What's up people. I stumbled across this site while trying to find some information on my new/old work truck. It's a 99 or 98 F450 single cab automatic with a 20ft or so bed with a 1200lb compasity lift gate on the back. The company I work for just gave it to me as my work truck. They bought it brand new but now it has 206000 miles on it. I know nothing has been done to it except for oil changes, and that only happened every 30k or so....and it dosent run that great either. Good but not great. Just looking for some simple easy things to do to get her back running strong. I know I prob can't improve on the 10 mpg that it gets due to its size and weight, but I would like to get it running a little smoother. Every now and then it'll stall at a red light, but only when I stop really hard, the ac only blows cold on settings 2, 3 & 4, and the rpms sit really high when crusing at 70mph, but that may be due to the gear ratio, but I dunno. All I know is that my gf's dad has a excursion with the same motor and that sucker runs smooth and strong. Any who, I look foward to learning some things about this beast.

 

Check the Read first threads at the top of the page and enjoy. Welcome to FTE. Check the passenger side valve cover, the emissions sticker near radiator or data decal on driver door pillar for the truck year. If it's a 98, may want to check that section. Good luck and enjoy.

 

welcome to FTE, best place on the net for Fords.

Well, beings that they GAVE it to you (you didn't pay anything, correct?) then i would accept it. it goes to show how durable these engines are, with no service other than a oil change.

start out by replacing ALL of the fluids and filters on the truck. take a sample of the oil that is in there now, send it to Blackstone Labs. they find all of the particles and traces of metal and stuff in the oil, and compare it to averages.

change or replace:

-Engine oil and filter every 5K miles
-Flush transmission fluid out with new every 30K miles
-replace engine coolant bi-anually or every 40k miles (??), add SCA anually.
-flush power steering system with syn. ATF
-bleed brake system
- if it's a 4x4, change transfercase fluid with ATF
-change fuel filter
-replace rear (front too if 4x4) differential fluids
-change air filter

do a quick search on these topics to read more about them, it will guide you through the procedure. start out with the basics to make it good from the factory again. 200K miles is way to long for service on anything and chances are it's on it's way to the junk yard like that. you probably have some serious cavitation on the cylinder coolant jackets.

 

Clean oil and air will make these motors last forever but neglect either one and big repair bills start popping up. as far as inexpesive mods to 'help her out' search the first thread in the forum there is alot of info inside.

Oh... Welcome to FTE..... Beware of PMS

 

Ditto to what Kris said, and definately check that coolant. On a positive note, sometimes you get lucky and it will just run and run but I wouldn't roll the dice.