My First Post (with some questions)
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: South West, PA
My First Post (with some questions)
Hello,
I am a brand new member. I have read all the FAQs on the Read First sticky post. I have a 99' F-150 XLT 4X4 Off Road 5.4L Supercab with 3.73 gears 4W Anti-Lock Disk Brakes. I ordered the truck new and have had some questions I have compiled over the years.
1. I have replaced 6 of 8 coils and all the sparkplugs. Has anyone had better luck with the replacement coils?
2. I replaced all the tie rod ends with ones that are greasable. (the letter came in the mail and in a couple of weeks I backed out of the driveway and one of them broke).
3. I have replaced the factory radio. Anyone else have issues with the factory radio?
4. One of the front swaybar attach rods broke so I replaced that one and the other side at the same time. Anyone else have this happen?
5. The digital odometer would come on sometimes and then turn off for a while. I had this replaced and the new one has a fan that runs when the key is turned on. Anyone else have issues with the odometer?
6. I just took it to get inspected and I knew I had a small exaust leak. It would go away after the engine came up to operating temp. Ended up that I had to have the manifold replaced because it had warped.
7. I had the rear differential cover rust through. (I live in PA and they love to use up the salt.)
8. If I use a tuner or a superchip would I get better overall performance without losing gas mileage? 14 to 15 MPG NOT towing, towing about 12 MPG.
9. Any fix to having to always replace parts on the emergency brake system?
10. Are there any items that I should replace or clean on the engine (ie MAS) on a predetermined schedule.
Thank you for your time.
I am a brand new member. I have read all the FAQs on the Read First sticky post. I have a 99' F-150 XLT 4X4 Off Road 5.4L Supercab with 3.73 gears 4W Anti-Lock Disk Brakes. I ordered the truck new and have had some questions I have compiled over the years.
1. I have replaced 6 of 8 coils and all the sparkplugs. Has anyone had better luck with the replacement coils?
2. I replaced all the tie rod ends with ones that are greasable. (the letter came in the mail and in a couple of weeks I backed out of the driveway and one of them broke).
3. I have replaced the factory radio. Anyone else have issues with the factory radio?
4. One of the front swaybar attach rods broke so I replaced that one and the other side at the same time. Anyone else have this happen?
5. The digital odometer would come on sometimes and then turn off for a while. I had this replaced and the new one has a fan that runs when the key is turned on. Anyone else have issues with the odometer?
6. I just took it to get inspected and I knew I had a small exaust leak. It would go away after the engine came up to operating temp. Ended up that I had to have the manifold replaced because it had warped.
7. I had the rear differential cover rust through. (I live in PA and they love to use up the salt.)
8. If I use a tuner or a superchip would I get better overall performance without losing gas mileage? 14 to 15 MPG NOT towing, towing about 12 MPG.
9. Any fix to having to always replace parts on the emergency brake system?
10. Are there any items that I should replace or clean on the engine (ie MAS) on a predetermined schedule.
Thank you for your time.
Hotshot
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 12,341
Likes: 4,366
From: SW VA
First off, welcome to the site!
1) Mine has plugs and wires, so I don't know much about COP's.
2) I've had good luck with the stockers on my '97...even through moderate offroad adventures and 33" tires.
3) No issues with my factory radio, but it didn't have a CD player, so it was one of the first things I ditched.
4) Breaking sway-bar links are VERY common on these trucks. I completely removed the sway-bar on my truck. AdvanceAuto and AutoZone sell replacements that are all steel instead of the wimpy plastic/pot metal stockers.
5) I have read several threads on here with that problem with the digital odo. Never paid much attention to it since mine is analog. Sorry.
6) Yup, exhaust leaks are also common on these trucks. I went through several weekends and $200 trying to seal mine up. Still no luck (the leak came back the other day).
7) Seems fairly common in the northern states, over a wide range of make and model trucks.
8) No experience there, sorry...
9) N/A
10) Whatever you do, do not use a hose or pressure washer to wash the engines on these trucks. If you do, you will be tracking down problems for the following months and/or years. The only things I've had to replace on my '97 were the Alternator and battery, which I have come to the conclusion that my subwoofer and amplifier finished them off. They both failed about a month after installing my stereo.
1) Mine has plugs and wires, so I don't know much about COP's.
2) I've had good luck with the stockers on my '97...even through moderate offroad adventures and 33" tires.
3) No issues with my factory radio, but it didn't have a CD player, so it was one of the first things I ditched.
4) Breaking sway-bar links are VERY common on these trucks. I completely removed the sway-bar on my truck. AdvanceAuto and AutoZone sell replacements that are all steel instead of the wimpy plastic/pot metal stockers.
5) I have read several threads on here with that problem with the digital odo. Never paid much attention to it since mine is analog. Sorry.
6) Yup, exhaust leaks are also common on these trucks. I went through several weekends and $200 trying to seal mine up. Still no luck (the leak came back the other day).
7) Seems fairly common in the northern states, over a wide range of make and model trucks.
