F250 4.2l Turbo

Hi Mark

Ours is the 7.3 ltr td, which most use for heavy towing. I felt i would rather have a 4.2 ltr Cruiser and 4.2 ltr F250. The finish of the F250 is inferior to the finish of Cruisers and Patrol, but ours gives a very comfortable ride. We were never able to block dust from coming into the tray area. We obtained spare parts to carry with us from USA far cheaper than buying in Australia, and were lucky at the time that the exchange rate was more favourable for purchasing in USA than it is now. There are avenues for purchasing parts in Australia, but of course not as widely available as parts for Cruisers and Patrols. We have not needed any parts so far (other than regular servicing filters which we order in through our mechanic rather than from USA).

Motherhen

gday mate , not sure what your towing but im an explorer and tow an off rd camper trailer 300lt fuel 300lt water and a 4m tinny on my topper (wich i made for 135 dollars as opposed to 2500 dollars wich i was quoted from A.R.B ) plus heaps of other gear in a turbo d triton and she goes into very remote places and very rough tracks and boggy sand and have no dramas, good overtaking power too, hope that helps

Hi Mowing,The F250 with this engine is a reasonable choice.The diesel is a MWM 4.2 ltr sprint engine which is a very good engine and gets good fuel economy even in the F series.The 4 cylinder version is used in Nissan Patrols in European countries instead of the 3ltr handgrenade we got here.Know of a unit towing a large trailer(bigger than a car trailer) and he loves it,even on long trips.
Cheers Guy

I have a 2002 4.2 space cab f250 and I love it.

I tow a 24ft fifth wheeler (2.4T empty). Sweet spot for towing is around 100k, and i mostly cruise 95 to 100.

Overtakes road trains and accelerates well in fifth from around 90k and easily gets up to 120+ in good time with van on. Even the missus has overtaken a 3 trailer road train with the van on!

Fuel tank is 144 litres, but mostly put in around 122 litres after light coming on and around 50kms driving. Have never put 130 on.

Have had as little as 650kms (on 110 freeway in a hurry) to 930kms from one tank with van on. Mostly 750 to 830.

Problems so far:
1) blocked fuel pickup in bottom tank - algae type stuff - on outback trip ($200);
2) dodgy fuel pump soon after - probably related - (replaced with electric $180);
3)air con compressor replaced under warranty;
4)hand brake locked on and cooked rear brakes ($1400!).
5)Ford Bull Bar and tow bar blasted and repainted - original paint job crap. Would probably go alloy bar next time.
6)Both seat bases replaced under warranty, and one replaced since ($350), and both stuffed again - they are crap. Fitted ford xr6 buckets from wreckers ($500 plus $300 fitting & brackets).

Has done 180,000kms. Has done lots of gravel including 3 times to Birdsville (twice with van), Gibb River Rd, heaps of outback queensland. If it hasn't got the van on, it is lugging my carry-me-camper. Rarely run without a load. Not used as daily driver, just for trips.

Have recently fitted 4" ss exhaust. Haven't done a trip yet, but feels like it has got an extra gear around town.

When i bought mine it was $54g on the road. I could get all my money back i reckon, but there is nothing else i would want to replace it with.

Trevor

The 4.2 was a bit of an orphan, It was only available until about 03 and really only ever sold in very small numbers, hence Ford dropped it. It was a brazilian built motor and has as good reputation there.

Most people opted for the 7.3 V8. More power, known quantity long history. (this motor is built by International in US and is also used in their trucks and buses In the early 2000's it was the worlds highest volume mid size diesel.)

Part for these are readily availble from US at very cheap prices.
Same as the >03 US model. The amount of info availble on US and to some extent Oz forums is staggering.

Having said all that I know a couple of people with the 4.2. (mine is 7.3) they are happy with it. IMHO look around for a 7.3 pay a bit extra and you'll recoup this when you come to sell.

Finally the V8 sounds waaaay better than the 6, but then I'm a revhead from way back:-)

The Landcruiser Turbo Diesel develops 151kw in standard form,
what does the 7.3 Ford Turbo Diesel put out ???

As others have said - theres not a LOT of the 4.2 liter F trucks about, and since they (Ford Australia) stopped importing the F250' in yr 2007?, they are getting harder n harder to come bye 2nd hand.

Mines a 7.3 and I agree pretty much with others comments.

They do have a few known problem areas tho. Because we are so remote from the usa and spare parts etc these known problems can take on a different significance tho when here in Oz and remote from the citys.

