Ford F-150 Owners
We really didn't have an official "home" for F-150 owners to gather here, so grabbing the hammer and nails and a few sheets of plywood...poof... a new clubhouse!
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Got to http://www.f150online.com Read the engine forums and there is a long [non-permissible content removed] thread about leaky head gaskets.
Good luck
$16,400 does seem high...I have a 99 XLT SC ORP 4x4 5.4 auto, 3.73LS with 31k miles and dealers are only offering 16.5 trade, selling for 19k. Something below 15k would probably be more like it.
I hope Ford got the machining problems corrected.
I recently traded my Lariat 4x2 4.6 and bought the same truck with the 5.4. The power difference is substantial. In day to day, city driving the gas mileage is off about 1 mpg. On a recent road trip through the mountains, the 5.4 got about 1 mpg better than my 4.6.
Regarding the rear ends, both trucks had 355, which I think is the only choice. The 4.6 was the limited slip. The 5.4 does not and I settled for this truck because of the financing deadline, which of course got extended after the fact. On wet road,this has not yet made a bit of difference. Let's see if I get stuck in the driveway this winter! Good Luck shopping and buy from a place that will sell or order at (or right close to) invoice.
I owned 4x4 trucks in my 20 & 30's, I have no need for a 4x4 now.
ryanbab hit the tires on the beads.....BFG's.
Rear gear is 3.55, seems like that is all Ford builds them with. So far 15.2 mpg is the average the truck is getting. Sometimes a bit more and less mpg is always easy too....... LOL
I've got a 2000 Silverado with a 5.3, 4x2 xtra cab truck. It does mid to high 17 mpg in the same driving as the Ford. It seems like GM only installs 3.73 gears in the 1/2 ton trucks.
Now...... you may wonder how did I end up with a GM & Ford truck?
We previously owned (traded it in to Ford) a 2000 Impala LS that gave 25 mpg. The new FWD design Impala's have an aluminum sub frame. In some of the Impala's this aluminum engine cradle makes noise. A popping, clicking noise on turns, stop & starts etc....The noise started on our car at 9,000 miles. We just missed the AZ lemon law by 4,000 miles with the Impala.
GM covered all costs to install a new updated frame in our car at 43,000 miles. A full 7,000 miles out of warranty!! 3k miles later the car started the mild, low pop noise as we backed out of our garage in the mornings. This problem noise is not a safety issue so the Fed's are not involved.
So now we own a Ford since GM does not build a similar truck to the Super Crew. We really like this Ford truck.
On the flip side we like how the seats feel and the size of them. With the power drivers seat it's easy to get it where you think the seat needs to be.
Fuel mileage has come up to 16 mpg now , with almost 4k miles on the truck.
Every single 2001 or 2002 F-150 4x2 xtra cab or super crew truck we looked at here in the valley of the sun in AZ had a 3.55 rear gear. Can't speak of the 4x4 , standard cab 4x2 trucks or any of the F-250's or bigger.
A buddy has a SDuty F-250 with 5.4 and the 4.10 gears. He ordered the truck too. It's an alternative fuel vehicle that the state of AZ is helping him pay for when our elected officials passed a law to pay out rebates on alt fuel vehicles and alt fuel conversions.
I don't think Ashville got quite that much, but they would be much better prepared for something like this.
Yesterday the roads were very passable because the unplowed roads were mostly very wet snow and slush, and most stuff that was plowed was just wet.. At least one lane of all major roads was in decent shape..
The killer is at night, when it gets down to 15 degrees, all the wet stuff freezes into solid ice.. Also, any spot that gets alot of shade does't thaw out, which makes for some way slick spots..
My 4x2 Superduty (with limited slip diff) does 'ok', but I have high mileage highway tires on it, not all terrain tires.. Also I need about 300 to 500lbs in the rear to help settle it some. The 4x2 Escape we have which is front wheel drive and has good tires, has no problems at all..
A friend of mine's 4x4 is in the shop.. It got stuck in 4wheel low. When he brought it in, he said the service department was PACKED with folk's 4x4's in for service. Most wouldn't go into 4x4, with a small number of others with different 4x4 system problems.
Why? I think because 4x4 systems a. need to be used, and b. do require more maintenance, but since its not used, they don't know its broke..
parchisi
My F150 had a tendency to eat front tires - need to rotate them every 6-7K. Tire shop had to put some kind shim on front end in order to align it and it still doesn't stay aligned - bump one curb and it's outta whack again.
You've gotta engage 4wd at least once a month and drive around a few minutes (off dry pavement) to keep things lubed. Need to do this or you'll get a rude surprise one day when you need it and front hubs won't engage. Is your's a manual 4x4, or do you have "shift on the fly." Shift of the fly can have difficulties with vaccumm actuator springing leaks and prevent shifting into 4 wd. Make sure system can disengage too.
Oh yeah, also check your spare tire holder. The big bolt that holds it in place under the bed can get pretty rusty. It's kinda humiliating to have a flat and not be able to change it cause you can't break the bolt free to get to your spare. Put some anti-sieze compound on it.