8) No experience there, sorry...
9) N/A
10) Whatever you do, do not use a hose or pressure washer to wash the engines on these trucks. If you do, you will be tracking down problems for the following months and/or years. The only things I've had to replace on my '97 were the Alternator and battery, which I have come to the conclusion that my subwoofer and amplifier finished them off. They both failed about a month after installing my stereo.
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,517
Likes: 3
From: SE Wyoming
I lost both my sway bar endlinks after going to 33" tires. I replaced them with NAPA's bolt versions and all is well.
The cluster going out is a bad solder joint and is very common in '99s.
Don't plan on any better mileage from a tuner. If you want mileage get electric fans.
I second not washing the engine, it will just cause more harm than good.
'99s have an inordinate amount of problems, one of which is the previously mentioned cluster issue. The rear window also has a tendency to leak, as does the heater core line that runs over the top of the #4 and #3 COP's, when it leaks it will short them out. The windshields can also leak and fry the GEM. I think if you have had the stock glass replaced you probably won't have that problem.
The cluster going out is a bad solder joint and is very common in '99s.
Don't plan on any better mileage from a tuner. If you want mileage get electric fans.
I second not washing the engine, it will just cause more harm than good.
'99s have an inordinate amount of problems, one of which is the previously mentioned cluster issue. The rear window also has a tendency to leak, as does the heater core line that runs over the top of the #4 and #3 COP's, when it leaks it will short them out. The windshields can also leak and fry the GEM. I think if you have had the stock glass replaced you probably won't have that problem.
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: South West, PA
Thanks for the info.
If would have found this site I would have made the cold solder joint fix on the cluster. I had the heater core hose leak problem (killed a coil). I had the rear window replaced about a month after I picked it up from the dealer. The seal was not installed properly.
If would have found this site I would have made the cold solder joint fix on the cluster. I had the heater core hose leak problem (killed a coil). I had the rear window replaced about a month after I picked it up from the dealer. The seal was not installed properly.
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: South West, PA
First off, welcome to the site!
1) Mine has plugs and wires, so I don't know much about COP's.
2) I've had good luck with the stockers on my '97...even through moderate offroad adventures and 33" tires.
3) No issues with my factory radio, but it didn't have a CD player, so it was one of the first things I ditched.
4) Breaking sway-bar links are VERY common on these trucks. I completely removed the sway-bar on my truck. AdvanceAuto and AutoZone sell replacements that are all steel instead of the wimpy plastic/pot metal stockers.
5) I have read several threads on here with that problem with the digital odo. Never paid much attention to it since mine is analog. Sorry.
6) Yup, exhaust leaks are also common on these trucks. I went through several weekends and $200 trying to seal mine up. Still no luck (the leak came back the other day).
7) Seems fairly common in the northern states, over a wide range of make and model trucks.
8) No experience there, sorry...
9) N/A
10) Whatever you do, do not use a hose or pressure washer to wash the engines on these trucks. If you do, you will be tracking down problems for the following months and/or years. The only things I've had to replace on my '97 were the Alternator and battery, which I have come to the conclusion that my subwoofer and amplifier finished them off. They both failed about a month after installing my stereo.
1) Mine has plugs and wires, so I don't know much about COP's.
2) I've had good luck with the stockers on my '97...even through moderate offroad adventures and 33" tires.
3) No issues with my factory radio, but it didn't have a CD player, so it was one of the first things I ditched.
4) Breaking sway-bar links are VERY common on these trucks. I completely removed the sway-bar on my truck. AdvanceAuto and AutoZone sell replacements that are all steel instead of the wimpy plastic/pot metal stockers.
5) I have read several threads on here with that problem with the digital odo. Never paid much attention to it since mine is analog. Sorry.
6) Yup, exhaust leaks are also common on these trucks. I went through several weekends and $200 trying to seal mine up. Still no luck (the leak came back the other day).
7) Seems fairly common in the northern states, over a wide range of make and model trucks.
8) No experience there, sorry...
9) N/A
10) Whatever you do, do not use a hose or pressure washer to wash the engines on these trucks. If you do, you will be tracking down problems for the following months and/or years. The only things I've had to replace on my '97 were the Alternator and battery, which I have come to the conclusion that my subwoofer and amplifier finished them off. They both failed about a month after installing my stereo.
The new manifold and time to remove 2 broken bolts from the block the price was $500 at the dealership.
Hotshot
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 12,341
Likes: 4,366
From: SW VA
I just don't. I couldn't tell a bit of difference in body roll before, or after the link broke. So I removed the other link and left the sway bar hanging there. After the tire shop kept nagging me about it (I take it there to get my tires rotated since it's free, and at the time, my jack wouldn't go up high enough to get the front end off the ground), I finally said screw it and took it off.
I have a question for those of you who have had a broken sway-bar link. Did you ever notice excessive body roll (or that thunking sound it made), which caused you look under the truck? Or did you notice the link was broken while doing a brake job or some other maintenance/repair?
