I have a 97 f150 that like many shelled the engine. I got this as a gift from my brother....now deceased, so i can't give it back. Truck is in near perfect condition. Never having any knowledge of 4.2's and my mechanical experience, i thought that i was getting a truck that with some minor engine work would be great. I spent 1,000 dollars getting the truck from N Tex to S La and began to check engine. Since brother was dead i only knew that the "engine broke". I found that the intake gasket had failed, broke two pistons in half, cracked a third, and blew a head gskt. I then found on internet that this was frequent with this engine. I did decide while pulling and tearing down the engine that in my humble opinion, this is the poorest engine, from a mechanical view that i have ever worked on. I also knew that i would never put this one or another 4.2 back in a vehicle. I will go back with either a 302 or 351 as these two small blocks will bolt up to my manual trans. I have not decided on efi or carb...
this brings me to my question...can anyone tell me about what i can do with the electronics? With the manual trans. i don't think that i should have the problems that a automatic would have...any comments about my sanity or suggestions would be appreciated. wgb

 

You probably already know what we think about your sanity LOL.
In today's vehicles, replacing what was there is the smartest thing you can do.

Selling the truck as-is (on Ebay or this site) might get your money back.

The 4.2's do have the problem of the lower intake gasket failure. Usually not twice though.
There's lots of good info on this forum about the 4.2 and it's problem.

I dont think it would be smart to buy a Junk yard engine. Get a Ford Re-man or an A-Zone engine.

You said S-LA. Where?
If your anywhere near DeRidder LA, Raymond Toothman in the NAPA store is about the Best engine builder on those parts. Tony Presley at PMS in DeRidder is your next bet.
Pay them what they want and you'll have a good truck for years to come.

 

Guru...thanks for the input. i'm in opelousas and completely agree with you about engine swaps these days. I have local machine shop who have always did my machine work for me but I always do the rebuilds myself. even disassy. heads and lap and blue my valves in. started this in the 60's while building
engines exclusively....one, i get a better engine and two, if there is a screw-up i know who to blame. this was my plan up until i started to pull and dismantle the engine. the shear numbers and complexity of what i suppose is stuck on this engine for emmission purposes is rediculus. Then the built in problems caused by design faults and Ford's denial and refusal to give remedy to the poor shmucks who own this engine convinced me that a complete rebuild might not be the way to go. I have had experience with poor design before...just last year my own Park Ave. burnt out the plastic intake and hydrolocked the engine on my way to N.O. This is a problem on 3.8's...GM stands behind them under warranty but mine had 200,000 miles. It didn't damage a piston or rod or damage the engine in any way. I bought an after market intake that was designed to prevent a recurrance and am now trouble free. When you read story after story of people who noticed coolant loss and their dealership tells them there isn't a problem then denies help when the engine shells....it's a clue to me that your own your own and their not willing to bet on the repairs solving the problem. If i keep the truck i will go thru the engine i put in it...but as to your suggestion that i sell as is, i'm willing. I believe the clean 97's are going for about 5,000, give or take. An reman engine or a long block, with head rebuild will run appx 4000...with a good core which i don't think i have due to the damage by the two broken pistons...add another 500-700 dollars. These figures are not including labor, add another 800 to 1,000. However, if someone wants to give me 2500 and let me show and explain to them what their buying, they can get a very nice truck, basically new tires, immaculate interior, 5-speed manual, single cab.
to me the dollars don't add up...when you can put a proven engine like a 302 or 351 in and have a excellant truck. wgb

 

Check some of the other posts on which engine to swap. The 4.2 Swap fourm etc etc.
If you stick with the next size Ford engine, you may not eveh need to swap computers.

 

Oh, yes you will be swapping computers.

Don't bet on a computer programmed to run a v6 running a v8 very well.

 

I'm not sure where you are getting $4K for a reman engine... a new one from ford is less than $3K. Reman runs around $2K depending on where you purchase it from.... if you rebuild it yourself you can expect $600 for machine work and around $400 for a master kit.

The 4.2 is a good engine, no worse than a 302 or 351W...

Good luck and welcome to FTE!

 

matt 3k for a ford reman? hook me up! my company buys a lot of ford reman engines the 4.2 runs 3,789.00+1,500.00 core with 3/36k warranty just got a 7.3 in today it cost 5,211.00 + 1,700.00 core.

 

matt...you touch on one of the reasons i dislike this engine so much...most master kits are around 3-400 dollars. Price a master kit for the 4.2 and you'll end up closer to 1,000 than to 500. Find a used one...140K...for 1500...at that mileage would have to do a rebuild. Why is this engine so exp. to repair? my guess is that when they fail they leave nothing in way of cores.
thanks everyone for your input...i figured on a computer swap. wgb

 

Well, I just priced most of the stuff for a rebuild, $572. (gaskets, bearings, pistons, rings)

http://remanufactured.com/Ford_6_Cylinder_Engines.htm

$2290 for a rebuild, $500 core $2790 total and they might give you core credit as long as the block isn't damaged...

Do some research rather than just vent on a forum... we're here to help but if you make it difficult its pointless.

 

Matt, thanks for infro..Been doing this for 40 yrs. still in to it as a profession, albeit diesel fleet manager. I know the value of research...my local Al-Pro dealer quoted 860 for just a reg. master kit. On-line the best i found was 806. Your 572 is much more to my liking and would be interested to know if their national. Not sure if my block is good as the three broken pistons were seized. i confess that i am still nerves about this engine...how much boring can this block take? Bearings weren't hurt but can the crank be turned? Thanks again....i'll try to be more positive...wgb

 

The 4.2 is a stroked 3.8... I've personally never worked on one of these engines, so I couldn't tell you...

I've always had my blocks sonic checked when I have the machine work done, its usually only about $50 or so and can save you a lot of money if your block is no good. I picked up a 427 FE a couple years ago that I had to take to the recyclers, I wasn't going to sink $1100 into sleeving it, I can do that with any other FE block.

The parts prices came from www.partsamerica.com they didn't have a master kit, I just put one together... they ship nationwide and the stuff was available within 5 days.