I had a "simple" electrical problem with the 7.3 that cost more than 7 or 8 grand (and still climbing) so far to rectify.

They are known for their poor wiring system design, normally electrics isn't a big issue on a diesel - once started diesels generally run wthout needing 12V power to operate.

Not so the new Ford 7.3's - they have a computer controlled injector (HEUI) Hydraulic Electric Unit Injector, which is sorta like a combined diesel injector and spark plug in laymans terms.

The electric signals from the computer TELL the injector when to fire.

Without that signal the injector doesn't fire.

Now the wires are simple enough, theres a flat strap of 9 wires (just like a internal computer cable bundle) that goes to each bank of 4 cylinders injectors.

These wires have 4 that connect to the 4 glow plugs to heat them up, and they have another 4 that go to the injectors that tells them when to fire. Thats 8! The 9th wire (the dreaded orange one) is the common HIGH VOLTAGE earth return wire for the other 8.

The "problem" with these fat wire bundle straps is that they aren't shielded in any way from the heat of the turbo/exhaust dump pipes etc, and they run across the two rocker covers (one on each bank) then across the top of the shock absorber tree - thru the side panel of the engine bay to a IDM (Injector Drive Module) which as a fancy name for the second computer that drives the injectors. (Theres another main computer inside the cab up under the dash on passenger side). The IDM is located under the Passenger LH side mudgaurd a little above axel height.

These wires get rubbed thru with vibrations of corruggated roads and the torquing action of the big V8 engine on its engine mounts.

They also have a habit of connectors falling off inside the rocker covers - yes theres wires inside there mixed with the hot engine oil. The wires plug onto a electrical connector in the rocker cover gaskets, and matching wirtes plug to the pins inside the rocker cover gasket and go to the glow plugs and injectors.

These plugs can fall off either outside on the valley cover or inside the rocker cover i.e. either side of the pins on the gasket internal or external. Usually it's the insie clips - they are plastic and a snap lock fit bt the hotoil deforms the plastic afetr a few years and the clips fail. Theres a retro fit kit available to fix it from Ford.

When they do fall off (specially the common earth orange wire) that whole bank of 4 cylinders goes out and you go from a v8 to a 4 cyl.

Then thru the shorting, the IDM computer craps itself.

Replacement IDM = $1500 from Ford (you can buy rebuilt ones on Ebay for less) - but thats an indication of how often these things fail - pretty frequently.

Remove the mudguard, replace the IDM and track/patch up the shorted wires in the harness= $3000

Buy a computer software program from the USA with connector to diagnose the main computer and IDM to find out whats wrong with your truck? = $800 or $900 depending on exchange rate.

Out of the about 8 grand spent trying to fix this common fault on mine - Ford paid about $2K under their extended care warranty, and I was without the truck for 5 months while 3 separate repairers (2 diesel fitters and a auto sparky) tried to diagnose and repair the faults!

I'd have gone to a Ford dealer but there wasn't any in the pilbara at the time, the nearest being Carnarvon and Broome. (The trucking 45 kms of the vehicle to the repairer in the Pilbara was another $450 not covered under warranty - to get it to a ford dealer was several thousand in trucking fees one way).

Those of us who buy F 250's is because we haul heavy loads in excess of that a 3500 KG towing limit on the cruisers and patrols wont do.

As stated they are hard to get now and as above - IF you have a problem - while away from the dealer network and outside warranty coverage - man you need deep pockets to get em fixed.

The first 2 places (Diesel Fitter & Auto sparky) just gave up, it was "too hard" - the vehicle are big to be able to reach into to work on and theres just too many intercooler pipes and wires and not a lot of room to work - no one wants to work on them period - most places just said "forget it" and those who did take it on, couldn't do the job, but still billed me thousands each for their failed attempts, which Ford extended care warranty won't touch.

What screwed it up was a 56 km return trip out the Whim Creek - BallaBalla road - where I put the left hand passenger side wheels thru some red muddy puddles left after a cyclone on the edge of the road.

Let me tell you now that F trucks are ALLERGIC to water period.

They have the Injector Drive Module under the LH fender at just above axel height - and splashed water on them will have high voltage sparks that drive your injectors arcing all along the pins on the back of the IDM computer.

That red soil mud contains somethng called magnetite - once in there it will never come out and the only option is to replace your IDM @ $1500 each time.

The electrical harness is not at all well designed or shielded adequately and at some point you WILL have electrical problems with the shielding wearing thru on the rocker covers or the shocker trees - or worse the electrical harness connector clips will fall off inside the rocker cover - also the pushrods are known for wearing thru the glow plug wires insdie the rocker covers and shorting out the glow plugs solenoid.

