FTE 97up - Re: auto trans question
FTE 97up - FW: Explorer Mailing list
FTE 97up - Camper shell compatability
Re: FTE 97up - 5.4L in a SD and other questions
Re: FTE 97up - 1999 F-150 4x4 4.6L Auto trans questions
Re: FTE 97up - Comparison to '99 Silverado to 99 F-150
Re: FTE 97up - 1999 F-150 4x4 4.6L Auto trans questions
Re: FTE 97up - Re: auto trans question
FTE 97up - lowering my 4x4
Re: FTE 97up - Comparison to '99 Silverado to 99 F-150
FTE 97up - 1999 Ranger Running boards
FTE 97up - Re: 97up-list-digest V1 #255

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Date: Sat, 24 Oct 1998 07:00:31 -0500
From: "Jack Harrison"
Subject: FTE 97up - 5.4L in a SD and other questions

Hello Everyone.

This is my first posting but I have been reading this list since last
winter. I have not really had much to say before now. I ordered my F250 SD
4x4 SC LB 5.4L Lariat on March 9 and it was delivered August 26. My dealer
(and former student, so he owes me) twisted every possible arm to get faster
delivery and nothing worked. It was well worth the wait as it is certainly
the best truck I have ever had. I think the slow delivery was partly due to
all the options I had and the fact that it was a 5.4 and not a diesel.

I had the rear end lowered before delivery and it was paid for by Ford. The
truck is a lot easier for me to get into this way and I can climb up on the
tailgate without a ladder.

I have installed a pre-luber for what I believe will give me significantly
longer engine life. Has anyone else used one of these?

Does anyone know if the passenger side grab handle will work on the driver's
side?

I have seen quite a bit of discussion about whether the SD has the 260HP
engine. I had the parts manager (another former student, along with the
service manager) check to see if there were different exhaust valves for the
F150 5.4L than for the F-250SD. Well, there is an "enhanced horsepower
head" which is on the current 250SD's AND 150's. There isn't any date when
the change was made listed in the parts book, so he didn't have any easy way
of finding out when the change was made. The camshafts also show up for use
on the enhanced horsepower head and are the same part number for both the
150 and 250SD. It was my opinion that Ford would not make two different
engines and these part numbers seem to support that conjecture. It may
still be a 235, but with the heart of a 260. Sometime when they are not too
busy I will check the parts book to see if I can find out what is really
different. I would like to hear from anyone else that might have some solid
information.

BTW- My mpg computer is accurate within less than 1%

Jack Harrison in Dodgeville, WI




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Date: Sat, 24 Oct 1998 08:04:08 -0400
From: Lee Haefele
Subject: FTE 97up - Re: auto trans question

> However, once the OD is engaged, if I remove my
> foot from the gas to coast for a second or more, when I re-apply power,
> the rpm's rise (several hundred for a brief half-second), then the trans
> seems to re-engage OD and the rpm's drop back to where they were at
> cruise. This sequence can be easily repeated at any speed above about
> 45mph, even at highway speeds 65 and up. I was expecting the OD to stay
> engaged unless the speed drops below a point at which it should be
> engaged under acceleration (say 45 or so).
That is how my Super Duty works too, I beleive it is due to the torque
converter unlocking (it has not shifted out of OD) when you let off the
gas. This is necessary so the engine doesn't stall if you lock the
brakes. My Windstar does it too, but it is much quicker, so you might
not notice.
There is some history on this with full size Ford police cars in New
York City, with early OD trans. Seems they were stalling out in high
speed chases, causing loss of power steering. Drivers were instructed
to not use the OD.
Lee Haefele
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Date: Sat, 24 Oct 1998 09:49:06 -0400
From: "Brad Harris"
Subject: FTE 97up - FW: Explorer Mailing list

To s*bscribe to my Explorer list follow these directions:

Send a message to majordomo list2.aracnet.com with S*BSCRIBE EXPLORER in the
first line of the message. You'll get a confirmation e-mail, just follow
the directions in the e-mail.

Note: Use the full word S*BSCRIBE (without the *) I don't think you can put
that word in these messages or else it gets sent to the owner only, or
something.

