4.2 liter motor
New User
Joined: Apr 2007
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That's such a totally invalid response. They DO blow plugs - even when replaced correctly. If you only drive two blocks in any single direction, you can always walk home and have a tow-truck bring your paper-weight. Meanwhile, you've still got seven more plugs that you can blow. It's a bad design and Ford does Not care.
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Originally Posted by telrock
That's such a totally invalid response. They DO blow plugs - even when replaced correctly.
If you only drive two blocks in any single direction, you can always walk home and have a tow-truck bring your paper-weight. Meanwhile, you've still got seven more plugs that you can blow. It's a bad design and Ford does Not care.
Last edited by Big Bad; Aug 14, 2007 at 03:06 PM.
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Yeah, you better change out those plugs or you could end up spitting out a plug before 100,000 miles.
From a percentage standpoint it's pretty unlikely that your 4.6/5.4 will ever spit out a plug and virtually none ever will when you do what I said above. Still, the reality is that you have a steel spark plug secured in an aluminum head by 4 threads per plug. Ford's biggest mistake with these engines was the recommended 100,000 mile spark plug intervals, it should have been no more than 50,000 miles IMO.
Why play with fire? Change out those plugs, grafekie!
From a percentage standpoint it's pretty unlikely that your 4.6/5.4 will ever spit out a plug and virtually none ever will when you do what I said above. Still, the reality is that you have a steel spark plug secured in an aluminum head by 4 threads per plug. Ford's biggest mistake with these engines was the recommended 100,000 mile spark plug intervals, it should have been no more than 50,000 miles IMO.
Why play with fire? Change out those plugs, grafekie!
Last edited by Big Bad; Aug 14, 2007 at 04:24 PM.
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,013
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From: Cajun Country
BB,I knew the 97s and some 98s (4.2) had crank problems.After that the 4.2s had no more mechanical problems.Can you please post any information on the 4.2 cranks going bad?I'm very interested in this!
My Ford tech friend,who also drives an 04 4.2 F150,usually on average,repairs a 4.6 or 5.4 blown plug engine 4-6 times a week!
And,the repair cost can be anywhere from $1200 to $4000! For that price you can get a new crank kit on a 4.2,installed, to a good used 4.2 or a new one too!
And,i'll continue to say it;the 4.6 is a good small V8.I have one in my 99 Lincoln Town car.A bit underpowered for me,but it will do.
My Ford tech friend,who also drives an 04 4.2 F150,usually on average,repairs a 4.6 or 5.4 blown plug engine 4-6 times a week!
And,the repair cost can be anywhere from $1200 to $4000! For that price you can get a new crank kit on a 4.2,installed, to a good used 4.2 or a new one too!
And,i'll continue to say it;the 4.6 is a good small V8.I have one in my 99 Lincoln Town car.A bit underpowered for me,but it will do.
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,290
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From: Edgerton, WI
If you are going to hold out for one with a V8, you might as well hold out for one with a 5.4L.
Why would you want a 4.6L when a 5.4L makes more power and gets the same milage?
Not everyone needs or even really wants a V8. In a couple years Im looking to upgrade to a newer F-150 and I will be looking for a good used 2-3 year old reg cab 4x2 XL with a V6. All I ever haul is my snowmobile and a bedload of firewood and the 4.2L has plenty of ooomph for hauling that. Nothing against the 4.6L, its just that I can get one with a 4.2L for considerably less money and the 4.2L will be easier to work on.
If I were interested in one with a V8, I definetely wouldnt settle for anything less than a 5.4L though.
Why would you want a 4.6L when a 5.4L makes more power and gets the same milage?
Not everyone needs or even really wants a V8. In a couple years Im looking to upgrade to a newer F-150 and I will be looking for a good used 2-3 year old reg cab 4x2 XL with a V6. All I ever haul is my snowmobile and a bedload of firewood and the 4.2L has plenty of ooomph for hauling that. Nothing against the 4.6L, its just that I can get one with a 4.2L for considerably less money and the 4.2L will be easier to work on.
If I were interested in one with a V8, I definetely wouldnt settle for anything less than a 5.4L though.
