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Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

OT: Buying wore out Ford PUs??

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Rauville

08-08-2006 19:02:51




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I've kept driving my Chevy 8.1L on a daily basis, and find that I'm running out of gas money. Need something a little cheaper to operate to run back and forth to town.

Looked today at a ol' 1997 F150 Supercab w/ 4.6L...and (don't laugh) 157,000 miles. Nice clean, sharp looking truck for the grand sum of $3900. Seemed to run out good, and everything seemed to work.

My questions would be: How many miles are left in a truck with that much use already under it's belt??
Any known trouble spots to look at??

Sorry for the OT, but I trust you guys more than the salesman. Thanks

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John (MO)

08-09-2006 08:34:20




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 Re: OT: Buying wore out Ford PUs?? in reply to Rauville, 08-08-2006 19:02:51  
I had a `94 4x4 with a 5 speed and small V8. She wouldn`t pull the hat off your head with the help of a stiff breeze. Don`t recall gas mileage being very good dispite it`s lack of power.



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Brian in NY

08-09-2006 06:49:10




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 Re: OT: Buying wore out Ford PUs?? in reply to Rauville, 08-08-2006 19:02:51  
In December I bought my 98 F150 (4.6l auto, 4x4 supercab XLT) for $8000. It had 98k at the time, had been very well maintained and was very clean. Since it was dealer serviced, have not put one thin dime into maintenance yet besides oil changes which I do myself.
My only problem with the truck is that the left side exhaust manifold has a minor leak that I only hear occasionally, but the little tick takes away from the otherwise pleasant sounding little V8. I am expecting this truck to last me 10 years, maybe that is expecting too much but it still drives like a new one.
I say grab her!

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Dachshund

08-09-2006 06:47:07




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 Re: OT: Buying wore out Ford PUs?? in reply to Rauville, 08-08-2006 19:02:51  
The recall for the Cruise Control is a simple 5 minute fix. Make sure the dealer has done it and ask to see the paperwork. It amounts to pulling one sensor and wire to replace it with another. Done right on top of the engine, so he don't even have to crawl underneath!



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Hurryin_Hoosier

08-09-2006 06:27:58




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 Re: OT: Buying wore out Ford PUs?? in reply to Rauville, 08-08-2006 19:02:51  
I've got a '97 4x4 F-150 SC w/the 4.6L (75k miles). Basically a good truck - but I never viewed it as a gas saver.

One thing to check for is transmission shudder. Get it on a smooth section of road and from a stop, accelerate slowly and smoothly. See if you feel a "rumble strip" effect around 40-50mph. If so, there may be an issue with the torque converter. Sometimes a trans fluid and filter replace solves the problem, sometimes it takes a rebuild (mine did). Before I got it into the shop the TC crapped out and the truck could barely pull itself.

There is currently a recall on these for engine fires from the cruise control. Also, look for cracks in the door's window frame near the back edge of the glass, just above the rubber strip. If no serious rust - not an issue. If you hear a squeaking from the front suspension when you hit bumps, likely needs bushing replacement in the control arms. The power steering pumps on these are a little noisy sometimes.

Other than the transmission issue, the other problems I listed are no big deal. A trans rebuild might be a $2K repair - a possible deal breaker.

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JT

08-09-2006 12:45:27




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 Re: OT: Buying wore out Ford PUs?? in reply to Hurryin_Hoosier, 08-09-2006 06:27:58  
my dad's '96 F150 with a 5.0 had that shudder, took it to a tranny shop, he changed fluid, put a silicone additive in it, took the "shudder" out of it, was told this is a common problem on that vintage truck. he cahanges the fluid about ever 50,000, and then adds more additive. We pull an 18 foot trailer with this truck all the time, has 190K on it, works good, no slips, no shudder, nothing.



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dhermesc

08-09-2006 06:23:02




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 Re: OT: Buying wore out Ford PUs?? in reply to Rauville, 08-08-2006 19:02:51  
The 4.6 is good for 200K and well beyond with care, little low on power, especially when compared the newer Dodge 4.7 and the Chevy 4.8. First thing I'd do is have the transmission flushed, good chance that at 150K it could have the same fluid.

If this is a regular cab 2WD I think the price is high. Doesn't matter what Kelly Blue Book shows, base pickups with over 100K don't bring much, especially with gas over $3.00 a gallon.

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John A.

08-09-2006 05:48:21




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 Re: OT: Buying wore out Ford PUs?? in reply to Rauville, 08-08-2006 19:02:51  
Rauville, If you are talking about the small V8 and not the V6, then Gather that Darlin up. My 97 SC long box, 4.6 V8, auto, 4x4 has 320k on her NOW, only engine problem ever was a set of Coil Packs back at 65K.
No other problems till I Blew the rearend @ 220K.
Tranny as never been into other than Service.
She still gets 15 to 16 MPG. On the cheapest gas found. But every so often I get some bad gas and it pings bad, and doesn't get much milage, I run 1/2 a tank of High test into 1/2 tank of fuel aand pinging stops. Good Luck!
John A.

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Dave 2N

08-09-2006 05:27:31




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 Re: OT: Buying wore out Ford PUs?? in reply to Rauville, 08-08-2006 19:02:51  
I would say it all depends on how it's been maintained. Rear spring hangers a definite issue but I wouldn't consider them to be a show-stopper if everything else seems to be OK.



