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Old 04-27-2010, 11:09 AM   #21
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I just got a call from the dealer's service department......my truck is ready to come back home.

Seems like the front axle actuator solenoid (if I understood him correctly) had gotten water and dirt in it causing it to malfunction. They replaced it with a newer model that is better about keeping the elements out.

This happened Sunday, they picked it up on Monday, fixed it today, and back home tomorrow....unless I can get a ride to the dealer today. That is pretty good service in my book.

The Ford Extended Service Plan paid for the fix and the tow.....minus a $100 deductible. I betcha the tow alone was that, plus a lot more for the fix.
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Old 04-27-2010, 12:44 PM   #22
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If you follow Ford stock, maybe Ford should be an acronymn for

Financial
Outlook
Remains
Dreamy

I've had more than a few clients make some pretty good money on Ford stock.
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Old 04-27-2010, 12:48 PM   #23
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Originally Posted by mtnguy View Post
I just got a call from the dealer's service department......my truck is ready to come back home.

Seems like the front axle actuator solenoid (if I understood him correctly) had gotten water and dirt in it causing it to malfunction. They replaced it with a newer model that is better about keeping the elements out.

This happened Sunday, they picked it up on Monday, fixed it today, and back home tomorrow....unless I can get a ride to the dealer today. That is pretty good service in my book.

The Ford Extended Service Plan paid for the fix and the tow.....minus a $100 deductible. I betcha the tow alone was that, plus a lot more for the fix.
That's great news, glad it work out for you
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Old 04-27-2010, 01:04 PM   #24
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That's great news Chap. Glad it was nothing serious. I have to admit, I too had a '79 Ford F150 supercab that was a really good truck although it got worse gas milage than my 37' motorhome. Someone had ordred it originally with the 460 (or put one in it) as I was told the F150 didn't come with that engine back then. You could sure watch the gas gauge go down though.
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Old 04-27-2010, 01:25 PM   #25
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Originally Posted by wnytaxman View Post
If you follow Ford stock, maybe Ford should be an acronymn for

Financial
Outlook
Remains
Dreamy

I've had more than a few clients make some pretty good money on Ford stock.

I like that Ford acronym !!!


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That's great news Chap. Glad it was nothing serious. I have to admit, I too had a '79 Ford F150 supercab that was a really good truck although it got worse gas milage than my 37' motorhome. Someone had ordred it originally with the 460 (or put one in it) as I was told the F150 didn't come with that engine back then. You could sure watch the gas gauge go down though.
My '79 was getting in the 12 to 13 mpg range.....but that was with 185,000 miles on the engine. But that was with the 300 6 banger....I can only image what a 460 would be like. I don't think my truck ever got over about 17 mpg even when it was new. The new engines with fuel injection have it all over the old carburetor engines......of course, you have to be an electrical engineer to work on the new stuff.
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Old 04-27-2010, 01:31 PM   #26
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Yeah my F150 with the 460, empty got about 7 mpg! I had even rebuilt the engine. Ran great but ouch the mileage was bad. Someone before me had removed the old bench seat and put in buckets on swiveling pedestals. I put in new carpet, was a nice truck for running to the dump or picking up a load of bark.

Actually been thinking lately of getting a newer F150 supercab for hauling our boat. Would be much better than doing it with the Liberty. Just can't decide to buy one that is a few years old or buy a new one and get the warranty.
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Old 04-27-2010, 03:03 PM   #27
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Actually been thinking lately of getting a newer F150 supercab for hauling our boat. Would be much better than doing it with the Liberty. Just can't decide to buy one that is a few years old or buy a new one and get the warranty.

Even though my truck ended up on a roll-back, it is still a great truck. I don't think you can beat an F150 for your boat or lumber gittn'. The last couple of years, Ford has been offering $5000 rebates during October and November on the previous years models. That is what convinced me that I needed to replace my 27 year old truck for a new one.......plus I had questions on how my '96 S10 Blazer was going to handle the used Trailmanor that I had just bought at that time. With the rebate, I picked up my truck for $25,710.......I don't think that was too bad for a loaded F150 XLT Super Cab, 4x4. But that is $20,000 more than I spent on my stripped down '79 F150 4x2.
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Old 04-27-2010, 11:31 PM   #28
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That's great news Chap. Glad it was nothing serious. I have to admit, I too had a '79 Ford F150 supercab that was a really good truck although it got worse gas milage than my 37' motorhome. Someone had ordred it originally with the 460 (or put one in it) as I was told the F150 didn't come with that engine back then. You could sure watch the gas gauge go down though.
Holy Crap Jeeper, now THAT'S what you should put in your JEEP!! Yeah, big ole 460 poking out of that would be cool!!!
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Old 04-28-2010, 10:25 AM   #29
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Holy Crap Jeeper, now THAT'S what you should put in your JEEP!! Yeah, big ole 460 poking out of that would be cool!!!
Actually there is a Hemi conversion for the Jeeps done by a company in Missoula MT. (keeps it in the Mopar family). I don't have enough money for the conversion let alone the parts past the transmission I would break with that much power
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Old 04-28-2010, 10:38 AM   #30
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I just got back home with my repaired truck.
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Old 04-28-2010, 03:20 PM   #31
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my coworker has an 04 like yours and had the same thing happen to him twice I guess a common problem with those trucks.Hopefully the new version of the part will hold up better..Dont let everybody get you down about the ford stuff I ahve had ford trucks ,gmc's ,and now have a toyota tundra they have all been good trucks and everyone of them have or had been taken back to the dealer for something so dont matter what brand ,hell my tundra has 20000 miles on it and has had 2 exhaust manifolds replaced and the gas pedal assembly so just the way it is good luck with the repair happy travels sir...
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Old 04-28-2010, 06:00 PM   #32
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Chap,