Brad



> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-97up-list ford-trucks.com
> [mailto:owner-97up-list ford-trucks.com]On Behalf Of F150DML aol.com
> Sent: Friday, October 23, 1998 7:47 PM
> To: 97up-list ford-trucks.com
> Subject: Re: FTE 97up - Explorer Mailing list
>
>
> I would like very much to be a member of your mailing list.
> David
> F150dml aol.com
> or
> fordtrucks1 hotmail.com
> == FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html
>

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Date: Sat, 24 Oct 1998 09:27:14 -0500
From: "Scott J. Mitchell"
Subject: FTE 97up - Camper shell compatability

I will be selling/trading my '92 F-250 s.cab longbed for a '99 F350 SRW PSD.
Will my fiberglass shell fit the '99 and will the contour of the cab be
close to the same???

Thanks, Scott

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Date: Sat, 24 Oct 1998 12:46:49 -0700
From: Ken Peterson
Subject: Re: FTE 97up - 5.4L in a SD and other questions

>BTW- My mpg computer is accurate within less than 1%

Um, is this a stock feature? If it's aftermarket and you think there's a
gasoline model, please describe.

- ---------------
Ken Peterson, Portland, OR
1998 F-250LD Lariat, extended cab, short bed, 4X2, 5.4l, class-3 tow options
LT245X16/steel rims, 4W disks + ABS, load-leveling rear suspension.
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Date: Sat, 24 Oct 1998 12:49:22 -0700
From: Ken Peterson
Subject: Re: FTE 97up - 1999 F-150 4x4 4.6L Auto trans questions

> However, once the OD is engaged, if I remove my
>foot from the gas to coast for a second or more, when I re-apply power,
>the rpm's rise (several hundred for a brief half-second), then the trans
>seems to re-engage OD and the rpm's drop back to where they were at
>cruise.

Yep. My '98 5.4l F-250LD with the E4OD tranny does the same. But my Subaru
Legacy, once locked up in 4th, doesn't, and it also has 4W ABS.

- ---------------
Ken Peterson, Portland, OR
1998 F-250LD Lariat, extended cab, short bed, 4X2, 5.4l, class-3 tow options
LT245X16/steel rims, 4W disks + ABS, load-leveling rear suspension.
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Date: Sat, 24 Oct 1998 15:23:38 -0500
From: "Union Auto"
Subject: Re: FTE 97up - Comparison to '99 Silverado to 99 F-150

I set in a new Chevy and the Extended cab is bigger than the Ford but they
try to put a full rear seat which eats up all the extra room. If someone
would go between Ford seat (which doesn't have enough cushion area) and
Chevy's (which has a great cushion but looses the leg room) it would be much
better. They also don't have as nice of folding system to convert the cab
from seating to storage.

Hood struts in the F-150 shouldn't be a problem because the hood is aluminum
and the light weight involved shouldn't ruin the struts (unlike mini-van
hatches)

The fracture split rods are broken (kind of) to make a edge (on the rod cap
and rod) that allows them to only go back together one way and only work as
the original assembly making them stronger and eliminating the chance that a
cap might go on the wrong rod.

Nathan Bernard
Union Auto, Inc.


- -----Original Message-----
From: RAMWORKER aol.com
To: 97up-list ford-trucks.com
Date: Friday, October 23, 1998 6:09 PM
Subject: Re: FTE 97up - Comparison to '99 Silverado to 99 F-150


