I own a 1998 F-150 with the 4.2 V6 engines that a lot of people are having problems with. I have been thinking about swapping out the 4.2 V6 with a Inline 300 I6. First of all can it be done? And if so, could I use the same computer and transmission?

 

Can it be done? Yes.

Same computer? No.

Same trans? Maybe.

If you want use this truck as a dependable vehicle, get another 4.2.

If you want a never-ending project, step into this conversion.

 

I have 135.000 miles on it and it started knocking around 130,000 miles. I have always changed the oil every 3,000 miles. Now it's knocking bad, I mean REALLY bad. You can hear that truck coming over a mile away, however the engine hasn't started over heating yet. But the knocking is even worse when the engine starts to warm up. My only real options now is to sell it as is or put in a 4.6 V8. Thanks for the advice but there is no way I would ever buy another 4.2 V6.

Was the 4.2 head gasket and rod bending/throwing problem ever fixed in the later years? If so when?
And why didn't Ford recall these junk engines? I guess the same reason they didn't recall the Ford Pinto in the '70's.

 

The 4.2 was an enlarged 3.8. I had a 3.8 and they did the head gaskets under warranty/tsb without even asking me, and I never had any problems before or after. If the 4.2 is such junk, then these threads wouldn't be here:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...xpectancy.html

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...-4-2-a-14.html

At 130,000 you seem to have gotten the short end of the 4.2 stick, but your best bet is to sell it vs. an engine series change, which no one in their right mind would every buy at anything over a scrap price.

 

I can agree with this. I bought one of about a month ago but the picture below you will see explains it all...

 

Hey I forgot to say that the lobes for the crankshaft are completely scarred

 

So, you got ahold of a 97-98 model 4.2?

That’s not good, but it takes a special owner to miss the recall back then. That was 1999, if memory serves correct.

My ‘03 4.2 has about 278K miles on it. When Ford gets the kinks out, they’re pretty solid, if unspectacular.

One thing they do, though, is start burning oil passed the rings. I’ll be swapping mine this summer. The idea is to find an ‘08 model with low miles. I think a 97-98 engine can be swapped to an ‘01 with little trouble. After that, sensors get moved around a bit. Depends what you want to deal with.