Lastly - your IDM (injector Drive Module) gets its engine timing signal from something called a CPS (Camshaft Position Sensor).

These are faulty by design from the factory - in USA theres a recall but Ford Australia ignored it and haven't advised their F truck owners.

When (not if) your CPS goes out - the truck she no runs - because the IDM (Injector Drive Module) computer, doesn't get any signal from the CPS (Camshaft Position Sensor) to tell it when to fire.

No biggee, you can change it on the side of the road with a 10 mm deep socket, all the USA F truck forums will tell you that - you just need to keep a spare CPS in the truck with a 10 mm deep socket ratchet handle and your good to go.

Only a few problems for us downunder.

1. The new CPS is quoted by Ford at $650.
2. You can get one from F Trucks in Wleshpool for about$450
3. You can buy one from International Harvester (Navistar) online since they manufacture the engine for Ford, for only $150, only difference is the plastic housing is blue instead of black or grey on the Ford ones.
4. Ford USA redisigned the CPS because of the high rate of failures & recall and now it's black plastic and costs $20 if you dont get one free in the recall. (Which you won't coz your in Australia not America). There is no appreciable difference in them - the orginal, the replacement one or the navistar one. The ford Original grey plastic one part number ends in the letter A, the replacement NEW one with black plastic ends in B - theres a $630 price difference for the exact two identical parts from Ford.
UNLESs you ASK specifically for the black replacement one ending in part number B - Ford Australia will sell you the $650 Grey one,
coz they have them in stock and need to get their $ back (and they will also charge you for fitting it...even tho it is a recall they never told you about).

5. The Australian RH drive models (brazillian built) vehicles - have the steering box on the opposite side to the US models - and it's in the way of changing the CPS with a 10mm deep socket ratchet in 10 mins as everyone on the US forums will tell you you can do! I am telling you you can't, coz I've tried...least not without putting it on a hoist and dropping the steering and front suspension etc etc. OK - maybe if you have arms like gumby and are built like quasi modo the hunchback of Notredam you might - but not this fat boy or either of my 2 teenage sons, let me tell you.

This means when (not if) your CPS goes out as they ALL do, EVEN if you've been savvy enough to buy ether a Blue Navistar replacement CPS for $150 from the USA, OR buy the Black plastic recall part ending in part number B from Ford for 20 bucks and carry it wth you along with a 10 mm deep socket ratchet wrench, you ain't going to be going anywhere in a hurry with a 10 minute change as the Yanks will all tell you is what they do UNLESS you have the aforementioned Gumby arms and physical stature of Quasi modo.

Next - the automatic transmissions on thes trucks, likewise to everything else, have their gear changes controlled by that computer inside the cab up under the dash - and theres an electrical connector on the side of the transmission - that IF it gets wet - will stop the vehicle due to the electrical short stuffing the computer AND transmission.

I read of one poor sod who tried to load his f 250 4wd onto the barge that crosses from Steep Point to Dirk Hartog Island...he got his front wheels onto the ramp of the barge - the transmission plug got wet with sea water and the truck stopped - they had to drag it back off the barge and up the beach with toyota and nissan 4wd's to allow others to get across...

I think the F truck was trucked back to Perth - can't tow these autos - they have to be trucked on a flat top tilt tray.

In all honesty knowing what I do now - I woulnd't cross more than a wet road from rain, in terms of water crossings in a F 250 - they just aren't designed for it - they will haul all you want on the black top most of the time.

They still have serious shortcommings tho due to USA design...

Heres one from experience.

The air conditioner cannot be directed to the footwell. The controls just do not alow it, you can send hot air down to your feet (handy when it's snowing outside) but if it's 45C plus day and the bitumens hot and sending reflected heat back up onto your steel floor pan, that only has a rubber mat between the steel and your feet in thongs, as well as having the 7.3 liter v8 hot diesel exhaust running right across the underside of the drivers footwell, and reflected heat from the turbo on rear of the engine thru the firewall - it actually gets so hot down there that you can't keep your feet down there - you have to drive with feet up on the dash - thank God for cruise control hey!

I could go on - the facts are the F truck hauls my 4.25 tonne boat all day at 100 kph at 5 km/liter, and is comfortable to sit in and drive with the exception of the air conditioning mentioned.

Everyone who looks at them will tell you they love the look of your truck... and drool at 7.3 liters of intercooled diesel engine.

You can do a few simple mods and add a chip to them and they will put out 400 rear wheel horsepower.

