Need info on Ford's 4.2 V6 from '03

[dsmith41]

I'm looking at a really clean 2003 F150 with the 4.2 engine and I was wondering if anyone can tell me if they are known to be reliable or not. This one has 120k on the odo and I'm not sure if I want to get into it without knowing more about the engine.

Thanks!

 

[oilboy123]

http://www.google.com/search?q=ford+4.2+v-6&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&client=firefox-a

 

[tig1]

There good. No worries.

 

[oilboy123]

Ford experienced problems with this engine in the 1997 and 1998 model years.[9] These included issuing all 1997 engines made at the Essex plant with a bad front cover gasket. Although, the lower intake manifold still has a bad reputation for cracking at relatively low mileages.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Essex_V6_engine_%28Canadian%29

Looks like you dodged it........

 

[ChiTDI]

I did oil changes and an O2 sensor replacement on one and I remember it takes six quarts and was rather straightforward with accessibilty.

 

[oilboy123]

One year later but worthy of contemplation. Good luck
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_F-150

According to Consumer Reports' used car reliability history data, the 2004–2008 F-150 with the 4.2 L V6 engine is the most reliable American pickup truck ever produced in history. It scored a rating of excellent for five straight consecutive years within one body generation, something that domestics had never earned in the past.

 

[qdeezie]

That's good information to know about that V6. I always considered the Ford 3.8 and 4.2 engines as garbage, but it looks like they fixed the 4.2 after all.

 

[beast3300]

Lean codes are always a battle with the 3.8/4.2's (as someone mentioned with plastic intake). Anymore than that I couldn't tell you.

 

[Slick 55]

Those suckers ping like crazy! I'll would bet money it will have premium gas in the tank to get it sold. When you fill up with regular, put in your ear plugs.

 

[-Clayton-]

The lower intake isn't prone to cracking, But the lower intake gasket is which most of the time hydrolocks the engine after sitting overnight leaking into a cylinder which can bend a rod upon restart. Supposedly the issue with them had been resolved sometime after 98, But I have heard of them leaking beyond the 2000 model year.

http://www.v6f150.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=37

 

[Ben99GT]

Some last a long time, but I'm still not a fan. I would try to find a 4.6 truck, they even get slightly better real world fuel mileage.

 

[01rangerxl]

Personally, I would prefer a 4.6L, but the 4.2 is not a bad engine at all. My cousin had a 1998 F-150 Super Cab XLT 2WD with the 4.2. It had over 200K trouble free miles on it when he sold it. It was beat to [censored], but it always started, ran, and drove fine.

 

[Spazdog]

My stepfather has a 2004 Heritage F-150. Has almost 100,000 miles on it.

It's had minimal maintenance. Never broke down.

I'm not a fan of the Essex in any of it's variants. There's no reason for it to have been so bad in the past. Looks more like Ford knockoff of the Buick 231 than it does any other Ford engine. Early 4.2s had timing cover leakage problems. It appears that Ford fixed the problems.