Manifold/header/muffler/tail Pipe problems of the 1997 Ford F-150 - part 1

Lower intake manifold gasket failure resulting in bent connecting rod requiring major engine repair. *****dims 11 ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut-over to artemis *******770801.

I have been having problems with engine overheating, heater temperature working intermittently inside, misfire on one cylinder. I have replaced thermostat, spark plugs and wires, and coils. Diagnotic code still reads misfire on one cylinder. Misfire is not constant. After researching I found others stating there is a recall. . . "recall # 99b20". I can not find a recall 99b20. I did notice there have been 545 other complaints concerning engine cooling and manifold o rings, blown head gaskets etc due to faulty components. I am adding my complaint as well for further investigative action, as I feel there should be a real recall to fix this problem/complaints.

I came home from work on 12/13 2014 and noticed I had a water puddle under my truck so on 12/14/2014 I pulled in the garage and did some searching only to find the outlet tube in the manifold was leaking I assumed it was the rubber hose and when I went to replace it the outlet tube broke off at the base of the intake manifold. Upon doing some research I found that the only way to replace it is to buy a new intake manifold so at this point my truck is stuck in the garage . I checked the outlet tube and found 2 pinholes in it. This is a crate motor replaced by Ford at 88000 miles I can't afford the 500. 00 that a new one will costs so I'm out a vehicle at this time.

Truck has a 4. 2 liter, v-6 engine. A week prior to incident the truck was driven then parked in a my garage. On the incident day I tried to start the truck but heard only a loud, hard knock when the starter engaged. The engine would not turn over. The battery voltage checked out ok. I had the truck towed to a local repair shop. The starter was removed and checked out ok electrically. The mechanic manually rotated the engine backward 1-1/2 turns (he could not rotate it forward) then tried to start it but the engine again made a loud, hard knock sound. The mechanic though the timing chain failed or a push rod was bent. However, since the truck ran fine the last time it was used I felt the problem developed during its last use and last cooldown. I concluded a gasket failed (or a head cracked) allowing coolant to leak into one or more cylinders during its last cooldown. I had the truck towed back to my garage. I removed all spark plugs and found coolant draining from the passenger side front cylinder which was causing hydrolock. I rotated the engine backward 4-1/2 turns then forward 9 turns. The engine now turned freely. A total of 4 to 6 ounces of coolant came out of the cylinder. I spoke with a mechanic who checked the Ford alert system and found a posting for the 1997 4. 2l v-6 engines that indicated they are prone to intake manifold o-ring failures. I found many reports of similar failures for this year and engine type. I intend to check in with the local Ford dealership to get their take on this problem and find out why I wasn't notified about a "recall".

1997 Ford f150 4. 2 liter engine leaked water into the engine from a faulty bottom intake manifold side gasket. The repairs cost 1486. 00. Noticed that many people online have complained about this same problem and became aware this has been an ongoing issue with this same make and model of vehicle.

Defective engine that causes the intake manifold gasket to leak coolant into the engine oil. I have had this replaced twice and am now in need of it again.

Truck running great,turned on next day loud rattling water out the exhaust oil pressure gone, intake manifold leak, possible bent rod and motor needs to be replaced. 4. 2l motor has a know defect that Ford did not let the public know.

Lower intake manifold side gasket failure. Allows anti-freeze into number one cylinder.

I just got my 1997 Ford f150 XLT with the 4. 2l engine back yesterday, after paying $1430 for engine repairs. This truck only has 47,700 miles on it. I went out to the truck one day and turned the key, and - nothing. Turns out to be hydro lock but I didn't know it at the time. I finally got it started, & got it into the dealer, and the technician thought it needed to be tuned up, plus I was having the heat fade at stops so he flushed & refilled the coolant. I mentioned that I was having to top off the coolant about once a month, but I didn't know where the coolant was going, and it wasn't showing up in the oil. I got it back, and it was still running really bad, so I dropped it off again 2 days later. This time he thought it was the coil pack. They had it again for another day, replaced the coil pack and a sensor. I go out to the lot and start it, and it was still running really bad. So, I go back in & get the technician, and he came out to check it himself, and he was amazed at how bad it was running. We took it for a ride, and it smoothed out a little, but it was still not right. I told him I would let him consult his boss, and call them back on Monday. Monday comes, and I go to start it to go to work, and - hydro lock again. So, I take my wife's car to work, and called them from there, and told them what it was doing. They were there within a half hour to get it. This time I get a call from the service manager, and he told me that he put his best technician on it, and would call. When he called, he told me that the head gaskets were leaking, and letting coolant into the cylinders. I said to go ahead & fix it. Then they called me back the next day and told me that they found that the lower intake manifold was cracked, and letting coolant pour into the cylinders. I asked about getting a used intake manifold, and he said they would look for one, and they did find one. Plus, they put in a new thermostat.

