My 4.6 Expy still smokes. The valve seals have been replaced twice, @ approx 30K and 50K. Filed complaint with dispute settlement board which would not consider due to fact truck out of orig 36/36 warranty. Ford had given me an extended warranty to 75K miles. Now they have me doing the SECOND oil consumption test. The dealer service manager suggests he thinks he can get a new engine after that. Well... with the 0% 60 month financing out there right now... I think I may take my losses and cut the Expy loose. I really like the truck but enough is enough. I think I am Tahoe/Yukon bound, might consider Explorer to get a V6. I love the new Expy but am gun shy on the 4.6 and don't want to buy gas for the 5.4. I think this takes care of my Ford days. GM, here I come!

As for your 4.6... my recomendation is to stay on Ford and try to get things taken care of prior to 36K miles. Don't be afraid of the DSB... they will respond if your complaint is valid. I think this "smoking 4.6" is an issue Ford is well aware of and is unable or unwilling to fix.

My 2 cents worth!

 

I know , wrong forum. But i have a ford f-150 with the 5.4 .
its a 99 with 120K miles on it.. i started leaking oil. probably around 105K near the rear seal..rear main.. I am a big pennzoil fan. i switched from regular 10-30 to high mileage oil . no more leak
i did have some oil consumptin about 1qt every 3K miles or so. not as bad .. but still pssd me off. any way.. maybe try that .. i did not think it would help . but it sounds like it might be worth the money for u to try it. may 2 oil changes worth anyhow...

good luck

brant
b

 

I have a 4.6 in my '94 Grand Marquis. At around 100,000 miles, it too began to puff smoke at a take off from an idle too. Seemed it was worse at longer traffic lights as you said. At the time I was having my oil changed at one of the quick lube places. It seemed strange, as the car hadn't smoked prior to switching companies who changed my oil. Apparently, they were using the wrong type/weight that I SPECIFIED. Valvoline 5W30. Since then, I went to a synthetic 5W30, and the problem went away. This was after going through the trouble of removing a few of the valve stem seals only to find out there was nothing wrong with them. The weight (viscosity) is very crucial in these type of engines.
If you really care about your engine, synthetic is really the only way to go. Other than that, Valvoline motor oil is the only one that exists in my opinion. These engines are very expensive to repair, or replace. Even a used one from a salvage yard comes with a premium price. Be careful.

 

I just bought a '01 Expy 4.6, and I did happen to notice that it smokes a bit on start up. I test drove a few others and this is the only one that actually did smoke a bit. It is not a huge amount of smoke, but noticeable.

 

I have a 2000 XP with less than 18,000 miles and it smokes on start-up at times.

I have noticed this happening to a lesser degree with fewer miles on the XP.

This should not be happening! I have an old '87 T-Bird with over 145,000 miles (3.8 V6) and a '78 F100 (300 c.i. 6) also with over 145,000 miles that don't do this.

We need to get on Ford's case about this. Maybe the EPA should hear about this.

 

I have a 99 Expedition with 62300 with a 4.6 V8. It blows blue smoke when I start it in the AM or after it has been sitting for a while like 6 hours. Then it doesn't do it anymore after that. I have a power train warrenty on it, but they want me to do a engine flush to see if it fixes it. It also makes a tapping noise when cold untill it warms up. I think it might be the valves making the noise. Let me know how you make out. I hope I can get a new engine out of the deal. If anyone else has a suggestion please let me know. Also, you arer supose to use 5W30 oil why not 10W30 oil?

Ryan

 

Your truck sounds like my Expy 4.6. It started smoking at 16-18K. Had valve seals replaced at 30K and again at around 52K. Heads even pulled at 52K and oil observed in the cylinders. New valve seals didn't make any difference. Went to the dispute settlement board... would not consider due to more than 36K miles. Finally threw up my hands and gave up... Ford won. Traded the beast for a 02 GMC Yukon.

I can honestly say, I like the Yukon much better in just about every way than the Expy. I looked at and drove extensively the 03 Expy and found the Yukon to handle even better than the 03 Expy. The 03 Expy is a great improvement over my 00 Expy.

The Yukon is more comfortable, better seats, rides firmer which in my opinion is better. It has TREMENDOUSLY more power with the 5.3 vs the 4.6. I found the 5.3 Yukon to be more powerful than the 5.4 Expy, just my seat of the pants evaluation.

Also, the 5.3 Yukon has gotten better gas mileage (almost 1 mpg better which isn't significant in the scheme of things in my opinion) than my 4.6 Expy during the first 6K miles. This is an accurate mpg figure, I keep track of every gallon that goes into the thing just as I did with the Expy. The Expy averaged about 16.60 mpg and the Yukon is averaging 17.44 mpg. More power, better gas mileage... best of both worlds.