If I didn't HAVE to have one to legally tow my boat I would opt for a cruiser tomorrow.

For those who don't know (Yet) of their shortcommings mentioned above they seem to hold their value pretty well due to the fact Fords not importing them any more, if selling privately, - however you'll get screwed by any Ford dealer if you trade it in or sell it. They may give you 60 K and then put it straight on the lot the next day for 85 - 90 plus K

I haven't had a good experience with the Ford dealer I bought mine from, they lied about having serviced it and changed fluids etc I sent off a transmission oil sample for analysis the day after I bought it and it came back "abnormal" with high wear metal rates, oxidised trans fluid etc etc, quite smply they never evenlooked at it and i have the Used Oil Analysis and photos of the gunk inside the trans an to prove it.

I love driving my Ftruck - paying for it, dealing with Ford and their warranty people etc is a nightmare.

Yeah its cool to drive but the reality of the nightmares anytime anything goes wrong - means it costs over a grand to get anyone prepaired to look under the bonnet for you to even diagnose anything.

If you googled - you'd find out that Ford USA and Navistar (International Harvester) are counter suing each other over the 7.3 liter navistar engine,(up to yr model 2003 in the USA - 2006 here) the replacement 6.0 liter Navistar engine (2004 onwards in USA and 2006 onwards here in Oz), and now the new 6.3 liter navistar engine.

My reading of the case (summarised) is that due to the high number of warranty repairs problems with the engine that Ford had to absorbe, Ford stopped paying navistar for delivery of new engines to their plant, as a way of getting $ back that ford claimed navistar owed them under their contract for excesive warranty costs.

Navistar claimed Ford techs were so useless it was their fault they couldn't keep the engines runnuing and trucks on the road. (Navistar claimed the same engines in other machinery made & serviced by navistar techs gave no where near the same level of problems).

That would coincide with the electrcal issues I mentioned - Navistar engineer their electrics far better - Ford didn't & electrics are critical to this engine.

So - Navistar closed ONE of their two engine manufactrung plants that supplied Ford and stopped supplying engines(and put ~700 employees out of work in the process).

Then Ford couldn't manufacture any new trucks despite having sold them with paid orders.

Navstar took Ford to court for non payment for new engines.
Ford took navistar to court for breach of contract over excess warranty repairs and not covering that cost per the contract if it was excessive, which it was.

The judge ordered Navistar to supply engines to Ford and ordered Ford to PAY navistar for ALL engines supplied.

Navistar re opened their second factory and re hired staff to operate it.

Then Ford went out and bought it's own diesel engine manufacturing plant - and issued contracts to have it up and running and manufactirung it's own Ford diesel engines for installation in its model year 2010 vehicles.

Navistar heard about this and took Ford to court again because their contract is to supply these navistar engines to Ford right up to and including their year mdoel 2012 vehicles and it was obvious Ford was not intendng to honour ts contractual obligations to navistar after year 2101 & until end 2012.

Then the world financial situation/ stock market collapse / recession / global depression hit and who knows where this will all end up?.

It's quite possible that even yet Ford may go to the wall (despite assurances to the contrary). Ford for example a couple years back had to mortgage to the banks all their factories and dealerships etc, land and buildings, for the first time since the model T was built...something thats never happened and THAT was just to allow to continue to trade.They didn't get any US govt bailout $

As Ford owners we COULD possibly be left with no spare parts avalability and no warranty etc etc

Who knows for 100% sure?

In my opinion I think its a shame.

I have over $100K "invested" (bad description i know) into my F truck with LOTS of mods to make it a better tow vehicle (I didn't mention the transmission weaknesses with excessive heat - another topic entirely).

I'm about to list my F truck any day now for sale - first as a package with the boat & Charter Fishing licenses etc, but if that doesn't sell, then separately.

To my mind with my experience so far (i've owned it 2 & 1/2 years and travelled 22,000 kms in it in that time, a 2004 model with now 126,000km's on the clock) - theres just too much uncertainty to keep it given what it cost & the roughly 1000km a month I do in it.

Others situation with their F trucks might be different, everyones mileage will vary, depending on their circumstances.

Good luck with it if you do go for the F truck - they are easy to like but will bleed you dry of $ in a short period of time if (when) something gioes wrong with them.

Simply you need deep pockets to ownone and even deeper pockets to run one.

Crazy thing is - in the usa THEY ARE cheap to buy, but the import costs etc now sees them attracting luxury car tax etc.

Crazy.

Cheers

Thanks everyone for the replys........ Very much appreciated.

Regards


Mark