1. Failure of Ford motor company and dealer where vehicle was purchased new, family Ford sales inc. , florence, al to notify customer of defect with 1997 4. 2 l v6 engine as published in Ford service program, number 99b29 which could lead to engine failure through engine front cover gasket failing and polluting the oil with coolant, resulting in destroyed engine. Further family Ford sales inc. Diagnosed this problem on this vehicle 11/20/02 and repaired it for $432. 08 cost to owner. No mention of the Ford no-charge service program or possible engine damage was given at this time. 2. Failure of 1997 Ford f150 engine with 87,522 miles due to a known failure to Ford motor of faulty gaskets (lower intake manifold (Ford TSB 99-20-7) and engine front cover gasket failing and polluting the oil with coolant (Ford service program, number 99b29) neither of which were communicated to the original owner of the vehicle. This action caused $3,061. 20 of damage due to replacement of engine long block 1/26/2007 the babbitt was removed from engine bearings, resulting in low oil pressure and engine oil light coming on which was diagnosed by family Ford on 1/5/2007 (cost $73. 50). Again Ford servicing dealer/oem selling dealer did not inform customer of any issues with this engine or earlier no-charge service program. Failure to notify or fraudulent actions by the dealer and Ford motor company have cost me over $3,500 and the lost time associated with this faulty product. Vehicle VIN is 1ftdf1827vnc63740. Documentation to prove all claims are available for submittal.

I own a 1997 Ford f150 4. 2l. My truck has been losing coolant for a while! I have replaced the water pump, replaced hoses, replaced thermostats,etc. My truck is now having a ticking sound when I start it in cold weather. I have come to find that Ford motor company had previously issued a recall on this trucks engine for a faulty intake manifold gasket. I was never informed of this recall!!! I was informed of other recalls like lug nut failure, cruise control cables,etc, but never about the most expensive, most vital part of the truck the engine. The information of the recall was discover as I was on the web trying to find out how to fix the knocking sound. The web site had over 350 messages of people with the same problem!!! please help!!.

Complaint: Ford motor company, poor design of lower intake plenum/manifold gasket in the essex 4. 2l v-6. 1: events leading up to this failure originally there were no obvious signs of impending failure. The indications of failure are loss of engine coolant with no visible external leak, and coolant in the combustion chamber. 2: failure and it's consequences this defect allows coolant leakage into the combustion chamber, causing a hydraulic locking condition which will break/bend one or more connecting rods. This renders the engine unusable, and it must be pulled, repaired if possible (some are not), and re-installed. 3: failure correction. In most cases the engine can be repaired by replacing a connecting rod, piston, and crankshaft, and all the other associated parts that are involved with this level of disassembly. In some cases the connecting rod will break and damage the block beyond repair. This happened in my case. The replacement engine was over $2000, not to mention the labor involved in it's replacement. Ford motor company is aware of this design flaw, and has issued a technical service bulletin regarding it. However, to this day they will still not offer any aid, in any form, for damages incurred due to this design flaw.

On occasion, truck would hesitate, taking a bit of tlc on the gas pedal to clear it up. One occasion, in traffic, attempting to avoid a near miss, I accelerated through this. White smoke began pouring out the tail pipe. Head gasket failure. Limped home. Engine hydro-locked. Diagnosis = replace head gaskets ($2,100) in this same 'weak' 4. 2 v-6 or replace motor ($2,500) with newer 4. 2 v-6. Replacement will be done tomorrow. Ford faulty engine / gaskets - not my fault. My problem though.

Complete engine failure on 1997 Ford f150 4. 2l 145k due to leaking gasket in engine, allowing engine coolant into engine, causing engine to freeze cylinder and throw a rod then engine completely stopped. I notices that engine coolant was disappearing and white smoke out of tail pipe, then check engine light went on, then soon after through a rod and engine seized up. My car now requires a new engine due to defective gasket allowing engine coolant into engine. This seems to be a recurring theme with Ford engines in this year.

