2001 Eddie Bauer 4x4 - Repair or Replace?

[Gary M]

Kingsfoil, I don't have the depth of knowledge that some of these folks here have, but having owned a 99 for around 20 years I'd like to make a suggestion. Unless you know for sure that the transmission is bad, consider doing a service on it . Use motorcraft mercon 5, (drain the pan and converter) the ford filter, and if the reusable pan gasket is bad replace it with another reusable. Its comparatively cheap to try and just might cure the problem. And you can do it yourself.

 

[jr1under]

Oil cap milky is simply condensation from water aka humidity building up in the oil.

I didn't know this. It's never happened to me but I've watched enough car videos to assume a milky fill cap was bad news, usually from coolant leaking into the oil.

 

[Yupster Dog]

I didn't know this. It's never happened to me but I've watched enough car videos to assume a milky fill cap was bad news, usually from coolant leaking into the oil.

When it is on the cap but not in the oil, it is just condensation. nothing to worry about.
Now if the oil on the dipstick is milky, you have a problem.

The oil on the dipstick actually doesn't look bad.

 

[jr1under]

The code it threw is P0304, DTC severity 2 of 3. Definitely issues while driving.

A P0304 code is not necessarily a big deal even though your engine may seem like it's gacking up a hairball. The problem could be just a faulty ignition coil and/or spark plug. Verifying the coil is something you can do in a few minutes by swapping #4 with #3. If it runs the same but you get a P0303, then the coil is bad. If you still get P0304, then the plug is more likely the issue. Over the years, I've had several P030x codes on my 1999 and the problem has always been the coil.

 

[BigOleFordFan]

View attachment 83586
Here is a photo.

The oil on the dipstick actually doesn't look bad.

View attachment 83587
The coolant looks like it might have some film on the surface... might be oil? Can't really tell though.

The code it threw is P0304, DTC severity 2 of 3. Definitely issues while driving. I had to turn around after a mile and wasn't sure I was going to make it home! Pressing accelerator and RPMs go up, but not a proportionate increase in speed. Erratic RPM gauge. Definitely feels rough.

Thanks for all the responses.

I love the older vehicles and don't like a lot of the new tech.

Yea, I thought that might be the case, since that top pic is the oil filler cap, but you called it a "gas cap" that's why I questioned it.

TY for the clarification..

 

[kingsfoil]

Yea, I thought that might be the case, since that top pic is the oil filler cap, but you called it a "gas cap" that's why I questioned it.

TY for the clarification..

Typo! Just had a kid a month ago and my brain is not what it was pre-kid....

Thanks all. A friend suggested starting the engine with the coolant cap off to see if coolant comes out or bubbles emerge.

I will try to figure out the coil swap as well.

Hopefully report back this weekend.

 

[kingsfoil]

UPDATE

Shop said the valve cover gasket is leaking and dumping oil into the spark plug wells. They want to do a new gasket, new plugs, new ignition coil boots, and an oil change for around $1500.

They also said these engines are plagued by frequent issues like this so who knows what will happen next and when.

Could try to DIY it.

Thoughts?

 

[LanceExp2025]

Hi kingsfoil:
I know exactly the feelings you are having for a vehicle you have owned and loved for years. I had the same feelings for my 2013 E350 Econoline Van w/ 224K miles on it that I bought new, always garaged and had just put 4 new, $1300 Michelins on. I got a check engine light and 2 days later a little wrench showed up on the dash. Everything still seemed just fine. Ran fine, shifted fine and all was good so the shop cleared the codes and I went on my way. Two weeks later the same ck engine & wrench came back. The shop did a diagnosis on the code and said I needed a new HD, 5 speed trans overhaul for $6600.00. (this trans was behind a V10 engine) Another trans shop said exactly the same thing but quoted $7150.00. I bit the loss bullet and sold it for $5000 as-is. The van was worth $6500-$7200 on KBB so if I put the trans in it for $6600 and sold it for $6500, basically, I gave it away. Bought a new Transit T350 and very happy I did because when I sold the E350 and was looking through my folder, I found that I had spent $3200 in the past 2 years on many, many small things (but they add up!). That E350 was $300 - $500 dollar-ing me to death for the past 2 years.

So, my advice to you is to sell it and move up to a newer one with 1/3 the miles and move into the current generations of Expys. If you just love it no-matter what, spend the money and fix it but I am thinking that in the future that you will REGRET that decision. Just my 2 cents worth of thoughts from experience, for whatever that's worth? Lance (Picture attached of 2013 E350 in 2017 [RH fender bender] - Still looked exactly like this the day I sold it)

 

[jr1under]

Unless you have way more experience than I do, DIY'ing valve cover gaskets is not something to attempt. There's just too many ways to make a mistake you can't recover from. Considering you're in CA, that's not an unreasonable price for what the shop proposes to do...if it runs well afterwards.