Hello,

I am a new member to the site, and I own a 97 F-150 XL 4.2L 5 speed manual. I like the truck it ran good when bought 15 months ago, the truck had i think about 80K miles on it then. Recently I have been getting a check engine light for lean condition bank 2, so i read about the MAF sensor could cause this. I cleaned the sensor and the code went away, then a few weeks later a new code for O2 sensor bank 2 sensor 1. This has been happening, the truck runs rough when first started only fora few seconds then smooths out, after i drive about 15 miles it starts to run rough again and will stall when I come to a stop. this had me thinking ok lets change the sensor......

Then I came across this web site a few weeks ago and saw the posts about the lower intake gaskets leaking coolant into the cylinders and there was a reply to watch the water level for changes with no external leaks. I checked the coolant level, it was slightly low added back up to the fill line and then i have been watching it since. Today I go out to my truck a lunch time and it wont turn over, bad battery i think, so i go get a new battery at wal mart, mine looked like it was as old as the truck, and the same thing, the motor starts to turn over then stops. I think to myself this sounds like the dreaded hydrolock, so go back into work (a aircraft hanger where I am a maint supervisor) get tools from my box, remove the three plugs on the spark plugs on the drivers side and they are wet, remove the pass side plugs not wet, crank over the engine and water pours out of the drivers side cylinders. I now guess that this must be Bank 2 with all of the CE codes. i turned the motor over untill i smelled strong gas, cleaned the plug, put them back in started right up. I drove it straight to a shop tp have the gaskets checked. and it ran great the entire way about 25 miles smooth and purred.

So is it the intake gaskets, head gaskets, or hte front end cover gaskets I have also read about? i rule out the head gaskets due it running so good before and after this happened, but i did not do a compression check.

Now i now why i have been driving around for the last fifteen months trying to figure out why someone would trade in such a nice truck. they new about the gaskets and i think the dealer who sold me the truck also new.....

Thanks for the help and letting me vent, how much should i expect to pay for this gasket change?

Dan

 

Dan,
Welcome to FTE. Glad you found us but wish it was under better circumstances.
First guess: lower intake manifold gaskets.
Second guess: timing chanin cover gasket

It will probably run fine as the leak is likely not sufficient to drain the coolant fast enought to shut the engine down.
But, let it sit for a while, and if the circustances are right, yo'll trash the motor when you try to start it.
Sounds to me like you got real lucky. I di too.


My total repair bill was about $420 for lower intake manifold gasket, bead blasting the intake, new thermostat and labor.

Your's might be higher if you have to have the timing chain cover gasket replaced.
If it were mine.,I'd have 'em all done and then you should be in good shape.

Absent any gasket problems, these engines seem to do 200,000 miles easy.

Thanks again for stopping in. Hope you stick around.

OBTW - keep us posted.

 

Brian, thanks for the reply, i have thinking lower intake gaskets, but who knows, atleast i have not blown the engine.

I will stick around and update the post after i hear from the shop.

I plan to keep the truck for a long time.

Dan

 

Well it can't be the timing cover gasket getting coolant into the cylinders. Replace the lower intake gaskets and you should see where the coolant passage in the plastic gasket has broken allowing coolant to go into the cylinder.

 

failure of the timing cover gasket can allow coolant to drain directly into the sump. i would recomend replacement for piece of mind but its right it would not cause hydrolocking.

 

it looks like the lower intake gaskets are leaking, the shop quoted me 470.00 and it is ready for pick up monday morning.

They advised not to change the front cover gaskets at this time, they show no signs of leaking. I will probably have them changed soon anyway.

Dan

 

It would be a good idea to change the timing cover gasket before it leaks and destroys the bearings. It doesn't take much coolant in the oil to wipe them out. It also would be a good idea to install a new cover and oil pump considering the mileage.

 

I took a sample to an oil testing lab, came out a lot of water you should have a lab neer you MAX

 

...Welcome Max to Ford Truck Enthusiasts!

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Enjoy FTE....and
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…..See you on the boards.

 

Ide run an oasis on it and see if the timing cover gasket was replaced under the recall back in 1999-2000.

 

Post the VIN here and I can check OASIS

 

I forgot to say "Thanks" after you posted this.
I failed to think clearly about his particular situation.
As you said, timing chain gasket is not going to leak into the cylinder, rather the bottom end.

Thanks for pointing that out.

 

No prob man the early 4.2s have both problems. I have seen many failed engines with both the intake gaskets and the timing cover gasket leaking.

 

So what is an OASIS?

 

It stands for Online Automotive Service Info System I think. It is used by Ford techs to access the latest service information and recalls. Post the VIN and I can bring up the complete warranty history and any open recalls you have.