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I just bought my 2nd Ford Truck (used) it's a 96 (160k) Ford F150 Single cab shorty with I6 engine.
Body is like New but It's shaking even when on a stand still and continuously doing so slightly when moving but when it reach 30+ up to maybe 45mph, it gives the worst as if the engine is going to fall the feel is like its almost chocking then it minimize after 50mph.
I had it tuned up and Mech said there is nothing wrong but I am 1000% that there is. Mech didn't charge me a $ at tune up so it's ok but really need some advise as my wife will be driving this truck as well. To add, seems to be leaking oil between the tranny and oil pan heavily.
That suggests an engine problem, do a compression test on all cylinders.
The oil leak looks like a rear main seal, the trans is usually removed to fix that but figure out what is causing the engine vibration first, if it turns out you have low or zero compression in one cylinder then you may as well pull the engine.
Conaski,
Could it possible be a bad harmonic balancer?
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Mac,
Nice looking 96, looks well worth fixing whatever is wrong, and very nice 78 Dentside. Have a 77 F-150 (usually where I hang out on the Forum, along W/ 93 F-150 Supercab, two 95 F-150s and a 2010 Ranger as my daily driver. Lastly, in case you haven't been welcomed to the Forum, welcome and there's allot of knowledgeable people here and seems just like a allot of nice hard working folks.
Yeah. My 78 is nice but the Guy who helped me with it is now in West Coast (Cali) and his main guess was the Tourque converter on my 96 but I really thought it's misfiring. I'll have someone check the compression.
Also had this truck diagnosed at Mr. Tire and they said tranny is not leaking so they put a dye with the new oil change and asked me to return the truck next week. Last night, I put some fuel injector cleaner with the $15 gas as it was almost empty and didn't seem to show much chocking today🤔
btw, how much does it usually cost to check the compression? will that route me to have an engine rebuild if it is in fact one of the cylinder?
Vibration may be the flex plate or torque convertor.
The oil leaking is possibly the rear main seal, but more likely the lifter cover gasket. Those are known to leak. You might get by with tightening the plug bolts a bit, but likely the rubber around them has cracked and split, and the gasket is probably broken in several places as well.
I put some oil dye in and ran it for a bit to confirm that mine was leaking from the lifter cover, and replaced it along with the plugs. It was not a fun job.
My guess is also the torque converter because I experienced similar symptoms before mine went out. Engine would shake like you describe at idle and while moving until it gave way completely and caused the engine to stall unless I got a running start (which thankfully didn't damage anything else).
Yeah. My 78 is nice but the Guy who helped me with it is now in West Coast (Cali) and his main guess was the Tourque converter on my 96 but I really thought it's misfiring. I'll have someone check the compression.
Also had this truck diagnosed at Mr. Tire and they said tranny is not leaking so they put a dye with the new oil change and asked me to return the truck next week. Last night, I put some fuel injector cleaner with the $15 gas as it was almost empty and didn't seem to show much chocking today🤔
btw, how much does it usually cost to check the compression? will that route me to have an engine rebuild if it is in fact one of the cylinder?
Checking compression depends on your shop. Some places will charge you their minimum shop charge. Some shops may not charge you anything if you're a regular and have a good relationship with the shop. It's maybe 30 minutes and a compression gauge rental from your local parts store if you want to do it yourself.
But yes, it's a rabbit hole. If it's good, it's good. If it's got a bad cylinder, further investigation needs to happen to determine why it's bad, and you'll want to do a leakdown test. If it's in the head, it's a head rebuild. If it's due to a ring orpiston, it's a bottom-end rebuild, but might as well do a full rebuild since the engine has to come out anyway. Or swap in a known good engine and be done with it.
I hope it's not the cylinder as it sounds too much $$$ and head ache but if it does happen, what engine can I swap the i6 to? I can keep the same tranny?
never done engine swap before so now I am worried.
To keep it simple stay with the 300 six.
If you go trying to put a different motor (v8) you have to deal with wiring, hose routing, radiator and the big one COMPUTER!
Dave - - - -
I heard a lot of good things about the I6 engine but didn't realize or never even thought that I am going to have a bad one😭😭😭
Darn, soooooo many bad Mechanics around here and so far I have encountered two that I had argument with on this truck.
The 300 is a tank of an engine...it's rumored that the only thing that ever goes bad on them is the head. and yeah there's some real idiots out there calling themselves mechanics.
On the back cylinders. I'm no mechanic and need advise on what I should do next please.
Last shop quoted 2.8k for a rebuild but no guarantee if it can be fixed. I found a website that sells warranted crates i6 engine compatible for 1/2 price but will it do justice? how much labor am I looking at for engine swap?
Going rate for labor varies place to place so you would have to ask individual shops what they would charge.
As for the rebuild, over 2k is about right because you dont know what the inside looks like until you get there.
Quality remans are hard to find, but can be cheaper as you have found. If you buy a reman, ask lots of questions before buying.
Like
Are cheap pistons used?
Is the block milled to true the head mating surface
Is the quench in acceptable tolerance to prevent detonation.
Is the camshaft efi compatible
