4.2 liter recall??
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New User
Joined: Nov 2002
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From: Nashville The only one
4.2 liter recall??
I have a 2000 f150 4.2 liter. A friend of mine has a 97 and his head gasket just blew, ruining his engine. Mine has 104000 miles. I have been reading other pages about the defective head gasket, but can't find any recall info on this. Does anyone have any ideas or info on this?
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2002
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From: Cajun Country
Are you sure it wasn't the lower intake gaskets that went bad? I have yet to see a 97 or later 4.2 go bad from a head gasket.If he ran it with no water and it overheated then ide say the head gasket went bad.The lower intake gaskets usually fail on cylinders #1 or #4,or both,letting coolant seep into the cylinder,and upon start up the cylinder cant compress a liquid so the weakest point,usually the connecting rod,bends or breaks.This is called hydro-lock.It effects 97-98 4.2 V6s.
As of yet,Ford does not recognize the problem; they probly do but like everything else with Ford,they are just looking the other way hoping it will go away!
As of yet,Ford does not recognize the problem; they probly do but like everything else with Ford,they are just looking the other way hoping it will go away!
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,532
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From: Trussville, Alabama
The model years mentioned had higher than normal rates of failure of the lower intake manifold gasket and/or the timing chain cover gasket.
The early failures seemed most likely to crop up in the 70-80,000 mile range.
There never was a recall. I understand some individuals got relief based on their own efforts with their local dealer.
I believe a TSB was issued by Ford, but nothing like a wholesale recall kind of thing.
Since most problems occured after the warranty had expired, I am to assume Ford dealt with their albatross by falling back on "failure after warranty period had expired".
If the failure happened to occur during warranty period then the owner had not major issue to gripe about.
If caught before hydrolock occurs, repairs can be completed for $300-500 depending on local rates and who / what you know.
The early failures seemed most likely to crop up in the 70-80,000 mile range.
There never was a recall. I understand some individuals got relief based on their own efforts with their local dealer.
I believe a TSB was issued by Ford, but nothing like a wholesale recall kind of thing.
Since most problems occured after the warranty had expired, I am to assume Ford dealt with their albatross by falling back on "failure after warranty period had expired".
If the failure happened to occur during warranty period then the owner had not major issue to gripe about.
If caught before hydrolock occurs, repairs can be completed for $300-500 depending on local rates and who / what you know.
New User
Joined: Dec 2005
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4.2 recall??
Has anyone ever tried to check cylinders 1 and 4 by feeding a length of white string into the sparkplug hole(In the morning before the truck is started)?
I've never tried it b/c I though the intake leak caused a spun bearing, not hydrolock.
I've never tried it b/c I though the intake leak caused a spun bearing, not hydrolock.
Last edited by insp09; Dec 11, 2005 at 12:41 AM. Reason: left out "leak"
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Trussville, Alabama
Not sure about the string.
Hydrolock was the acute failure mode.
Spun bearing was chronic failure mode (from coolant leaking into crankcase and contaminating, oil rather than leaking into cylinder)
Hydrolock was the acute failure mode.
Spun bearing was chronic failure mode (from coolant leaking into crankcase and contaminating, oil rather than leaking into cylinder)
Moderator
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From: Louisville,Ky.
Sorry to bust a bubble, but a girl at works 2000 F150 lost a headgasket @ 60,000 miles. Went ahead and replaced both of them. Cyl. number 3, just like the 3.8's.
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New User
Joined: Dec 2005
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I have a 97 F150 4.2 V6. I had to have the head gasket replaced on the passenger side because water got into a cyl. I now have about 168,000 miles on it. The only problem i have now is the engine shudders when i first start off but seems to run ok otherwise. I pulled about 5000 pds on a 18 foot trailer about 100 miles recently. It pulled it just fine. I did use high octane gas for the pull. Overall i have been satisfied with the truck.
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,532
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From: Trussville, Alabama
Originally Posted by LxMan1
Sorry to bust a bubble, but a girl at works 2000 F150 lost a headgasket @ 60,000 miles. Went ahead and replaced both of them. Cyl. number 3, just like the 3.8's.
Jimmy,
Seems the VAST majority of problems related to gasket failure on the 4.2 are not head gaskets.
I've been hanging out in the 4.2 forum for almost 6 years and have only seen a handfull of failed head gaskets.
I'm guessing your coworker just got real unlucky.
Do you have first hand knowledge of high head gasket failure rates on the 4.2?
Thanks!
