4.6L V8 in a '97 F150

I'm in the market for a truck, and I'm giving strong consideration to a '97 F150 with 95k miles. I own a Bronco with a 5.8L, and I like it alot, but it can not haul the stuff I need to carry.

I will be using the truck for construction work, it has a camper shell already and I plan on buying a ladder rack as soon as I can find one. I do not plan on heavy loads, but I do plan on long boards and full sheets of plywood. I need the size, not the brute strength.

I don't know much about the 4.6L V8, but I recall hearing some bad things when these engines first hit the street. To be honest, I do not recall if the bad things I heard were from the 4.6L V8 or the 4.2L V6.

There has been a posting here recently about having to jump through some serious hoops to change the spark plugs on one of the Ford motors.

I guess my question is, should I pass on a truck with the 4.6L and keep my eyes peeled for a 5.4L? If you have a 4.6L, would you do it over again?

I'm hoping the new motors will deliver better fuel mileage numbers than I get with my Bronco, but fuel numbers are not a show stopper and I'm not really giving them very much weight in my purchase decision. I'm more concerned with the prospect of doing my own service as much as possible. Replacing spark plugs is a job that anybody should be able to do at home, but there has been talk around here that plugs are a bitch to get to.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland
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My '99 F350 7.3PSD Dually is for sale.

wink wink, nudge nudge.

Spdloader

Reply to
Spdloader

I'm very happy with the 4.6 in my 99 sc 4x4. I have changed plugs in it once and it really wasn't a problem. The plugs at the back were a little difficult but nothing a u-joint rachet extension couldn't help with. Besides, you will likely only change plugs once or twice in the time you have the truck.

I often travel on highways and forestry roads with ~1000lbs load and I'm happy with the power. I run 265LT75/16 BF Goodrich AT/TAs which are fairly knobby compared to the POS GY Wranglers that came with the truck. I know that the milage dropped at least 10% when I put them on but I would never go back. I just got 17.5 mpg (us gals) this weekend on a hilly highway trip, unloaded at about 60-70 mph. The milage was only about 1-2 mpg less than with a 1000lbs load. I very rarely get a chance to travel unloaded.

Stephen N. ---> and I enjoyed it!

Reply to
Stephen

I too have the 4.6L V8 in my '99 F150 and agree with all that was mentioned. Actually, it was the 5.4L that had the problems and recalls from those years if I'm not mistaken. As far as the plugs, I'll just add that if you do change them, make sure you use the Motorcraft originals and don't go for the aftermarkets! After 10K on Autolites, the thing was bucking as soon as you tried to give it any gas. I put in a second set of Autolites after diagnosing it to be a ignition problem and replacing the wires and checking the coils, and all seemed fine for another 15K before the bucking came back. Stopped screwing around and went and got Motorcraft wires and plugs and was told that the Motorcrafts burn hotter. Funny thing was that the counter guy at Ford parts was already smiling when I started explaining what was going on as I wasn't the first to come in with that problem.....Whatever - As soon as I put them in, I had my old truck back....Sometimes it doesn't pay to go cheap....Live and learn.

IYM

Reply to
<IYM>

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