Lookin to buy a 2002 Ford F150 reg cab 2x4.. 2500

[Smossy]

Anyone have any complaints with these older fords? If it was up to me and the money was right a ford would be the last thing I'd buy but something fell into our lap that seems to be reasonable. Wanted to get some hw feedback. Has 166k on it. It's a manual
 4.2l not the dreaded 5.4..

[fish vacuum]

I had a 2002 with a 4.2 and thought it was a good motor. Very smooth and decent power. With a load of fishing and camping gear it would go across the passes faster than I was willing to go. Pulled a small boat just fine. Some of the early 4.2's from 97-98 had some serious intake problems but they were good after that.
Only problem mine had was with the ECM. It was replaced by Ford because of an emissions issue, then the replacement crapped the bed and was replaced again on Ford's dime. I wanna say it had around 130k on it when I sold it.

[SniperDanWA]

Smossy,
I have a 2002 f150 2wd short box extended cab with 4.6.  So far, not a lick of issues.

I have a 2000 f150 4wd long box extended cab with 5.4.  I have had to do a top end on this one due to a gasket issue.  Other than that, it's a solid truck.  For what I paid for it, the top end cost really wasn't much.

[Smossy]

Well it's the 4.2l v6 manual and has 160k miles. Still seems to be running good. E just try to stay awat from ford's but for what it is its a great price.. just wanted to hear what everyone else said.. I know to stay away from the 5.4

[Smossy]

Not in too bad of condition either.

[jackelope]

For every problem the 5.4 has, I can find a problem that pretty much every other engine on the planet has.
 

[kckrawler]

For every problem the 5.4 has, I can find a problem that pretty much every other engine on the planet has.
 

  I had zero problems with my 5.4 F-150.

[Smossy]

For every problem the 5.4 has, I can find a problem that pretty much every other engine on the planet has.
 

  I had zero problems with my 5.4 F-150.

Well glad to hear it. I just hear s many problems about ford vehicles. Gonna have to just swe what happens because we're at the bank filling out paperwork already.

[kckrawler]

For every problem the 5.4 has, I can find a problem that pretty much every other engine on the planet has.
 

  I had zero problems with my 5.4 F-150.

Well glad to hear it. I just hear s many problems about ford vehicles. Gonna have to just swe what happens because we're at the bank filling out paperwork already.

 

[Happy Gilmore]

4.2 had lower intake issues and the spark plug problems. I had one. Rebuilt it myself at 170 after lower intake failure flooded #4. Don't buy a v-6 in that vintage. Nothing good with result. Find a 1995-6 with the last 300 big six. The 4.2 was a crappy motor. The intake is a two piece. A lower plastic panel with an upper plastic panel crapwiched together.

It really is a piece of plastic. Not just one, two. It's a crap upper and lower sandwich.


And, all they changed to "fix" the problem was a different gasket on the newer motor. (I was sooo lucky to get when I rebuilt it...)

[Happy Gilmore]

For every problem the 5.4 has, I can find a problem that pretty much every other engine on the planet has.
 

Lol
.. I'm not a Chevy fan however... The last 350 made was 100x better than any ford gas motor made.

[fish vacuum]

4.2 had lower intake issues and the spark plug problems. I had one. Rebuilt it myself at 170 after lower intake failure flooded #4. Don't buy a v-6 in that vintage.

Everything I read before I bought mine said that was only an issue with 97 and 98 models.

[Happy Gilmore]

4.2 had lower intake issues and the spark plug problems. I had one. Rebuilt it myself at 170 after lower intake failure flooded #4. Don't buy a v-6 in that vintage.

Everything I read before I bought mine said that was only an issue with 97 and 98 models.

It was an issue with later models and v-8s. 5.4 not excluded. My friend Aaron bought a 2004 5.4 just blew intake. My brothers expedition 5.4 had cracked plug issues. They also rust in place because they are set down into the head. He also had coil pack problems. They are proud of the billable hours to fix them too. The other thing about them is that there isn't really a good reason for a v-6. They do not get an better fuel economy.

[jackelope]

For every problem the 5.4 has, I can find a problem that pretty much every other engine on the planet has.
 

Lol
.. I'm not a Chevy fan however... The last 350 made was 100x better than any ford gas motor made.

5.7L R motor(Vortec)....Intake manifolds puke coolant at the corners and injectors go bad like they're going out of style. Exhaust leaks like mad. I made mortgage payments off of the commissions I made from those repairs.

I'm not a "Ford guy" for the record. I just work at a Ford dealer. I've pretty much only ever driven Chevy trucks with a couple Fords mixed in here and there.

[Smossy]

For every problem the 5.4 has, I can find a problem that pretty much every other engine on the planet has.
 

Lol
.. I'm not a Chevy fan however... The last 350 made was 100x better than any ford gas motor made.

5.7L R motor(Vortec)....Intake manifolds puke coolant at the corners and injectors go bad like they're going out of style. Exhaust leaks like mad. I made mortgage payments off of the commissions I made from those repairs.

I'm not a "Ford guy" for the record. I just work at a Ford dealer. I've pretty much only ever driven Chevy trucks with a couple Fords mixed in here and there.

Well this one will be our second ford. Hopefully it does as well as our other one did untill the transmission went out. Figure if we don't like it we can atleast sell it for what we got it for, if not a few bucks more..