Well it happened. Like so many other of you that frequent this site. I was the owner of a 1997 F-150 4x4 with a 4.2 motor. It was my daily driver. I didn't bother boosting the horses on it or anything. Because it was my daily transportation and also I thought how much power could anybody really get out of a 4.2.

I kept up the maintanence and took real good care of it. Then one day at 110,000 highway miles..........knock, knock, knock.
I pulled to the side of the highway and got out and stuck my head in the passenger front wheel well. And the noise was unbelievable.
I knew right away what it was. And had read so much about it on this site. So not caring how much more damage I would cause. I drove it about 3 more miles to the dealership that I had bought it at and parked it. I then began doing research on the timing cover gasket recall. I found the recall and called Ford and they stated that the recall was done by the previous owner, in December of 1999. So that told me that the truck was driven for two years before the recall was ever taken care of. 1997 to 1999. But Ford said that since it was done, they had no responsibility at all to repair the truck. But it still makes me wonder how much anti-freeze could of leaked into the motor in two years. Even with regular oil changes it could of still caused damage. But thats ok, thats why I bought the extended warranty. The dealership told me that it could take up to two months for the warranty company to approve a rebuilt motor and would not provide me with a loaner.

So to make a long story short, it took about a week for the warranty company to approve the work. But it could take up to another month to get it done. So I went to the owner of the dealership and I explained to him that I did not want the Ford any more and I needed a car to drive now, not in a month. So I walked out to their car lot and I bought a 2002 GMC Sierra. And I have to tell you now that I have been driving it for about two weeks.
IT IS TWICE THE TRUCK THAT ANY FORD COULD EVER HOPE TO BE!!!

So this is a message to all of you that own a Ford F-150 with a 4.2 motor. Even though you say....."I've had no problems, I keep the oil changed, It must be a problem with the people that drive them". Your time is coming when you too will be hearing the knock, knock, knock coming from the lower half of your motor. Which on mine ended up being a bent rod.

James Rogers
Proud owner of a GMC truck.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 04-Sep-02 AT 08:22 PM (EST)]ur 1st problem was buying a new GMC , ur second problem was buyin a 4.2L, shoud have bought an used truck with a 300 i6, guarentee that problem wont happen to a 300 i6.

 

Man I feel your pain. See it all too often at work.

 

Hi James, I've got the same problem as you 'had'. I have 77000Ks on the clock and Ford are not interested in helping in putting in a new engine. Have you heard of any other people with the same problem? I need a truck that works.
Simon

 

first of all that GMC you bought was the worst thing you could have done. You thought yo u had problems just wait. You probley didnt take care of the 4.2 very well oil changes are not the only thing you have to do keep an engine running sound. It wasnt the truck with the problem it was the Driver!!!!

Good luck with that GMC you probably wont get 50,000 miles out of it

 

>IT IS TWICE THE TRUCK THAT ANY FORD COULD EVER HOPE TO BE!!!

Well thats a OXY MORON if I ever read one.
Think about this DUDE Ford outsells Chevy and GMC combined so put that in your pipe and smoke it