2000 Ford F-250 Super Duty Problems and Solutions

mmonfee

1986 f250 wont start, spins over fine, glow plugs keep going bad, starts if pluged in . how do you check compresion on 6.9 and what should fuel presure be?Im great with gas burner but this is first 6.9 deisal

rich34

I have a 1985 F250 that has a 460 in it that just blew. I am looking to replace it at a fairly low cost. I was wondering what year of engines I can drop into this truck. I have a contact to a 79 460 that came out of a Linclon Continental, but I do not know if this would even be close to working! Any input would be appreciated!

blitzgent

I have an '04 F-250 Super Duty Diesel with 45,000 miles. New fuel filters, regularly use fuel injector cleaner. When under acceleration or load (Climbing even slightly) the truck misses terribly, backfires, spews black exhaust. Will be a few days before I can get to dealer. Any ideas?
Thanks

KCRam

Legally, you can not replace the engine in a vehicle with one older than the model year (because of emissions laws). You can use an engine of same or newer year with no problem.

I'd be very suspicious of the 79 engine myself... salvage yards may be your better bet.

kcram
Host - Wagons

wijoco

Depends on the state. Federal law requires that an engine-swapped vehicle's emissions SYSTEM remains identical to the factory setup. States that have adopted the CARB rules won't allow engines older than the original to be installed. A really stupid law considering you can install an engine from a previous model year that's identical to the current and reattach all the original emissions equipment with the same output.

Anyway, assuming both engines are carbureted you need to check out all the ports on the heads, bolt holes for the engine mounts, carb mount on the intake, bolt hole patterns on the transmission bell housing, etc. My guess is it won't work, as Ford usually modifies each engine pretty heavily when it's designed for a truck. May end up being better to load up the credit card and get yours rebuilt. You usually just buy a short period of time with a swap.

wijoco

If it's the 6.0 diesel, you're in good company. Lots of owners with same problems you're describing. it may take multiple visits to get it all resolved.

kbarnes

1998 F150 blew a spark plug i mean it blew left top part in the cover and the bottom in the hole if im using the wrong terms sorry husband so pissed i thot i would look for help anyway he replaced for spark plugs cuz 3 more were bad and he bought new valve covers i think they are called but the truck wont start now . i heard him say something about the fireing sequence how do we find out what it is for an F150 and is there an easy way to tell if its that or fix it.please help need truck for work.
thanks kathy

mac24

Which engine is it Kathy? It's important, as each one is different.

kbarnes

its a 4.6

mac24

Should be 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8. Standing at the front of the truck number one is on the left side at the front.......two, three and four are behind it. Number five is on the right side at the front, and six, seven and eight are behind it.

Good luck.

kbarnes

thank you so much i really appriciate it i hope thats all it is thats making it not work if it dont work i may be looking you up again if you dont mind that is and thanks again.kathy

KCRam

Doesn' have to be a CARB state to require equal or newer engine swaps. Any state that tests emissions as part of scheduled inspection can make that requirement.

If I remember correctly, late 70s Ford truck V8s installed in 3/4 and 1-ton trucks could run leaded gasoline, as the emissions rules for that weight class were not caught up to those of cars at the time. Granted, leaded gas hasn't been sold in ages, but I'd also avoid a "leaded" engine for an "unleaded" (1986) vehicle.

It likely would bolt up, though... Ford used the same transmissions in cars and trucks with the same engine. The 460 was likely hooked to a C6 regardless of the application.

kcram
Host - Wagons

wijoco

"Doesn' have to be a CARB state to require equal or newer engine swaps. Any state that tests emissions as part of scheduled inspection can make that requirement."

Please provide a link to support that all states require equal or newer engine swaps.

KCRam

"Doesn' have to be a CARB state to require equal or newer engine swaps. Any state that tests emissions as part of scheduled inspection can make that requirement."

Please provide a link to support that all states require equal or newer engine swaps.

Where did I say all states require it? I said states that require emissions inspection can require it. Can someone install an older engine and tune it to the point where it meets the newer model year's emissions standards? Sure. Is it technically legal where that person lives? That's up to the local jurisdiction.