: the contact stated while driving up to 40 mph the engine leaks coolant into the cylinders causing the engine to smoke. The dealership was alerted. However, no repairs have been made. The consumer has since paid for the repairs at his expense. A faulty intake manifold caused water to enter the combustion chamber and produce steam. Updated 03/09/06.

This concerns a 1997 F-150 Ford pickup with a 4. 2 l 6 cylinder motor. I've had to add coolant to it for several months and couldn't find a leak or any in the oil. Five days ago while trying to start it the motor gave a loud bang and white smoke boiled out. Now it knocks like a bent or broken rod and blows white smoke out of the tail pipe. I found a website on the internet where dozens of people with trucks having the same motor are all having the same problem between 76000-110000 miles. Mine has 109,000 miles and from the reports, Ford is trying to put all of this on the dealers and the dealers are just wanting to fix the motors @ $600 -$4000 dollars. The people with the problem say that it is a faulty head gasket and that they were recalled, but I never received that recall. I don't have the money to fix a motor that was faulty when I bought the thing.

I own a 1997 Ford f150 with the 4. 2 v-6 motor. The truck had 70, 126 miles when it suffered hydrolock. I drove the truck on a Wednesday, and it was running fine. Friday evening when I tried to start it, I thought the battery had gone dead. I pulled the battery out and had it tested, and it was ok. Installed the battery and again attempted to start the truck, when I heard an unusual "kick back. " I was able to get the truck started, but there was white smoke coming from the exhaust and the smoke had a sweet coolant smell. I performed some internet research and found the information about the hydrolock problems. I pulled the intake manifold and found a crack in the gasket. I then pulled the left side head and found the number 4 connecting rod was bent. I pull the motor and performed a complete rebuild.

1997 Ford F-150 intake manifold gasket failed along with a ton of other people. Had to pay a hefty repair fee. There were no events leading up to it, just saw white smoke coming from my tail pipe. Luckily I caught it real quick and it only cost the me repair of the entire gasket. A lot of times it is a whole new engine. My repair cost $500.

A couple of months ago consumer noticed that vehicle had an intake manifold gasket, which allowed water I to leaking into the engine rods, causing the motor to fail and have to be replaced. The repair cost to fix it before the problem began wa s $800. Consumer's boss had problems with his fleet of vehicles, and notified consumer of the problem. Consumer was not certain whether or not it was a fabricated defect or a design flaw. At this time there was no recall, but owner didn't understand why they won't recall vehicle since they were aware of the problem with the intake manifold gasket.

1) no events leading to failure. Original owner, well maintained vehicle with 98,000 miles. 2) engine siezed during start (4. 2 liter with apparent history of manifold gasket flaw leading to failure) 3) vehicle not repaired due to high cost of engine rebuild or replacement.

I have a 1997 f150 with a 4. 2l v6 engine. I had a leaking intake manifold gasket replaced a year ago which I never received a recall from Ford motor on. I am the original owner and have the same address as to when I purchased this truck. Since the gasket was replaced, several months later I started having oil pressure problems. Now I am starting to hear a knock. Talking to my mechanic, he said it was a rod and bearings. I pulled up the recall # 99-20-7 which explains this problem. I feel like Ford should have to pay for the damages that this has caused. By the way this truck only has 46,000 original miles on it!! have talked to numerous people in forums that have the same problem. They say no luck out of Ford. What will it take to get this resolved? had a mechanic at my local Ford dealership look at it and said same thing. How could we go about getting a lawyer to start a class action lawsuit? your help would be greatly appreciated. By the way, I did get a recall for the cruise control problem that would cause it to catch fire. Why didn't I get the other ones?.

I've noticed that coolant is leaking into my engine (burning from the exhaust) and that Ford issued a recall for the intake manifold gaskets, but I was never notified. Had I been notified, I could have had this problem corrected in 2001.

I have a 1997 Ford F-150 with 87,000 miles on it. The motor is a 4. 2l v6. It all began when I noticed the anitfreeze level seemed to keep going down even after I would fill the coolant jug to the proper level. Last week I noticed that the motor seemed harder to start and thought the battery was going dead. The next day I went to start my truck and when I turned the ignition the motor made a loud pop and wouldn't do anything. I had to have the truck towed to my local garage and the mechanic told me that either the intake manifold gasket, the head gasket, or the timing chain cover gasket had failed allowing coolant to enter my motor. This caused my motor to completely seize up. The end result is that I now need a new motor that is going to cost me over $3,000. I contacted Ford customer service and they told me that they had no record of this happening to anyone else and since no warranty or recall was in effect I would receive no reinbursement. I thought this was odd since I have found several web sites saying this has happened to several 4. 2l v6 motors. I hope that you will look into this and make Ford pay if the gaskets are found to be of poor quality.