Enjoy the truck. If you haven't driven a pickup before, the rear ends are light when unloaded, so they handle different than a car. Also remember that 4wd doesn't make you Superman on the road, they take just as long to stop in the snow as 4x2's.
parchisi
I think gassers lose 3% of their HP for every 1000 feet up in altitude. Not totally sure if that 's the right number, but regardless, as you go up the engine loses power. Too much fuel and not enough air. I don't now how to tune an injected engine for higher altitudes but I'm sure the mechanics in your area can help it.
I live in CT, and they salt pretty heavy here too. Is your corrosion on the body or on frame? My body's fine, only minor rust around a few knocks and dings. My '150 was undercoated, and now 7 years later, it's peeling off and showing rust on frame. It's just surface rust, so I'm not worried. If it was a 20 year old truck then I'd probably be concerned. If you're gonna have your's serviced, check it out while it's up on the lift. While it's there check it out for oil/tranny leaks and also check rear brake cylinders. I forgot to mention that mine were replaced during a brake job because they had started leaking.
Don't forget to keep on thanking your Grandfather. Not every day somebody's just gonna give you a decent pickup truck, so take good care of it as a sign of respect to him.
Good Luck,
Walt
around two weeks prior to the submittal of this letter (approximately Jan. 3, 2002). I arrived home from work and parked my truck in the garage (as usual) and noticed a smell similar to clutch fluid (my truck has an automatic transmission) or rubber burning. Upon investigation with the help
of a few good mechanics at my place of employment, I found out that I had an oil leak and it was NOT coming from the drain plug, the oil filter, or any other visually noticeable part. So I took it in...to the dealer that is. I
took it to the place I bought it from and the place I trust(ed). They said sorry, we can't get to it because "a few of our technicians have the
crud...But if you schedule an appointment we can get to it in a week or so!" So I scheduled an appointment with this Hoover, Alabama dealership in which I have purchased 3 cars from. The truck went in the shop this past Wednesday. Sure enough, there was an oil leak...problem is, the leak is around the right bank head gasket (?huh - Sorry, not an engine man). 38,800 miles on the truck is supposed to be a break-in point, right? Well it turns out that my 36,000-mile warranty had expired and the dealership and Ford
Motor Company act like I should be grateful because they offered to pay for PART of the repair cost! Am I wrong for assuming that a blown right bank head gasket is NOT my fault and that a blown right bank head gasket at
38,800 miles is usually a Manufacturer's defect? Well, from the published owner's accounts that I have found at various Internet sites, this is a
common problem in late-model Ford products (not to mention the numerous, Ford published recalls). It sounds like they had a bad batch of head or block casts to me (it would baffle me to hear that Ford head casts and block casts are different for each of their automotive products). If I am wrong or misinformed please educate me. I know the recent historical problems
Ford has had with head gaskets but am I an unusual case? From the Internet reports, I doubt it. Can you advise me on a path to take? Do I take Ford's deal to pay part of the cost? Or do I keep fighting (I have raised caine with the delar and Ford Motor Company)? One other piece of the puzzle I failed to mention is that my last DEALER (same dealership in question) service report states that they CLEANED my air filter at 29,350 miles. On every other service report since the truck was purchased there is no mention of
changing or cleaning my air filter. In fact, the air filter was not changed until 37,000 miles (7000 miles is probably too long to wait). Is this unusual? The service technician at the next and last place I went for service, seemed to think so. What do I do? Any help, advice, OR criticism would be a great benefit. This is a manufacturer problem in my opinion and I don't think I should drop a dime on it!
parchisi
Personally, I would not rest until Ford changed my engine. That is the only solution to your problem. Replacing the gasket will work for a short term and then you will get another leak.
Try going to another dealer and they might be abel to help you.
With online boards, you can't really trust everything you read. I'm sure there alot of folks out there with trannys that work just fine..
So after doing this reading, here is summary of the possible causes for the 2-3 shift grind..
-bad synchro
- wrong fluid put in tranny at factory, (rumor) causing synchro to go bad
- bad clutch slave cylinder
- poor design (the fix is just to shift more carefully)
And probably more..
Not many folks have had success in getting their symptoms fixed (and I bet they're male). So in your particular case I don't think your dealership is treating you any different than anyone else.
Keep up the positive attitude with your dealership and return it specifying that your having the same problem..
Call the 1-800 ford customer service number to document your complaint.. Also, if the dealership is unable to fix the problem, why not ask for an extended powertrain warranty (at no charge).
I've got a '00 F150 4x4 w. off-road and towing, 5.4 auto. Since new, have experienced 12-14 in mixed city/hwy, have hit 17 a few times on all-hwy trips. I'm fairly light footed, no hot-rodding, burning 87 or 89. This seems a tad low to me, am I wrong to think it should be doing more like 14-15 in mixed??
If you look at www.f150online.com, you'll see that the F150's with the 5.4L also get mileage in the 13-15 range with mixed driving.. So your doing pretty good considering our SuperDutys are less aerodynamic and alot heavier..
I average 15.5 in mixed driving but I have the 5sp tranny which helps a bit..
They also have the same truck and color without options for $18,800. Does anybody have opinions about these prices?These are supposedly "fords store" no haggle price.This will be my first f-150.
Thanx in advance
Dave
find the dealers cost right on this site. From what you say sounds like you can do even
better than dealers cost on these trucks. Good Luck and keep us posted.
Also, do you put the adhesive on the outside of the rubber on the window or inside the groove where the window goes into or does it matter?
Thanks!