Bottom line, I am glad I made the switch to the Yukon and glad to be rid of Fords. My last two SUVs were Fords, a 98 Explorer with a vibration that could never be fixed and the 00 Expy which smoked and Ford was unwilling to fix.

I know it is personal preference... but for me... if this Yukon proves to be reliable... I don't think you will catch me in a Ford again. Funny, my dad sold Fords for years. As soon as he stopped, from then on, he bought Buicks and Oldsmobiles and swore he would never own a Ford. I guess I should of listened!

Back to your case... good luck. Based on my experience, Ford isn't going to do much for you with 60K miles on your truck. Maybe you will be luckier than I... I sure hope so.

WalyWrld

 

P.S. If Ford does compression checks of your engine and they check out ok... I would expect they would not replace the engine. That was my case at 52K miles... oil in cylinders, ok compression checks... would not replace the engine nor fix my engine...

Again... good luck.

Regards,
WalyWrld

 

I have a 2001 Supercrew, and it started smoking randomly at startup with about 12,000kms on it. It will take half a litre of oil now after an oil change and about 3,000 kms. It has about 15,000kms and I'll take it in to Ford next week for another oil change. Seems this started after one day on the highway when I noticed a short rattling sound on acceleration like something broke off somewhere. It stopped when I backed off and has not returned, but reading these notes, I wonder if a piece of seal chipped off and fell into a cylinder. Power and gas mileage seem to have stayed the same as they were.

 

walywld1,

How can Ford deny warranty coverage on your EP at 52,000 miles if you report the problem within the warranty period of 36,000 miles?

If repairs were attempted at 30,00 miles and the problem was not solved, it seems that you would have a valid warranty claim until it was properly repaired.

 

I guess Ford cannot refuse to fix but they can drag things out and beat you down to the point you give up. This is what they did with me.

I started looking at replacing my Expy 4.6 with a new Explorer with a V6 at 0% interest rate being offered in August. I just could not get excited about an Explorer after driving an Expy. I looked at the 03 Expys and they are better in almost every way compared to my 00 Expy. I could get a real good deal on an 03 Expy and the 02 Explorer I was looking at.

I was just gun shy about getting another 4.6 V8 after my smoking problems and reading all the posts on the internet. I think it is a relatively common problem with this engine because I have seen a lot written about it on this web site and other Ford owner web sites. On top of that, I don't believe Ford has a fix for it.

I would be willing to bet it is a valve seal thing that Ford has yet to figure out exactly what material to use for those seals. It may be some other design problem Ford is unwilling to spend the money to fix at this point. (guess they had to buy back too many Firestone tires!)

I think they are willing to beat you down to the point an owner does what I did... throw in the towel and give up. Ford figures some of us will just trade and get another Ford... some won't. What customers they loose will be replaced with customers from other manufacturers, GM, Chrysler, Toyota, etc, that have people leave them due to some problem.

Life goes on and we owners get screwed again.

Just some rambling thoughts... I realize some people don't give up and get a new engine but I bet this is a minority. I do wish you guys the best in your efforts.

Again... after looking at the Explorer and new Expy, I went and bought a Yukon and boy, am I glad I did. I love my Yukon.

Regards,
Wallace

 

Hi, after you see my note number 23 this is a follow up on my 4.6 in a 2001 Supercrew smoking at start up randomly with 16,000kms (10k miles).

Was at the dealer today and they say the 4.6 is the most reliable engine they have and are shocked that it gives a great blue cloud sometimes at start up. They also say that it is normal to add a litre after about 1350 kms (800 miles). I saw the note here from one guy saying that he doesn't need to change his oil because he is always adding. This Ford comment would work out to that rate just about - and this is one of their best engines?????? Sure wish I knew that before I bought one. I've had a 68 Torino, 75 Torino wagon, 2 - 76 Cougars and never added oil to any of them! Went to Jeep for a while, and have just come back to Ford. Hope I have not made a big error!

Anyway, they are reluctantly taking it in next week to do some tests? I'll report back then.

Cheers

 

Good luck when you take your truck back in next week. Even though my Expy is gone... I am looking forward to hearing how your experience comes out.

I think it is pretty obvious from the posts on the net, the blue smoking on start up with the Ford 4.6 and maybe other V8s is not an unusual occurrence.

Regards,
Wallace

 

 

Sorry I forgot to post the results of Ford's checking my 2002 SCrew 4.6L smoking at start up problem.

As we all thought, they had it for a day and say they started it about 10 times and never saw any smoke. The story ended by them saying that I had lots of warranty left and that I should keep an eye on it! Does not seem to use too much oil yet and has about 19,000 kms so I guess I have to hope it stops - or TRADE OFF on a day that it doesn't do it!

Cheers