While it may not necessarily apply to the 1979 vs 1986 460 V8 originally inquired about, there are enough minor changes in an engine every so often to meet the next round of exhaust regs. The manufacturers guarantee to the government that their vehicles will meet that standard, and the EPA can force recalls if testing shows these vehicles do not. Joe Average makes a swap to an older engine and was unaware of a design change in his original. He gets the recall notice for an emissions repair, goes to the dealer for the fix. Dealer sees the part isn't there, realizes engine is older than model year. EPA violation and fines for the owner.

You just can't make the blanket statement, "sure you can swap" any longer.

kcram
Host - Wagons

ih1086

I am currently looking into purchasing a 1987 F-350 with a 7.3 liter diesel. It currently has a four speed manual trans. and I was wondering if anyone knows if I can bolt a five speed to the motor without any transfer case or engine mods. Also who makes the best value turbo kits for this motor?

amaya

i just purchased a 1986 f250 v.8 7.5L
it stalls on me when i stop at a light or stop sign.
can anyone help me
could it be the fuel filter? how do i find it?

enostbuckle

Notice to the owners and prospective buyers of the 6.0 liter “Powerstroke Turbo Diesel”.

If you’re encountering poor performance, poor economy & foul smelling emissions know that you’re not alone. The manufacturer has admitted to a major engineering blunder that we the consumer must be willing to allow our vehicles to undergo extensive alterations to rectify such problems. They claim that the engine was designed to run on no less than a 47 Cetane level which is found in all diesel fuels. The highest Cetane level however is a 45 found in Sunoco Gold. As if the ever rising cost of fuel wasn’t enough the manufacturer goes and designs an engine that requires expensive fuel additives to run. Aftermarket computer chips tend to help but be aware that this voids the factory warranty. Cummins & Duramax engines seem to run just fine on all types of diesel fuels so why should we the consumers be inconvenienced by the manufacturers inability to engineer a motor that runs on fuels that haven’t changed in years. If your thinking about purchasing a Powerstroke remember that you probably won’t smell the offensive emissions or encounter any performance problems until the vehicle has been driven for a few weeks so don’t base your decision on the test drive alone.

wpalkowski

I think it's under the bed on the left hand side. On the frame rail just behind the cab.

f150bobblehead

I have a 2005 F150 short bed extended cab 4x4 with 3k miles on it. Around 1k miles, I began to notice that the bed was vibrating excessively over bumps. Now the bed bounces around like a bobble head doll, sending vibrations through the cab and squeaking, over every bump and seems to be at it's worst when hitting bumps at 30-35 mph. Been to the dealership and they say it's normal. Talked with Ford and they say they stand behind the dealership's assessment. I say it's garbage and Ford has a design issue on it's hands. Has anyone had any luck getting this issue resolved and if so, what was the nature of the fix? Thanks..

jrl

This board is turning into a nightmare. Last week I headed off on my commute of 45 miles. I have been extremely pleased with my f150 so far. It is a 5.4L, Fx4, Supercab, 2004. I bought it in Virginia. Anyway, I get on the ramp to enter the Interstate and all of a sudden the entire Truck starts vibrating violently. Now I have always noticed a distant tremble in the truck, but compared to other trucks the ride was the best. As you can imagine, this scared the daylights out of me. I pulled over and shut the engine off, my only thought was that maybe I had just gotten a flat. Checked everything out and got back in the Truck. Now I just simply notice a vibration somewhere in the truck, it feels like it comes from the drivers side. I can feel mine the most at about 60-75 mph (hence I'm always on the interstate) It feels like the tire is out of round or that the rim is bent or something like that. The truck DOES NOT PULL however. I am taking it to the dealer this week. This is a real shame Ford. I don't know about the rest of you, but if I have the same problem that you have(at this point I would like to think there is really nothing wrong with the Truck) I want something done. 33k for a truck that vibrates DIFFERENTLY than it did when you purchased it as a significant problem. My truck was purchased new and it now has 10670 miles on it. Oh God, I think I should have bought the Titan!!!

