I am looking to get a new 4.2 for my 97 f150, has the leaking gasket syndrome.
not sure if I should also get a new automatic tranny, I have not had any problems with my current one (140,000 miles on it) Does anyone have any input ?

Also I have a quote from a local garage they want $3800 for a new installed 4.2 long block from Jasper with 3year 75,000 warranty

 

Which gasket(s) are leaking? Must be pretty bad for you to swap the engine.

 

I was told the intake gasket leaked anti-freeze, the oil gauge was fluctuating to 0 when i came to a stop and the engine has started knocking really loud, so I figured that I should start looking for a new engine.

 

I've been under plenty of hoods but [U]I am by no stretch of the imagination a mechanic. Sounds like you have a blown head gasket for sure. The Oil Gauge is telling you that without your foot on the gas (which increase oil pressure) you are very low on oil. Could be due to various problems. What color smoke is coming out the tail pipe(s)? There's got to be smoke!!! I would defitely have it looked at by a professional who can run definitive diagnostics on it, such as your local dealer. I recently learned that most mechanics only have testers that give general errors whereas the dealership can come closer to diagnosing the actual cause of the problem.

I am sure if someone else sees this thread they will jump in. There are a few guys I have been talking to that run circles around me when it comes to this type of thing. I'll ask one to take a look at your thread. Good luck.

 

as for the engine, have it looked at by a pro, i recently had a head gasket job....$1200, and it works great, i have put 7k on the truck since then and no problems.
for the tranny, personally i am of the mind that, if it aint' broke don't fix it.

 

thanks for the posts, I am dropping it off at ford today. If it is something like the head gasket that would be alot cheaper then buying a new engine.

 

yeah...but if you got the new engine, you could have a 4.4L (bored and stroked of course) with port and polished heads, and a cam, and rocker arms....and all kindsa fun stuff!!!!! Cmon! DO IT!!!!!!!!!!

Garrett aka Mr. Logical LoL

 

or...if you do have the head job, take the money you would have spent on the new engine, and order one of the power paks from supersixmotorsports.com,and have them put the new parts in when they put your engine back together!
BTW, i did not have the head job done at ford, their qoute was around 2,800 i think. i had a mechanic that i trust do it.

 

SD,
I told you these guys were good.