>Hi List,
>
> Just thought I'd add a little to Nathans' comments.
>
>> 4. Cab space-Chevy has slight edges over Ford in size in attempt to
"best
>> ball" Ford, most customers won't notice the small difference. (For
example
>> Chevy has .2" more head room, .4" more front hip room, .4" more leg
room,
>> .6" more rear head room)
>>
>> They also always say "IN THE HALF TON SEGMENT" this is because the Super
>> Duty F-Series has substancally more room than the Silverado does.
>>
>> 5. Door Opening- Standard third door has the widest opening in the
>segment.
>> Yes it is a bit wider, but where is the fourth door?
>
>There was a '99 GMC extended cab that showed up at the shop one morning
this
>week that I got a peek at.
>I was very impressed with the length of the extended cab portion, much
longer
>than any other truck I've seen. This should translate into more rear seat
>legroom. And where the heck is the fourth door?
>
>> They also talk about Being "FASTER
>>
>> 1. Horsepower- Ford V-6 has 5 horsepower more than Chevy, 4.8K Chevy
has
>35
>> horse over Ford and 5.3L has 10 Horsepower over the 5.4L. The numbers
that
>> are compared are peak horsepower if you put the 5.3L and the 5.4L on a
>graph
>> you'll see the 5.4L produces more horsepower from 1600 RPM until 4500
rpm
>> (me reading the chart so might be a hundred RPM off) which is where most
>> driving takes place
>>
>> Torque is the true measure of performance in a truck it tells you how
much
>> you can do and Horsepower tells you how fast you can do it. All F-150
>V-8's
>> have more torque than their Silverado counterparts.
>>
>> 2. Torque- Silverado claims to have a long flat torque curve to provide
>> better towing and hauling. F-150 hits 90% of its torque at
approximately
>> 2500 RPM (5.4L peaks at 2300) so it provide more torque at low RPM so
you
>> have power you can use and feel especially to get a load moving. Chevy
has
>> lower torque numbers than Ford (5.4L has 345 Lb/ft 2300 RPM 5.3L 315
at
>> 4000 RPM). The Chevy has to rev higher to hit torque peak so they have
to
>> work harder (and still produce less torque) and more RPM's mean more
wear
>on
>> engines.
>
>The boss at our sister company next door recently traded his '96 GMC with
the
>350 Vortec for a '99 GMC with the 5.3 liter engine. Vortec rated at 255
horse
>and 335 torque, 5.3 rated at 270 horse, 315 torque. He claims he can
confirm
>these ratings by "seat of the pants." So torque is down, horsepower up,
just
>as Nathan mentioned, and common sense should confirm, a smaller engine
should
>have less torque, all else being equal.
>
>> 1. They are mainly referring to their frame. They are proud of a 3
piece
>> frame (F-150 had this when 1997 model was introduced). They also are
>> talking about their "hydroforming" process which produces a lighter
frame.
>> Do you really want a lighter frame in a Full size pickup?
>
>I'm not real impressed with this Hydroforming.
>
>> 2. Tow Haul mode on transmission- F-150 has Overdrive lockout feature
to
>> perform this function to prevent shifting "busyness"
>
>This is one thing I don't like about Ford or Dodge. Why do we have to have
two
>different controls for the same component? There's already a shift lever,
why
>do they think we need an extra button? Chevy, at least up to '98 gave us a
>real shift quadrant, like Ford used to do with the older, and maybe current
>full size cars.
>
>> 5. Fracture Split connecting rods- Ford has had this in the Triton
engines
>> since their introduction in 1995, yet another example of Chevy catching
up
>> to Ford.
>
>Would you please explain this one? It's new to me. It sounds like they're
>broken from the factory!
>
>> 6. Things Chevy doesn't offer- FOURTH DOOR, Hood struts (they use old
>> fashioned spring design), Locking tailgate, Power signal mirrors,etc..
>
>Hood struts, no I don't like these. They're nice, light, and high tech!
LOL.
>But they simply don't last long, I much prefer the old springs, they almost
>never wear out. It sure doesn't look good when it's cold out, and you're
using
>an old baseball bat to hold the hood up, and off the top of your head, been
>there, done that, got knots on my head to prove it, doesn't take long to
learn
>when there's pain involved! The springs are still working well on my old
cars,
>the oldest is a '67.
>
>Best Regards,
> Robert
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Date: Sat, 24 Oct 1998 16:38:25 -0500
From: "Union Auto"
Subject: Re: FTE 97up - 1999 F-150 4x4 4.6L Auto trans questions

You have the 4R70W transmission. What you are experiencing is the torque
converter unlocking not overdrive kicking out. It is normal with most Ford
transmissions.
- -----Original Message-----
From: Lou Mallia
To: Ford Trucks
Date: Friday, October 23, 1998 10:45 PM
Subject: FTE 97up - 1999 F-150 4x4 4.6L Auto trans questions