tripicchio

I own an '05 F-150, and was wondering if anyone else had this problem. Mostly when turning the wheel, especially keeping it turned for a sustained period of time, like entering an on-ramp, I hear a "ticking/rattle" noise comming from somewhere in the steering column. My ear indicates it is near the steering wheel. I already had it to the dealer once for this, and after 3 days, they basically taped-up wires in the steering column, but to no avail. Has anyone else had this, and if so what was the remedy...it is driving me crazy...one person said that it may be the "clock spring" in the steering wheel (whatever that is)

t150a75

Lower your expectations. My 2004 XLT Lariat 5.4 has had new tires, new rims, road force truing, TWO drive shafts, one rebuilt rear end and now one NEW rear end, rear end dampers, and as I type it lays dis-assembled at the dealership with Ford Engineers scratching their heads over the vibration. They are installing body dampers now. I have 7,000 miles and have been in the shop 9 times. Also lost a serpentine belt and a mirror fell off. The truck is junk. If they can ever get it reassembled I'm trading it.

calyrama

You are not alone! I was also a victum of the vibration bug. I too owned a 2004 Lariat 4X4 Super Crew with all the bells and whistles that go with it. My truck had spent over 45 days in the service dept, off and on, working on vibration, stuttering at initial acceleration from a slight incline, a "wooing" noise at idle, whinning at 50 plus MPH, a thumping noise when turning left or right, and other problems not to mention. I did the bit with the engineers, called Ford and pursued a buy back many times, spent days with four different loaner cars and waiting out the results, had many a discussions with the dealership GM in which he too had problems. Folks...I hate to mention this but, I gave up! The new 2004 F-150 was not ready for the market. We were all too crazed about the new product and even I couldn't resist getting ahead of the line and getting one. Yes, I made a terrible mistake and should have waited for the others to jump in line first and see the results and go from there. I was just like all the others who bought a new F-150 thinking this is the best thing out. Well...I gave up and traded in the F-150 for a new 2005 F-250, gassed 5.4L, 4X4, single cab, no frills type truck. Glad is not the word. Relief...that's the ticket! I test drove the truck of course before purchasing it. Will pull my boat when I need to. The wife loves it and so do I. The best part of the deal...the dealership cared about my troubles but Ford didn't. They wanted me happy and made me feel valued. Gave me rebates I needed and a little something else. They even threw in a few goodies when I asked. As for the truck...no problems as of this writing. Peace of mind...you better believe it! Folks...until the government steps in and takes on Ford, we are stuck in the mud sort of speak. When the lawsuits come out, not only will I get a chunk of change, but the lawyers will make a few jingles in their pockets. I may have thrown in the towel as far as ownership goes...but it's not over yet!

mara1

ford replaced injectors reset to new computer codes per ford now truck billows white smoke at cold start can smell fuel dealer says ford said normal truck is now in for past week when taking off in drive it actually in 5th gear ford can not fiqure it out

rexl3

My 99 F-250 Superduty with a 5.4 liter gas engine won't start sometimes. Once in awhile I will try to start it and it will turn over but it won't start. It will finally start after trying to start it 10 to 20 times then it will run fine and start fine for a week or so then it will do the same thing again. I replaced the fuel filter and i thought that helped but then it did it again. Any Ideas?

aspesisteve

I checked out Auto Trader recently to see what people were asking for their '04 F150's.

What I learned was that there were tons of 4x4's for sale, with few 4x2's. It's pretty obvious to me that people are trying to unload a bad tranny. I'm not sure if something like this can be detected in a simple test drive, after all most people who bought them new test drove them....right?

What a mess Ford has created with an otherwise nice design.

mac24

"It's pretty obvious to me that people are trying to unload a bad tranny."

I doubt it. There's way more than a difference in transmissions between the 4x2 and the 4x4.

Far more likely that people are trying to unload a vibration problem, which appears to be far more prevalent among the 4x4 variants.

aspesisteve

mac,

isn't the vibration coming from the tranny?

and is this a problem detected with a simple test drive? if so, how did it go undetected by all the buyers? i don't get it?

KCRam

Transmissions in 4x2 and 4x4 trucks are the same. The differences are the addition of the transfer case, the front driveshaft, and a shorter rear driveshaft. Most driveline vibrations come from the shafts and u-joints, not the transmission.

kcram - Pickups Host

f150bobblehead

The vibration you're noticing is a result of the momentum your bed generates as it bounces around. The next time you're driving down a slightly bumpy road, look in your rear view mirror...my bet is that you'll notice that the back corner of your bed, the side behind the driver's seat, is bouncing around like nothing you've ever seen. I've even had friends driving behind me at night tell me that the bed wobbles so much that the frequency of the wobbling blurs my tail lights. Get rid of your piece of junk while you can. Cut your losses, eat the $3k you'll lose by trading it in on something from Japan, and you won't need to look at this board ever again. That's my plan. Good luck..

aspesisteve

ok what ever

my point is that there are many more '04 4x4's for sale than 4x2. I suspect the vibration problem is causing alot of unhappy folks to unload and it's a shame that Ford can't fix the problem.

