hi folks,
i am new to your forum and really hoping you can help me out... i have a 98 F150 STX 2wd with the 4.2 V6.the truck has 120,000 miles, never been beat on as the tires will show(owned it for 5 yrs and never put new tires, just rotate) and always changed the oil every 2500 miles.

this past week, i came out of work,and when i tried to start the truck, it locked up like the starter was stuck. i tried a few more times and a co worker tapped the starter with a hammer and the truck started and i drove home. when i got home i shut the truck off and re started several times with no troubles.

the next morning, i was going to work, and the truck did the sme thing with an added twist...when it finally fired, it made a huge bang, and vibrated the whole truck, and sounded like the motor was turning inside out. when i went out to see what the heck happened, all the oil was running out underneath.

i got under as far as i could and looked around , but couldnt see anything sticking out that wasnt supposed to be ( rods), and no holes that were not supposed to be there. just oil EVERYWHERE.

one guy at work thinks it may have jumped or blown the timing gear/chain,and another just says the motor is toast. can someone help me ? i am really baffeled , and extremly bummed. i love the truck, and just paid it off 6 months ago.

this all happened out of the blue with no warning. there was no knocks or strange noises coming from the motor.


thanx for time,

mike

 

The 4.2s are notorious for leaking headgaskets, which can fill the cylinder up with coolant. Are you sure there isnt any holes in the block?

 

Where was the oil leaking?

 

the best i can tell is the front seal and all around the oil pan. couldnt see very well from laying on the ground, but i saw no holes.maybe the mechanic can see better on the lift

thanx for the responses guys

mike

 

Well good luck. Hopefully its not serious.. but from what you described it doesnt sound good.

 

Sounds a lot like a hydrolock except for the tapping on the starter to get it going.

 

funny thing, I went on vacation in feb, when I got back, my 4.6 would not start, I changed the starter, still nothing. I put a johnson bar with a pipe on the crank, and two guys could not turn the engine. the guy at the dealer said hydrolock is possible. I'm bummed too, cause I still owe 3000 on it.

 

now that you mention it, another guy at work said that is possible.he just went thru it with his chevy. thanx agin for your help,

mike

 

Welcome to the forum.
Sorry that this bad condition is what brought you here.

Hydrolock. A cylinder filled with coolant from either a leaking head gasket or intake gasket. When you cranked it over, it tried to compress the coolant and it can't be done, so the connecting rod gave way and exited the block.
Time for a new engine, your shortblock is toast.

 

LxMan1,
thank you for your post as well as everyone else...this is what i suspected.i forgot that tha coolant kept getting low and never could figure out why. i never saw any leaks or smelled coolant. then, a guy at work told me today that last week before the motor blew, he was following me and it was blowing white exhaust for about a half mile then it stopped and cleared up. i guess it all adds up, put 2 and 2 together and you get a blown motor!

thanx for your help,

mike

 

hi guys,

quick question...a couple of different people have told me that in order to change the head gaskets or the motor on my 98 F150 4.2, i am going to have to remove the cab. is this true, or are these guys talking out their backsides?

thanx for your help,

mike

 

No, the 4.2 should come out thru the top.

 

thamk you LxMan1...i was beginning to think i was going to have a coronary to go along with the depression. now to come up with the cash to git r dun. any special things i should know or tricks...or will this motor slide right out like the old style! it looks as though it is shoved back in there a half a mile.

thanx again,

mike

 

It's back in there, but small enough to come out. On the 5.4L is is easier to lift the cab off fo the frame, but can be done thru the top, just a really tight fit.

 

thanx again...greatly appreciate it.

mike