>I'm the happy owner of a brand new 1999 F-150 SC SB 4x4 with 4.6L and
>auto trans. I've been reading the owner's manual, in the specs and
>capacities section, and can't figure out from the manual which auto
>trans I have, 4R100 or 4R70W, and consequently whether I would use
>Mercon or Mercon V fluid in it. Can anyone help? (In the invoice the
>transmission is listed as 44U.)
>
>Also, I've only put 130 miles on the truck, but have already noticed
>something that seems really wierd with respect to OD engagement.
>Initial engagement of OD is fine upon acceleration, and cruising with
>power applied is great. However, once the OD is engaged, if I remove my
>foot from the gas to coast for a second or more, when I re-apply power,
>the rpm's rise (several hundred for a brief half-second), then the trans
>seems to re-engage OD and the rpm's drop back to where they were at
>cruise. This sequence can be easily repeated at any speed above about
>45mph, even at highway speeds 65 and up. I was expecting the OD to stay
>engaged unless the speed drops below a point at which it should be
>engaged under acceleration (say 45 or so).
>>
>My question is this: Is what I'm observing normal for the F-150 auto
>transmission? I'm concerned because I think this behavior could prove
>to be maddening (at least to me!) on a crowded freeway, moving at
>moderately high speeds where you remove and reapply power fairly often.
>Has anyone else observed this behavior?
>
>Thanks,
>Lou


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Date: Sat, 24 Oct 1998 16:41:31 -0500
From: "Union Auto"
Subject: Re: FTE 97up - Re: auto trans question

On the last batch of Police Interceptors I sold (1999's) It had a special
owners guide supplement that specified that high speed chases were to only
be done in Overdrive, running in drive could cause engine and transmission
problems.

Nathan

- -----Original Message-----
From: Lee Haefele
To: 97up-list ford-trucks.com
Date: Saturday, October 24, 1998 7:20 AM
Subject: FTE 97up - Re: auto trans question



> There is some history on this with full size Ford police cars in New
>York City, with early OD trans. Seems they were stalling out in high
>speed chases, causing loss of power steering. Drivers were instructed
>to not use the OD.
>Lee Haefele


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Date: Sat, 24 Oct 1998 18:26:46 -0500
From: snarl
Subject: FTE 97up - lowering my 4x4

Scott and Lisa Williams wrote:
> i am glad that everyone had their fun with
> my question about lowering my f-150 4x4.

Someday I'd like to own a Super Duty F250, but I'm going to wait a
couple years for them to work the bugs out. Personally I'd like to see
an option to lower it an inch or two or else it won't fit under my
garage door! My '97 F150 4X4 is about 74" tall and clears my 80-81"
garage door fine. But the Super Duty 4X4s spec out at 80.5", a little
too close for comfort. And from what I've seen, the clearance over the
standard 265/75R16 tires is so great that it makes these tires look
small! Also, on the F250/F350 forum, I've read complaints from some
fifth-wheelers about the load height of the pickup bed. P.S. One of the
best features I like about the Super Duty is that the tow-rating does
not go down just because you have a manual transmission.
- ----Karl Nyhus----------------------------------------------------------
1997 Ford F-150 XL SuperCab, 6-1/2' box, Pacific Green, delivered May of
1997, 4WD, 4.6L V8(280cid), 3.08 axles, 5-speed manual transmission,
LT225/75R16/D Goodyear Wrangler AT/S tires (max 65psi, currently running
at 55psi cold) on 16" painted steel wheels, bench seat, Better Built
toolbox, Line-X spray-in liner installation scheduled 2 days from now!
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Date: Sat, 24 Oct 1998 19:23:15 EDT
From: BigFords1 aol.com
Subject: Re: FTE 97up - Comparison to '99 Silverado to 99 F-150

Did I hear right? Did you say the Chevy has more cab room? This is
impossible! They're small! The Super Duty's have a huge cab!


David
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Date: Sat, 24 Oct 1998 16:44:57 -0700
From: "Michael D. Sheridan"
Subject: FTE 97up - 1999 Ranger Running boards

Folks:

Wonder where I might look for running boards
for my 1999 Ranger?

Thanking you in advance,

Michael
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Date: Sat, 24 Oct 1998 20:49:11 PDT
From: "Lucien Lenoire"
Subject: FTE 97up - Re: 97up-list-digest V1 #255

I just leased a 1998 F 150 with the V6 4.2 liter engine and a manual
tranny, which I like MUCH more than the AT. The 4.6 liter engine is
Fords small V8, which I understand has 210 HP, don't know the torque
off hand on either the V6 or V8. I find the V6 has plenty of power,
even in OD, for passing. The Speed limit in Alberta on major highways
is 100 km/h, about 61 mph. On four lane highways, the limit is 110
km/h, about 68 mph. I have no problem running at 120 km/h, except for
having to watch for the Mounties, who love to ticket people at that
....

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