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Originally Posted by BlueOvalFitter
My Ford tech friend,who also drives an 04 4.2 F150,usually on average,repairs a 4.6 or 5.4 blown plug engine 4-6 times a week!
4-6 per week is nothing but a blatant bold faced lie. Maybe 4-6 one week when all of the planets aligned on a 50-year blue moon.
Last edited by Big Bad; Aug 14, 2007 at 07:14 PM.
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Originally Posted by Octane
If you are going to hold out for one with a V8, you might as well hold out for one with a 5.4L.
Why would you want a 4.6L when a 5.4L makes more power and gets the same milage?
Not everyone needs or even really wants a V8. In a couple years Im looking to upgrade to a newer F-150 and I will be looking for a good used 2-3 year old reg cab 4x2 XL with a V6. All I ever haul is my snowmobile and a bedload of firewood and the 4.2L has plenty of ooomph for hauling that. Nothing against the 4.6L, its just that I can get one with a 4.2L for considerably less money and the 4.2L will be easier to work on.
If I were interested in one with a V8, I definetely wouldnt settle for anything less than a 5.4L though.
Why would you want a 4.6L when a 5.4L makes more power and gets the same milage?
Not everyone needs or even really wants a V8. In a couple years Im looking to upgrade to a newer F-150 and I will be looking for a good used 2-3 year old reg cab 4x2 XL with a V6. All I ever haul is my snowmobile and a bedload of firewood and the 4.2L has plenty of ooomph for hauling that. Nothing against the 4.6L, its just that I can get one with a 4.2L for considerably less money and the 4.2L will be easier to work on.
If I were interested in one with a V8, I definetely wouldnt settle for anything less than a 5.4L though.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2002
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From: Cajun Country
Originally Posted by Big Bad
I have to call BS on this one. I worked at a Ford dealer for a little while, and my best friend is a Ford Senior Master Tech currently working at a Ford dealership. At the largest Ford dealer in the area I would see a Modular V8 with a spit spark plug once every couple months, sometimes one or two a month at the MAXIMUM. Also, 9 times out of 10 it was either a s/c Lightning or H/D with an aftermarket tune (and likely too much timing) or a higher mileage engine on the original plugs.
4-6 per week is nothing but a blatant bold faced lie. Maybe 4-6 one week when all of the planets aligned on a 50-year blue moon.
4-6 per week is nothing but a blatant bold faced lie. Maybe 4-6 one week when all of the planets aligned on a 50-year blue moon.
Personally,I think you just flat out don't like the 4.2,for personal reasons maybe,I dont know.But after its take off in 97 it has come along way.
BTW,I still dont see those postings of the cranks going bad.I think you made that up!
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 147
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From: Ardmore
I wonder how many of you that are completely trashing the 4.2 have actually owned one? My experience has been great. I would own another. Absolutely the only thing you might give up is the V8 sound. The debate over the failures are rediculous. Most engines never experience these premaure failures. They are both good engines. My 4.2 is very smooth and reliable. Why scare someone off from a good deal if you do not have any experience with the product you are trashing?
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Joined: Jun 2007
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Originally Posted by BlueOvalFitter
I just go by what he tells me.And,I was in there one time and saw 2 F150s and 1 F350 with there cabs in the air! Why? Heads were being replaced due to spit out plugs! Maybe "uranus" was lined up with the planets?
Personally,I think you just flat out don't like the 4.2,for personal reasons maybe,I dont know.But after its take off in 97 it has come along way.
As for disliking the 4.2 for "personal reasons", well, if you consider working on them and driving them and finding them underwhelming primarily due to their horrible NVH "personal reasons," then you are correct. The 4.6L is a better engine in every respect.
BTW,I still dont see those postings of the cranks going bad.I think you made that up!
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Originally Posted by fplorer
I wonder how many of you that are completely trashing the 4.2 have actually owned one? My experience has been great. I would own another. Absolutely the only thing you might give up is the V8 sound. The debate over the failures are rediculous. Most engines never experience these premaure failures. They are both good engines. My 4.2 is very smooth and reliable. Why scare someone off from a good deal if you do not have any experience with the product you are trashing?
