97 Fi50
New User
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 5
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From: Simpsonville USA
97 Fi50
I have a 97 F150. It has 112000 miles on it. I have kept up all of the maint. on this truck. My wife and I bought this truck new, and she put most of the miles on it. What kind of problems should I expect to start having with the 4.6 or the tran?
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,060
Likes: 12
From: arizona
97 Fi50
I have a 97 f150 xlt 4x4 4.6l auto with 118k miles. Bought it new in 97. I have had to replace 7 or 8 yokes.....transmission once....transfercase assy once.....ESOF once and I have really never been 4 wheeling. Everything else is good it's just the drive train That has given me head aches. Of course ford plays dumb about it.
Service your transmission and change the fluid in the differentials.
Service your transmission and change the fluid in the differentials.
New User
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 10
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From: kingsport
97 Fi50
Same here...my truck has 104,000 miles...the only major problem I've had was a stopped up radiator a couple of months ago. Took a while to diagnose so I had to run the heater on the interstate to keep it from overheating...that was an unpleasant 4 hour drive to Nashville on a balmy spring day.
I've never done any 4-wheeling with my truck, but it's been on a bunch of road trips...drove it back and forth from home to grad school for 2 years...a 8 hour drive round trip at least once every 2 weeks. It's also made 2 trips from TN to FL. It still runs great and rides wonderfully.
Minor things I've had to deal with have been keeping lubricant in the steering column to stop an annoying little popping sound, a temperamental windshield washer switch, one wheel that stays dirtier than the rest, and a small leak into the cab during hard rains (I just posted another thread to figure out what to do about these last two). Oh, and I had to have the intake manifold cleaned because the truck was stalling slightly on sudden slowdowns. That fixed the problem.
That's pretty much it for me...I still love that truck just as much as the day I bought it! I just get my oil changed regularly and keep drivin'!
Amyzon
I've never done any 4-wheeling with my truck, but it's been on a bunch of road trips...drove it back and forth from home to grad school for 2 years...a 8 hour drive round trip at least once every 2 weeks. It's also made 2 trips from TN to FL. It still runs great and rides wonderfully.
Minor things I've had to deal with have been keeping lubricant in the steering column to stop an annoying little popping sound, a temperamental windshield washer switch, one wheel that stays dirtier than the rest, and a small leak into the cab during hard rains (I just posted another thread to figure out what to do about these last two). Oh, and I had to have the intake manifold cleaned because the truck was stalling slightly on sudden slowdowns. That fixed the problem.
That's pretty much it for me...I still love that truck just as much as the day I bought it! I just get my oil changed regularly and keep drivin'!
Amyzon
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 543
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From: LA
97 Fi50
Change the oil every 3k. You will have no problems. We have 150k miles on ours and it runs like new.
George
George
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New User
Joined: Sep 2002
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97 Fi50
Ive drove mine new off the lot, no probs at all. just change oil every 3,000 , flush radiator, air filter, and tranny drain with new filter at 115,000 now. runs like the day i bought it. only thing, there is an annoying squeak on front end
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Elder User
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 543
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From: LA
97 Fi50
That front end squeak, we have it too. Suupposedly it is the pitman arm. Could be anything. The problem is, that the suspension is non greasable. My friend who had worked at a ford dealership recommends to just keep driving it. He says some Expedidtions have this condition at 20k miles. People put new parts and come back later with the same problem. Not good but at 150k I can sure live with a minor squeak in the front end.
George
George
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Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 36
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97 Fi50
Just picked up that squeak about a week ago, was wondering where the hell it was. Drive for awhile and it goes away. Only hear it after it sits for over several hrs.
Anyway I`ve got 115k on mine, changed plugs and plug wires at 100k, coolant at 80k, changed tranny fluid at 50k and then had it power flushed at 85k. Replaced front pads at 80k oringinal rear shoes still on. One driverside headlight at 45k. On my 2nd set of tires, currently runnning BF Goodrich All Terrain, nice set of treads.
Now I do have some instrument lights out and was wondering how much of a B*^ch they are to replace. Also am wondering how long the water pump will go on, looks simple to replace but tight to work in.
Any suggestions on the instrument lights, gas guage and the one below it are out. Lower left corner of the speedo is out, temperature control **** is out.??
Any suugestions on the water pump when it goes??
Thnx for the input, love my truck, just waiting on the major stuff to go now
Anyway I`ve got 115k on mine, changed plugs and plug wires at 100k, coolant at 80k, changed tranny fluid at 50k and then had it power flushed at 85k. Replaced front pads at 80k oringinal rear shoes still on. One driverside headlight at 45k. On my 2nd set of tires, currently runnning BF Goodrich All Terrain, nice set of treads.
Now I do have some instrument lights out and was wondering how much of a B*^ch they are to replace. Also am wondering how long the water pump will go on, looks simple to replace but tight to work in.
Any suggestions on the instrument lights, gas guage and the one below it are out. Lower left corner of the speedo is out, temperature control **** is out.??
Any suugestions on the water pump when it goes??
Thnx for the input, love my truck, just waiting on the major stuff to go now
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 543
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From: LA
97 Fi50
Sorry, no help here on the electrical problems you have.
Don't worry about the water pump. It usually starts leaking slowly through the weep hole before the bearing goes out. Just pay attention to leaks, common sense.
Make sure you replace the coolant every year. The conditioners that keep the hoses and seals in the water pump happy work only well if your coolant isn't getting too old. The hoses are something you do *not* want to change, access on the back one is really bad.
Hope this helps,
George 151k miles.
Don't worry about the water pump. It usually starts leaking slowly through the weep hole before the bearing goes out. Just pay attention to leaks, common sense.
Make sure you replace the coolant every year. The conditioners that keep the hoses and seals in the water pump happy work only well if your coolant isn't getting too old. The hoses are something you do *not* want to change, access on the back one is really bad.
Hope this helps,
George 151k miles.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 154
Likes: 0
97 Fi50
F150 4WD 170,000 mi., virtually - knock on wood! - trouble free.
Just replaced two Goodyear (17") tires which had 95,000 miles on them and still had plenty of tread. The other two are Michelin and seem to be wearing even better.
Just replaced two Goodyear (17") tires which had 95,000 miles on them and still had plenty of tread. The other two are Michelin and seem to be wearing even better.
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