Glad to hear you've got your truck back. It's hell being without your favorite ride, no matter how short the separation is.
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Old 04-28-2010, 06:11 PM   #33
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my coworker has an 04 like yours and had the same thing happen to him twice I guess a common problem with those trucks.Hopefully the new version of the part will hold up better..Dont let everybody get you down about the ford stuff I ahve had ford trucks ,gmc's ,and now have a toyota tundra they have all been good trucks and everyone of them have or had been taken back to the dealer for something so dont matter what brand ,hell my tundra has 20000 miles on it and has had 2 exhaust manifolds replaced and the gas pedal assembly so just the way it is good luck with the repair happy travels sir...
This apparently is a common problem with the Ford 4x4s. I asked the mechanic today to explain what happened. This is the way I understood it: The vacuum solenoid sits on the firewall on the passenger side....right under a drain for the cowl area. Water will get into the solenoid which could cause the malfunction, or it could freeze and bust that puppy. The actuators that engage the front hubs work by vacuum, but a lose of vacuum is what engages them......constant vacuum will keep the actuators from engaging. If any mechanic on the forum reads this and that is not the way it happens, please correct me.

The new selenoid has a water diverter surrounding it, which tells me that this has been a common problem that Ford had to come up with that fix.
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Old 04-28-2010, 06:33 PM   #34
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This apparently is a common problem with the Ford 4x4s. I asked the mechanic today to explain what happened. This is the way I understood it: The vacuum solenoid sits on the firewall on the passenger side....right under a drain for the cowl area. Water will get into the solenoid which could cause the malfunction, or it could freeze and bust that puppy. The actuators that engage the front hubs work by vacuum, but a lose of vacuum is what engages them......constant vacuum will keep the actuators from engaging. If any mechanic on the forum reads this and that is not the way it happens, please correct me.

The new selenoid has a water diverter surrounding it, which tells me that this has been a common problem that Ford had to come up with that fix.
Did Ford have a recall on this do you know of? The service dept can go back in the records.
By the way, I know how you fell now while looking at your truck on the back of the tow truck, I just had to have my Saturn towed from my drive way about an hour ago, this remined me of your pic...I know go ahead and say it, it's time for a pay back after what I said in the early part of your thread.......
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Old 04-29-2010, 07:49 AM   #35
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Did Ford have a recall on this do you know of? The service dept can go back in the records.
By the way, I know how you fell now while looking at your truck on the back of the tow truck, I just had to have my Saturn towed from my drive way about an hour ago, this remined me of your pic...I know go ahead and say it, it's time for a pay back after what I said in the early part of your thread.......
No payback coming your way. This thread was all in good fun. Any car or truck can break down. I posted earlier concerning the good service of my '79 F150 after 27 years and 185,000 miles. I have been lucky with my Jeep, as it has failed to start only 1 time in 85,000 miles......on a 12 year old battery....it does have another battery in it now. My S-10 Blazer ended up a roll-back 2 times in 75,000 miles after letting me down on the side of the road. The missus' Honda hasn't had that honor yet.

Hope the problem with your Saturn is small.

As far as I know, Ford does not have a recall on the 4WD actuator problem....but should have if they have had enough of them to malfunction that a "new and improved" part was made to correct the problem.
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Old 04-29-2010, 11:06 AM   #36
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Too bad Ford didn't learn from Jeep's mistakes. The Jeeps prior to 96 had a similar vacuum actuator for the front axle to engage the right side in 4x4 mode. These failed quite often and starting in '97 Jeep did away with them completely. The front axle on the Jeeps is always connected and turning the front driveshaft, they just aren't engaged inside the transfer case when not in 4x4. I say eliminate the unnecessary stuff and keep it simple. Also don't like electric push buttons for 4x4 either, give me a solid linkage!
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Old 04-29-2010, 12:06 PM   #37
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Too bad Ford didn't learn from Jeep's mistakes. The Jeeps prior to 96 had a similar vacuum actuator for the front axle to engage the right side in 4x4 mode. These failed quite often and starting in '97 Jeep did away with them completely. The front axle on the Jeeps is always connected and turning the front driveshaft, they just aren't engaged inside the transfer case when not in 4x4. I say eliminate the unnecessary stuff and keep it simple. Also don't like electric push buttons for 4x4 either, give me a solid linkage!
Amen to keeping it simple. When I ordered my 96 Blazer, I specified the floor shifter, and was actually a deducted option. I don't think the F150s even come with that option any more....but the Super Duties do. Before this on my truck, the shifting module went bad, which was covered under the 36/36 warranty. Except for the 4WD equipment, this truck has been maintenance free, other than preventive maintenance. Give me a floor shifter and manually operated lock-out hubs any day of the week.
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Old 04-30-2010, 08:12 AM   #38
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Yup, lost the actuator on my '05 early on; covered under warranty fortunately. Think of the thousands of parts that go into a vehicle; one slip-up on one part; and it goes into perhaps a million vehicles. Then you get a thread like this one! : - )
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Old 04-30-2010, 11:00 AM   #39
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My truck got the best mileage ever on the trip to the dealer. 25 miles and nary a drop of gas used.
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Old 04-30-2010, 11:02 AM   #40
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Yup, lost the actuator on my '05 early on; covered under warranty fortunately. Think of the thousands of parts that go into a vehicle; one slip-up on one part; and it goes into perhaps a million vehicles. Then you get a thread like this one! : - )
Bob, did your truck symptoms match what my truck did ??
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