What to look for - 2001 F250

[Bandito440]

As stated, I may go look at a 2001 F250 XL 4x4. 5.4 V8 and 4-speed auto. It's a single cab and has very few options, but that's exactly what I want. It's very low mileage - about 60k that seems to be confirmed by Carfax. The pictures also show a rust-free frame, which I would expect from a southern truck. It'll be an errand truck mostly - picking up building materials or the occasional ton of wood pellets and getting me to work when the weather is very bad.

How is the reliability of the 5.4 V8? How about the AT? What should I look for outside of my usual fluid inspection, drive, and kicking of the tires? I've never owned a Ford truck, so any suggestions are welcome.

I love the looks and sturdiness of my old retired-from-Army-use Chevy M1008/K30, but I think it's time to move on to something newer with more towing capacity. I'd love a newer diesel (out of the budget), but that 6.2 is a pain to start when it's cold.

 

[moklock]

If theres no engine light on and no torque converter shudder you are prolly good.

The shudder condition if it crops up later can be fixed early with a trans fluid change and the proper friction modifier.

Ignition coils flaking out or the PCV line cracking causing a P0171 and P0174 are small but very fixable issues on an otherwise good drivetrain.

 

[michaelluscher]

^^^^^ This, Also check for open recalls.
Take the VIN to a Ford dealer, ask for an Oasis report.

 

[Wolf359]

I just got an ELM 327 adapter and got the Torque app to read OBDII codes. I had fixed a problem on my car earlier, but the old code was still in memory so it might be worthwhile to bring a code reader with you to see if any old codes are in the computer. The adapter is $15-$25 and the torque app for android was $5.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Beds rot above the wheelhouses. Also, check VERY carefully for front-end problems. Not sure if the 2001's had the spark-plug problems.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

The ball joints on these are known to seize if it sits for a while.

The 5.4 is a very reliable engine. About the only problem is they spit out spark plugs once in a while.

The ATs ... eh. Not that reliable if you are a HEAVY user.

 

[95busa]

Change the transmission oil and filter. Use mercon V. Other than that good to go.

 

[OVERKILL]

The 4R75W is a good transmission. The 4R100 is a better transmission. I'm not sure on the F-250 if you may get one or the other depending on how the truck is optioned. I know this was the case with the F-150 however.

The shudder symptom is, IIRC, only pertaining to the former (4R7xW) We've had 3x 4R100's behind 5.4L's in Expeditions and have never had shudder with any of them. We've also never had problems with them and that is doing a great deal of towing.

As others noted, the 5.4L may launch a plug. Mine launched #4 and it was a few hundred to have a lock-n-stitch insert put in it at the dealer, which is the only Ford-approved repair for this issue. Under warranty, they were just changing the heads....

As Jarlaxle noted, they can have front-end issues, so make sure everything is good there.

In general they are great trucks and the 5.4L is an extremely reliable engine.

 

[Bandito440]

Thanks everyone. That helps a lot.

The old Chevy is for sale.

http://potsdam.craigslist.org/cto/4020772530.html

 

[supton]

Wow, that is one of the nicest CL ads I've ever seen. All the data, right there. Good luck selling, and good luck finding the replacement.

 

[BearZDefect]

Concluding line:
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
... In general they are great trucks and the 5.4L is an extremely reliable engine.

Preceeded in the same post by:
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
As others noted, the 5.4L may launch a plug.

Did you mean "the 5.4L is otherwise an extremely reliable engine" ?

In good humor, I know from your BITOG posts that you're a bright helpful person.

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: BearZDefect
Concluding line:
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
... In general they are great trucks and the 5.4L is an extremely reliable engine.

Preceeded in the same post by:
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
As others noted, the 5.4L may launch a plug.

Did you mean "the 5.4L is otherwise an extremely reliable engine" ?

In good humor, I know from your BITOG posts that you're a bright helpful person.

Overkill is referencing the performance improved heads that came on the 4.6 and 5.4 engines. They have 3 threads holding in the spark plugs,so there is a very real possibility of the heads spitting out a plug.
Heli-coil makes a kit that includes the tap and threads so if it does happen its an easy fix. I'm pretty much an expert at fixing them now.
Don't forget red locktite.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
The 4R75W is a good transmission. The 4R100 is a better transmission. I'm not sure on the F-250 if you may get one or the other depending on how the truck is optioned. I know this was the case with the F-150 however.


Only 150's got the 4R75W, all Super Duties all got the 4R100.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
The 4R75W is a good transmission. The 4R100 is a better transmission. I'm not sure on the F-250 if you may get one or the other depending on how the truck is optioned. I know this was the case with the F-150 however.


Only 150's got the 4R75W, all Super Duties all got the 4R100.