My question is, how are you going to explain to a prospective buyer what the deal is with the vibration? And how did Ford manage to sell so many vehicles with this problem?

dodge31

What are the fuel and air mixture adjustments on a 84 ford pickup 302 with motor craft 2-barrel and are there screw adjustments on this carborater?

awsum7

I'm not sure what a DSB is but I to have expierenced a problem with the front brakes. Every oil change (3000) miles they have had to replace the front rotors. They on this last time have said it is now at my own expense. Even though I purchased the EXP plan. They said it must be my driving? So I called Ford and explained my problem. They said from what had happened it must be a dealership problem? Because when they rotated my tires they warped my first set of rotors. Well this will be the fourth set. And this just started at approximately 10,000 miles. I now have 22,000. I also now know that FORD has updated their front rotors. I wish this had been stated in the first place instead of all the headaches that my wife and I have gone through. Good luck

pusterracing

I have an '03 F350 SuperCrew KingRanch with a 6.0L Powerstroke with 19K miles on it. So far, I have not experienced any of the problems with this motor. It drives and pulls just fine, I thought the fuel economy was decent for the size vehicle (~17-19mpg unloaded and ~12-13mpg pulling a 27' travel trailer, with a rear lid). What exactly should I be looking for as far as problems go? I'm not exactly new to diesels, I have an '04 Jetta TDI an '05 Passat TDI and I have also owned 300 series diesels in the past. The puff of smoke on start-up doesn't really concern me too much, it usually depends on where I get my fuel if it even puffs or not.

wijoco

What trouble are you having? Carburetor "adjustments" are rarely the source of the problem. It's a good idea not to mess with the mixture screws unless you're doing a full rebuild.

wijoco

I think the dealer needs to be taking a closer look at the root cause. You could have sticking front calipers, out of round hubs, or badly misadjusted rear brakes. Even air in the rear brake lines or a bad master cylinder cauing the fronts to do all the work. But unless you're a panic stop driver, there's no way the dealer can blame this on you.

ikia21

i just started a 2 year lease on an 05 f 150 supercab. i actually work for the dealership where i got my truck. i felt this for the first time today with not even 1k on it yet. if i find anything out ill post it. also the gas mileage is horrendus! im getting around 9 miles to the gallon, with a bed cover and all

a1585v

Good, you work for a dealership! so tell us, are all these dealers basically covering up this whole mess for FORD?

468

I have two gas tanks, front & rear. The rear tank can't be switched to use the gas when the front tank is nearing empty.

Temporarily I stopped using the rear tank and now when I fill up the front tank and drive for a bit I notice the gas from the front tank is being transferred to the rear tank.

Can anyone help?

dano5

I am currently on my third brake switch on my 2005 F-150 and the truck only has 12,000 miles. This happens when you least expect it. You get in to go somewhere and the shifter will not come out of park, nothing you can do but call for a tow. If your cruise control goes out while driving beware of where you are when you put the truck in park cause it aint coming out. I hope that Ford figures this out soon I have 4 more years left on the warranty an figure thats worth about 16 more tows.

KCRam

I've had F-series in the past with the dual tank set... sounds like the valve that determines which tank connects to the main fuel line has failed. That would explain fuel going between tanks. If you're a DIYer, you'll need a service manual for this one; otherwise, the dealer should be able to take care of this one without too much trouble.

kcram - Pickups Host

mlester1

just blew up Turbo for second time, once at 15k and now 54k, dealer says ECM dumping fuel, 6.0 is great when right but a dog when broke.

bassmaster

carglow...I was having big time streeling wheel shake when I applied my brakes...had about 10,000 miles on it. Took it in...they replaced the two front rotors...w/ the upgraded '05 rotors...told me they're doing that w/ anyone who brings in brake problems...not even turning the olds ones...just putting new ones on. Go get you some...