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Steve Crum

08-08-2006 21:38:21




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 Re: OT: Buying wore out Ford PUs?? in reply to Rauville, 08-08-2006 19:02:51  
Leland is right on the spring hangers. Changed all 4, plus shackles and shocks and one pair of u-bolts in April in my 89' f-150. Plan on dropping $500 just for parts in this area. Otherwise it has 194,000 miles on a 5.0 FI engine, the 5 speed stick shifts a little hard and the front end is a little loose. Air conditioning went south 2 years ago. Bought it 4 years ago for $1,800 cash and it's been used hard. Northeast truck, the body has more patches than panels to rivet them to. And a scratch in the paint loading something isn't given a second thought. $50,000 SUVs give this all due respect and keep their distance. Still gets 17 MPG. So I didn't do too bad.
Failed to mention the new gas tank after one of the DeeZee running boards got torn off and split the old one wide open.

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J.C.H.

08-08-2006 21:08:23




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 Re: OT: Buying wore out Ford PUs?? in reply to Rauville, 08-08-2006 19:02:51  
Sept. 8,06 we leave for a short trip of 467 miles one way pulling a 35' Jayco 5th wheel with a Slider ,about 11,600 # trailer wt. The Power Source? A 1989 Ford F350 , 460 Engine and 216,000 Miles on an Engine that has never had the Valve Covers or the Oil Pan off it. I would not have a worry [unless it has been abused] of the truck you are interested in.



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Dave 2n

08-09-2006 05:25:26




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 Re: OT: Buying wore out Ford PUs?? in reply to J.C.H., 08-08-2006 21:08:23  
The 460's were great engines but you aren't comparing apples to apples from the original post.



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J.C.H.

08-09-2006 16:02:10




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 Re: OT: Buying wore out Ford PUs?? in reply to Dave 2n, 08-09-2006 05:25:26  
I know that. So what!



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Hal/WA

08-08-2006 19:57:30




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 Re: OT: Buying wore out Ford PUs?? in reply to Rauville, 08-08-2006 19:02:51  
The Ford cammer V8's run well a long time if they have been maintained carefully. But unless the dealer can show you how the truck has been serviced on his computer, it would be hard to tell from looking at a detailed vehicle.

A buddy of mine and his brother both bought new Ford half ton 4x4's a few years ago, soon after the new body style started. They both had lots of trouble with the front ends, with his brother actually having a wreck because it collapsed while he was going down the road. But hopefully Ford corrected those problems.

I would look it over really carefully before I considered buying. Where did it come from? Might it be from New Orleans or other areas of the Gulf Coast, or from the Northeast where they salt the roads heavily? $3900 doesn't seem like a lot of money for that truck. But you know you will be needing to repair things, like probably the automatic transmission, with that many miles on it.

Do you really need to drive a truck all the time? I don't know what kind of mileage you expect from the Ford, but I doubt that you get much over 15 or 16 at best and maybe much less. That may sound great compared to a big Chevy with 454, but compared to a small car, it is horrible mileage.

My old Ford F250 4x4 with 460 sure isn't getting many miles now, only when I need to use it for a TRUCK, not as a car! I bought a cheap little Mazda that is completely dependable and gets 31mpg just driving around. Although I am paying to insure an extra vehicle, I am sure I am much more than making up for that expense with the great gas mileage.

Some guys need to use a truck to haul around their equipment to do their job. I don't, and using a little car for most of my miles seems a lot more practical to me than driving old "Big and Thirsty" Good luck with your decision.

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Dachshund

08-08-2006 19:53:08




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 Re: OT: Buying wore out Ford PUs?? in reply to Rauville, 08-08-2006 19:02:51  
Don't know about the 4.6, but the 5.4 in my 1997 F-150 Super Cab has over 340,000 on it and I have had ZERO problems with it. Still get 16 MPG with or without a trailer.



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Lumpy

08-08-2006 19:46:48




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 Re: OT: Buying wore out Ford PUs?? in reply to Rauville, 08-08-2006 19:02:51  
My brother in-law has a 1999 with 212,000 on it. The only problem that he has, that won't go away, is it keeps frying ignition coils. Otherwise its a good truck.



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piston slap

08-08-2006 19:41:56




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 Re: OT: Buying wore out Ford PUs?? in reply to Rauville, 08-08-2006 19:02:51  
There was a recall around 2000 about piston slap in the 4.6 and another engine from '97. I "think"(trouble!) that they traced it down to a bad batch of pistons. Might be worth checking out. Ford paid a large sum to replace some engines and repair others. Watch out on a cold start.



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Frank in Florida

08-08-2006 19:30:27




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 Re: OT: Buying wore out Ford PUs?? in reply to Rauville, 08-08-2006 19:02:51  
I own a 97 F150 with 200,00 + miles. The 4.6 is an excellent engine with very long life.



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paulie2

08-08-2006 19:17:28




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 You may want to Re: OT: Buying wore out Ford PUs? in reply to Rauville, 08-08-2006 19:02:51  
You may want to rethink ANY purchase of a vehicle.
They say we are looking at $4.++ in the next few weeks. Either that truck is going to come down a long way fast or it will rott where it sets, You may be looking for a poket scooter ;((



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Leland

08-08-2006 19:10:50




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 Re: OT: Buying wore out Ford PUs?? in reply to Rauville, 08-08-2006 19:02:51  
check the rear spring hangers as they tend to rust out badly



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