Answers that question then

And I've never heard of (doesn't mean it doesn't exist though) any shudder issues with the 4R100, I was under the impression that this was exclusive to the 4R70W/4R75W.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: BearZDefect
Concluding line:
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
... In general they are great trucks and the 5.4L is an extremely reliable engine.

Preceeded in the same post by:
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
As others noted, the 5.4L may launch a plug.

Did you mean "the 5.4L is otherwise an extremely reliable engine" ?

In good humor, I know from your BITOG posts that you're a bright helpful person.

Well, of the three we've owned, only one has done the plug launch and that was mine. And otherwise it has been bulletproof, yes, LOL!

They don't ALL do it, it is just an issue people need to be aware of

 

[01rangerxl]

IME the 4R100 isn't unreliable. My cousin had a few Super Duties..7.3s, some autos. They all towed. None ever had any trans work done. At least one was over 300K miles.

One did have front end problems...the steering wheel was at a 45* angle from center when the truck was going straight. It had been wrecked though and never repaired (no state inspections). The one with over 300K did need a fuel pump or something.

I drove a 2006 6.0 when I worked for him. The "water in fuel" message came up in the gauge cluster, so I asked my cousin what he wanted me to do..."oh it's fine, it always says that." These trucks were not babied. Even the 6.0 never had a major problem aside from the unresolved "water in fuel."

 

[Trav]

Rust, rot, more rust once it gets in the salt belt it comes fast. I owned a 5.4 2V this vintage and honestly i don't understand where this "great engine" thing comes from.
IMHO it's far from a great engine, with its long timing chains, frequent bad cam tensioners, duff spark plug threads, piston slap, 6mm exhaust manifold studs that rot off, rotten exhaust manifolds, frequent coil failures, PCV issues,etc, etc.
Ford built some truly great engines over the years but this refugee from a scrap yard isn't one of them.

On top of that its under powered and a gas hog to boot. If this is a great engine i don't want to meet up with a bad one. LOL
TC shudder is nothing new in the 4R100 either, it happens when driving about 40 mph and the truck hits a slight long grade and the TC unlocks under load. Good transmission otherwise.

I would take a GM 6.0 with a 4L80E any day. I have lived through 2 ford trucks from this era both bought new and will personally never buy another Ford truck.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

They need 4.10 or 4.30 gears. A 5.4 with 3.73 gears is just a complete dog.

Ours never had timing chain or spark plug issues, it did kill 2 sets of exhaust manifolds.

It likes to wind up. I've only towed with a manual 5.4 in a F350 with 4.10 gears. There's no red line on the tach ... for a reason.

I was able to get 16MPG out of it towing a trailer for a camping trip through the hills and a bunch of small towns. They like to be wound up!

Taking off from stoplights i'd shift out of first at like 2000, but 2,3 would wind up to 4000. Same on hills. 5th gear to 3rd and it will maintain 55 on any hill!

 

[hattaresguy]

Look at condition, most of those trucks are worked hard and used up.

The 5.4's in my experience have a lot more problems than GM V8's. Transmission life is all dependent on if they plowed/towed/worked it hard.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Rust, rot, more rust once it gets in the salt belt it comes fast. I owned a 5.4 2V this vintage and honestly i don't understand where this "great engine" thing comes from.
IMHO it's far from a great engine, with its long timing chains, frequent bad cam tensioners, duff spark plug threads, piston slap, 6mm exhaust manifold studs that rot off, rotten exhaust manifolds, frequent coil failures, PCV issues,etc, etc.
Ford built some truly great engines over the years but this refugee from a scrap yard isn't one of them.

On top of that its under powered and a gas hog to boot. If this is a great engine i don't want to meet up with a bad one. LOL
TC shudder is nothing new in the 4R100 either, it happens when driving about 40 mph and the truck hits a slight long grade and the TC unlocks under load. Good transmission otherwise.

I would take a GM 6.0 with a 4L80E any day. I have lived through 2 ford trucks from this era both bought new and will personally never buy another Ford truck.

I have never seen a rotted Super Duty, not even pictures. I am sure it happens where you live, but it's probably just as common with any other pickup.

I have only seen one Super Duty that was junked for mechanical reasons. It had nearly 400K miles on it and was a 5.4L regular cab XL. The engine was completely covered in oil, so it had some sort of major oil loss catastrophe that put it in the yard. The exterior and interior were both trashed all over, and the bed was pretty mangled and had a large steel rack in it, so it had been some kind of work truck. Not that many vehicles can take that kind of a beating for 400K miles, and I'd bet whatever caused the oil loss was preventable.

GM trucks are good too, but they have their own set of potential issues. I have seen a rotted '99-'02, and many need knock sensors and/or IM gaskets. Piston slap is well documented with their engines as well. Things like door handles and tailgate handles seem to fall apart on GM trucks too. It can happen with Fords, but there's a reason every parts store has GMT800 door/tailgate handles on the shelf.