peachbush

I read of the vibration problems with the 2004 F-150's 4x4 trucks. Also the shudder when starting from a stop every time. I figured Ford would have this fixed for the 2005's, WRONG. Dealer says the shudder is a drive shaft bind but Ford does not know how to fix it??? BUT it doesn't hurt anything! The truck has the nasty vibration everyone had mentioned for the 2004's. Dealer tells me it's tires, they have to be road force balanced. They don't have the machine, so I got them done, didn't help at all. Jacked it up last weekend and brought it up to speed, vibration still there? Dealer says if he gets Ford to do a vibration check they might tell me it is exceptable! HA, tell that to my face. Like other posts have said take the loss and trade it in???? I feel Ford is giving all of us a run around while we continue to drive them and in time Ford knows we will either be over the warranty or trade them in on a Tundra or a Titan?This is my 5th new Ford 4x4 and with the shudder and vibration the worst.

twocar

What model do you have? Reg Cab, Ext Cab, Screw? '05 XLT, FX4? 4x2 or 4x4?

f150bobblehead

My 2005 F150 was my fourth Ford truck and my last Ford product. I traded it last night for a new Titan. I lost 3 grand in the deal and it's the best 3 thousand dollars I've ever spent. My brother has had one for a year and it's been a rock solid, quality product...much unlike the 4 wheeled junk that Ford trys to pass off as their light duty truck line. The Titan's bed doesn't bounce around, there's no clicking/creaking in the steering column, it doesn't burn oil(if you own an F150 with the 4.6L V8, you know what I mean) and it doesn't feel like your emergency brake is dragging every time you start from a dead stop. The dealership wouldn't/couldn't fix the vibrating bed issue and Ford didn't seem to give a damn. Good luck to anyone who is having this problem. My advice, trade it before the entire industry realizes that this generation of the F150 is the Edsel of the twenty first century. My advice if you're thinking about buying an F150, DON'T DO IT.

jrl

Well, I feel that I am not alone on this board. The sad thing is that I really like my truck, I just do not want it to vibrate. I took it to the dealer and it is still there. Service department was rather nice and up front, admiting that there were several people at my dealership that have complained. The service person working with me allowed me to drive the vehicle twice for him as he did test on the truck. He said when he drove it earlier that day he detected nothing. He had to admit he felt the vibration both times when I drove, but tried to put out that it worsened with different road conditions. I told him plainly that those roads had not changed since I test drove and drove the truck for the first 10,000 miles..that seemed to shut him up:) I ask him what was to be done and he talked about the service bulletin. He said that Ford was not authorizing any fix right now, so I ask him did that mean Ford was saying "just live with it?" He just had a blank look on his face, but I remained polite. I don't intend to lose any money on the situation if the Truck is not fixed, no offense to anyone that already has. The argument is very simple. Ford offered a product that matched its advertisements at first, then under warranty some noticible change happened to the vehicle that was not the fault of misuse or abuse by the owner. With respect to that, the vehicle should be fixed either under Fords 3 year warranty or the dealer's advirtised 10 year warranty. If Ford should decline, or can not fix the problem I will seek 3 remedies...1)fix truck to orginial condition, 2)replace truck with a truck of equal value without vibrating problems and go form there, or 3)reimburse my full purchase price. If Ford should decline, I will pursue legal action and possibly file charges of misinforming consumer and false advertisement. The purchase of my truck was really a gift, I used an inheritance to buy the truck. Unfortunately my wife and I do not make the money to actually purchase such a truck as we are both just finishing school. I will be a teacher and my wife an RN. We graduate in May. We both travel and need seperate vehicles. I should doubt that Ford will like to take on the American dream, but we shall see.

jrl

As to the shaky bed, its wierd. The Bed on my truck seems rock solid and never seems to shake, even when the truck is vibrating.

mbolena

I have a 2002 F250 with 40k that is dropping coil packs at a rate of one every other month. The dealer is telling me that I may have a moisture problem of some sort. Any suggestions on this issue? Also, is there any way to tell which one it is without doing a diagnostic?

wacker2

Wonder if anyone else is having same problems, my 2004 F250 is a nightmare, 50,000 miles and been in shop too many times, skips, jumps, 3 alternators, misses at slow speeds, mid range and can not keep tires balanced?