Defective intake manifold gasket in 1997 Ford f150 4. 2l v6 engine 70899 miles. Antifreeze leaks into number 4 cylinder. When engine starts resulting "hydro-lock" shears off conecting rod and destroys engine.

1997 Ford f150 4. 2 l v-6 leaking lower intake manifold gasket destroys engine!.

1. Purchased Ford F-150, VIN 2ftdx1720vca54859, with 4. 2 l six at 15,000 miles at sun state Ford of orlando FL. 2. In 2004, noticed unexplained coolant leaks. 3. Engine front cover gasket failed in line with recall 99b29, but this information was not known at that time; Ford does not include this truck, built 03/97, in recall campaign 99b29, indicating the original recall has been inadequate. 4. On 4/22/05 at 66,713 miles, lower intake manifold side gaskets failed, allowing coolant to leak into a cylinder, leading to a thrown rod and engine failure. Issue is addressed by Ford with TSB article no. 99-20-7. 5. Dealer refused to help except to offer a rebuilt engine for $4500; Ford customer relationship call center related that the recall covered up to 12/31/96, and this truck was made 3/97. No offer of help nor appeal there, either.

Ford f150 4. 2 v6 w/110k miles failed in my driveway upon starting two days ago. After turninig the ignition I heard loud knocking and banging cominig from the engine and shut it down. I never got a recall I hear there were two of them. I called the dealer but received no help. The failure is prevalent and consistent with no official admittance yet from Ford that I've found. The dealership even explained to me they understood it as an engineering defect of expectation. What else does it take? so I ask NHTSA for your help please!!!!.

Lower intake manifold in 4. 2l v6 (Ford f150) failed (melted) allowing coolant to leak into a cylinder resulting in hydro-lock. The piston and connecting rod in that cylinder were damaged (piston skirt broken, rod bent). Since then I have learned that Ford has been aware of this problem almost since the truck was new ('97) and refused to provide any support to owners except where the gasket failed during the regular warranty period. As I understand it failure is inevitable, and even so Ford did not make an attempt to contact owners regarding this problem. In my case Ford's refusal to provide a warning of this problem turned a relatively inexpensive repair (replacement of the gasket) into over $1300 in parts and labor.

I own a 1997 Ford F-150 with the 4. 2l v-6 engine that is notorious for "hydrolocking" due to a faulty lower intake manifold gasket. This has been a well documented issue among many customers who have purchased this model and many of us have been forced to pay large amounts of money in order to replace a blown engine due to poor engineering.

Vehicle engine exploded as consumer turned the key in the ignition. A professional explained to consumer that the lower intake manifold failed.

Location of exhaust pipe is affecting brake equipment. Due to the exhaust pipe being placed in front of the rear tire, the heat deteriorates the rear brake backing panel affecting the brakes and shattering the center wheel hub. The dealer advised the consumer of having the muffler tail pipe re-routed to the rear of the tire as subsequent models of the vehicle.

Failed lower intake manifold gaskets in Ford 4. 2 liter engines. I think enough of these have failed to require Ford motor company to issue a recall to repair or reimburse those of us who have already had the repair completed or had to replace our engines due to the failure.

I have a Ford f150 truck with the 4. 2l engine. VIN # ftdx1725vka71538 my left lower intake manifold side gasket failed. This allowed coolant to leak into a cylinder and damage the engine. The damage is described in Ford's TSB article # 99-20-7.

The truck has a rod knocking sound coming from the engine. The vehicle was taken to the mechanic who stated that the front cover gasket and manifold side gasket failed allowing coolant to leak into the cylinder. At cold start, the coolant in the cylinder caused the piston rod to break. He also stated that the engine would need to be replaced at a cost of approximately $5000.

After starting the vehicle, the engine blew out. The dealer replaced the engine. Ford would not pay restitution for the engine. The consumer had been driving the vehicle and the parked it. When the vehicle was started later on, it exploded. The manifold was defective.