Ford F-150 tune-up

[JAG]

I've got a '97 F-150 with 78k miles. For several months now there has been a slight engine miss at idle, a couple weeks ago the 'check engine light' came on. The 4.6 liter V8 has been providing about 18 mpg since new and still does even with the miss and light on. Ford claims the first tune-up should be done at 100k miles. I use to do all my own tune-up work before fuel injection and electronic ignition came about, so I knew what to expect back then as far as replacing parts. My question is, since I will be taking the truck in to see about the check engine light should I have a tune-up done. What do they actually do for a tune-up these days.

Thanks in advance,
jag

[Mille Lacs Guy]

I also have a 1997 ford f150 with the 4.6 liter in it. I also had the check engine light come on. I called my dealer and they suggested if there wasn't anything noticeably wrong with the such motor, such as it running rough or knocking, I should simply disconnect the battery and then reconnect it again and the check engine light will go away. They said if it doesn't go away I should bring it in for a check-up/tune-up. Basically the light comes on because of an emission sensor that sometimes trips, as I understand it. Sometimes my truck has a miss that is almost unnoticeable; it will only miss if it is very cold and I haven't driven the truck for 4 or 5 days. Does your truck sit for days at a time or do you drive it everyday? My truck has 110,000 miles and I haven't done a thing to it besides oil changes and basic maintenence and up-keep. It my not be a bad idea to get it checked out at 100,000 miles. Try disconnecting the battery and see if the check engine light goes away, that may solve your problem.

Mille Lacs Guy

[WalleyeJason]

I too have a 97' Ford F-150, with the 4.6 Triton motor.
I only get about 14.5 15 mpg with my truck. How do you get 18 mph? Do you run preimum fuel? Also, I have a 5 speed, I assume that your running an Auto transmission?

I have 86K on my truck, Love it to death. Allthough I wish there was about 40 more HP for when Im pulling the boat over the pass. (Washington St.)

I hear in 2003 Ford is going to have a light duty (F150) with a deisel. Cant wait to see it, it may be my next rig!


WJ

[JAG]

Thanks for the idea of disconnecting the batt, I'll try it. As far as the miss, mine also is hardly noticable but it still buggs me. My truck is usually driven daily, if it does sit for a few days there really isn't much difference with the miss. A 110k miles with basic only basic maintanance is a good deal. If mine continues to run as good as it has so far, I too should be able to go beyond 100k without a tune-up.

The 18 mpg figure is not something I get very often, but under the right conditions I can still get it. I guess what I meant to say was that my milage has not changed for the worse since the vehicle was new. On a fill I can drive from the cities to Hunters Point on weekends and back and forth to work during the week, that is how I keep track of my milage. I burn 90 octane most of the time. It's a fully loaded 2WD extended cab with a glass topper. It has the limited slip rear end which I think has a little higher gear ratio than the standard, 3.50 vs 3.05 or something like that.

I'm still wondering just what a tune-up these day involves. What is replaced and what is tuned.

[Michigander]

Replace Spark Plugs, Plug Wires, Clean Injectors, Cap & Rotor if engine has them, check pully belts - place on engine analyzing equipment for general look at components - other.

Replace your spark plugs - get a spark plug wire kit and replace old wires, if there'a a cap and rotor, replace them - add a quality injector cleaner to full takn of gas // AUTO ZONE will fix you up with parts ~~~~~~~ mechanic friend will help - or thake it in and empty your pockets =OWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.

I fixed one today that had a vacume leak - 1 inch slit mid of hose going to PCV /// never seen a blow out like that before, usually problem at end of hoses.

[Michigander]

AND ~~~~~~~~~~~ Pick up a tube of Anti-Sees Grease for plasing small amount on new spark plug threads ....... and a tube of spark plug boot lub for placing small amount just inside plug boots ........... makes things go together and come back apart much easier.

Hope there's some help in this.

[ditchcrusher]

Also have a 97 F-150 with a 4.6. 4 WD extended cab. Hiway driving towing nothing it consistantly gets 18-21 mpg. Towing my 16 ft. Sea Nymph with a 35 Johnson, wife and kids with gear, 14-15. 2-place snowmobile trailer with 2 sleds the same. 4-place trailer with 4 sleds, guys and gear, 12 mpg. Really happy with this truck.

DC

[Mille Lacs Guy]

Do you do anything special to get 18-21 mpg? I get about 15 highway, and about 11 when pulling my 19' Warrior. How fast are you driving to get 18-21mpg? Do you take it easy when accelerating? I'm just curious what I can do to get better gas mileage.

Mille Lacs Guy

[BFJ]

Work in the Automotive repair field...All domestic vehicle built after "96" have OBDII Systems on board..the Engine Control Module sets the MIL lite after it recieves incorrect data from any of the engine management systems...It runs its own test of the system fault, if the system doesn't respond correctly it will keep the lite on...The newer Fords are nortious for logging oxygen sensor faults and misfire codes...The ECM will actually log the number of miosfires per cfylinder in the computer memory...Suggest having a qualified tech check out as soon asposible..May not be anything serious, but why risk costly repairs or additional problems?? Good Luck

[JAG]

Thanks all for the input on my situation. I pulled a cable off the battery and right after I hooked it back up the light came back on. Guess I'm headed for the mechanics shop.

[JAG]

MLG
15 mpg sounds a bit low for a 2WD. Is your truck a 4 or 2WD ? I do have a cat back exhaust system but still the stock air cleaner. I don't think the dual exhaust made any difference on mpg. I do drive with a feather foot most of the time and try to coast as much as possible. As far as speed, I keep up with traffic...70mph. I did put a new set of Michelins a few months ago, the are slightly larger diameter than the stock tire, that probably helped milage a bit.

When I think back, my first car was a '66 Impala with a 283 V8 ( same ci as the Triton 4.6 liter) with a 100k miles on it. I got 20 mpg back then, it seems a shame that with the high tech engines these days they could improve mpg a little more.

[REW]

The principle thing that is done during tune up time on these engines is a spark plug change - that cost your a couple hundred dollars.

If it were my truck, I would switch the spark plugs - using the approved plug by Ford.

I would also install a new O2 sensor. These are normally less than $30, and is often the case for poor gas mileage and a check engine light.

Then, if the check engine light comes back on - you won't get charged for a set of spark plugs that you have already changed, nor an O2 sensor that you have already changed at about 1/4 the cost of what the garage will charge.

Good luck

REW

[mikie]

Hi. I've got a 95 Explorer. The check engine light will sometimes come on for the following reasons:
the oxygen sensor went bad
going from regular to a higher octane fuel
pulling the boat & trailer
going up big hills
the moon is in the seventh house
Jupiter aligned with Mars

Yest it is something to have checked if it is persistent, but mine seemed to come on a lot, found it was the sensor for the light. good luck. m