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Old 10-18-2021, 03:48 AM   #1
Old_Stevenick
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2002 Ford E350 Van worth keeping?

Hi we have a 2002 E350 Van with about 60,000 miles on it that we use as a tow vehicle. We've maintained it well (didn't buy it new.)

It rides rough, has play in the steering wheel but has been dependable.

Is it worth keeping and putting some money into something so old?

Recently the carpet and mat in the back was soaking wet, I cut it out with a utility knife. We don't know how the water got in, don't see any obvious leaks, there's a bit of rust on the floor in one area, so maybe it came up from underneath?
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Old 10-18-2021, 03:55 AM   #2
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And by the way, we store in in the barn in the Winter, so it's only used about 7 months a year. And when I said "it rides rough" I don't mean the engine, it's just the feel of the road I'm talking about.
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Old 10-18-2021, 05:50 AM   #3
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What engine is in the van? The steering gearbox on my 2010 F250 went up this spring. Had it replaced with a Ford remanufactured gearbox. The bill? Over $2K. Don’t know what's causing your steering play could be as simple as a tie rod end to needing the front suspension rebuilt, regardless that's a dangerous way to go down the road, much less tow anything, for any distance, at any speed.

With a 17 yr old vehicle I would suspect the bushings on the suspension are shot and who knows what else. The 3/4 Fords were noted for ball joint failure (as in the front wheel drops out) and all trucks of that era are hard on steering components. My advice is to take it to a good suspension shop that works on trucks, not a muffler or tire store and get an estimate. Have them check the frame for rust as well. The problem with rust is by the time you find water on the top everytjing below that is typically done for.

I know someone with a Ford Excursion from that era who hitched up his 30' camper a few years ago and the hitch and rear bumber fell on the driveway when he jacked down the trailer. Find out if it's safe first. Then the cost to make it safe. Then you can make an informed decision on your next move.
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Old 10-18-2021, 06:15 AM   #4
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It has a V10 engine. I'm looking into following your advice.
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Old 10-18-2021, 07:01 AM   #5
Ken / Claudia
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Double check the engine, I think ford came out with the V-10 after the 460 v-8 went away, in about 2007.
But I had both as work vehicles and here's my take. Both have power and mpg in the 5 to 8 range pulling. That year, 2002 may have the crappy transmission or the newer better one. The one you want has the tow mode, that locks out the transmission to hold a low gear all long grades. The other does not.
If it was me I would get rid of a 460 with the older tranny. That stuff is way outdated. A real V-10 and newer style tranny keep. No matter what vehicle you have that is that age will need repairs done, you will never get all of that money back, but you will get a vehicle that is trust worthy.
As far as the water leak, just as a RV look for a window, door leaking 1st. water runs down not up. And fix it.
Shocks, suspension, steering repairs right now could be easy 3 to 5 thousand if much needs replaced and why do a half way job. Brakes will be do soon if not replaced yet.
Edit: I missed you said you maintain it, so I guess the belts, spark plugs and wires, things made from rubber have been replaced already since they rot away.
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Old 10-18-2021, 07:19 AM   #6
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It's definitely a V10. E350. It's a 2002, not a 2004. That was a typo. It has a brake controller for the camper in it, I don't know which transmission it has.

As far as steering play, I'm not that much of a car guy, so maybe that's not the right term. The steering wheel certainly doesn't feel "tight." My wife does most of the driving and loves it. Plenty of power, and yes 5-8mpg towing is right on.
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Old 10-18-2021, 07:34 AM   #7
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Click image for larger version

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Here's the van and...
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Old 10-18-2021, 08:10 AM   #8
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I think there's a lot more than vehicle repair to consider. First, is your economic situation. If it's "easy for you to write a check and buy a new truck" will enter into YOUR decision as much as "It's this truck or none, because we don't have credit to buy a new one and couldn't make the payments anyway"...

So, first is "affordabiity" and you may be "trapped with fixing this one or doing without" or you could find selling it outright is better than trading it in, or ???? Every situation is a bit different and what works for someone could be "completely wrong" for someone else.

After that, it boils down to what (if any) repairs the van might need. If it's worth $5000 now and needs $9000 in repairs to make it worth $6000, well that's different from being worth $5000 now and needing $1000 to repair it....

Only a local mechanic that YOU trust can give you good advice on whether it's worth the money to repair it or if it would be better to sell it and get something else and your economic situation would dictate whether you buy a "better used vehicle" or a 'new vehicle".... It's probably going to "cost you some money" to get a mechanic to inspect the van and work up some repair estimates. This is going to be an example of "you get what you pay for"... If you take it somewhere and don't pay anything, get a "rough estimate" based on a couple minutes of telling the service writer what you think is wrong, that "no cost advice" is worth about as much as it cost you.... On the other hand, if you have a list, take it to a mechanic that puts it on a lift and verifies what you list as well as what his inspection identifies, you can be reasonably sure that his estimate would be closer to "reality".... Most mechanics charge for that kind of advice, but most will deduct it from the repair costs if they do the work. So, it's going to cost you to get a good estimate, but may be "free in the long run"...

If you decide to talk to a "trusted mechanic", be sure to have a list of all your concerns to show him. If you just identify the steering and forget to tell him about the wet carpet, you'll be "hiding what you know" from him and hoping for an accurate assessment... In that case, you'll probably not get good advice... He (the mechanic you trust) needs to know all that you know to give you sound advice.
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Old 10-18-2021, 08:23 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Old_Stevenick View Post
It's definitely a V10. E350. It's a 2002, not a 2004. That was a typo. It has a brake controller for the camper in it, I don't know which transmission it has.

As far as steering play, I'm not that much of a car guy, so maybe that's not the right term. The steering wheel certainly doesn't feel "tight." My wife does most of the driving and loves it. Plenty of power, and yes 5-8mpg towing is right on.
Definitely get it checked out by a professional.

What is "well maintained". To some (few I think) that means going thru the vehicle and keeping it in spec with it's original numbers. I.E. replacing worn suspension mounts, bushings,components when they are "out of spec". Flushing and replacing fluids including antifreeze, transmission fluid & filter, flushing and filling the brake lines/components, flushing and filling the power steering fluid, flushing and filling the transfer case and both differentials and checking the back lash of the gears. And the list goes on.

To others "well maintained" means keeping the paint looking good and a trip to Jiffy Lube every 7,500 miles.

As for rust, I've owned many a vehicle that rusted from beneath. Fenders that rusted without a "leak" and floorboards and truck pans that rusted from beneath without a "leak from above". Some vehicles rust is by design (in other words design flaws that cause water to lay in areas that don't drain) and some have been from driving in high snow areas where they freely use road salt. The road salt would be the size of gravel and because it's salt would have sharp and pointed surfaces. That stuff would beat the devil out of any surface and make it look like it was sandblasted to bear metal which added with a good coating of corrosive salt will promptly turn metal to Fe2 O3 (rust).
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Old 10-18-2021, 08:24 AM   #10
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Your van should have the 4R100 transmission. Better than the E40D it replaced but still nothing like the new transmissions of today. I don't know about their longevity but the last E40D I had was replaced 3 times....and the only thing I towed was a 12' Uhaul trailer across TX once.

I never had a Ford that I didn't have to mess with. At 19 years old the ball joints, tie rod ends etc. etc. could all be questionable. When you said you keep it "maintained", what does that entail? Just oil and filter changes or more advanced measures? Unless you are familiar with those components and know how to check/adjust/replace them you need to take it to a component mechanic to assess what needs to be done. Bang vs buck will be the deciding factor I figure.

Figure out where that water is coming from. If from "up top" it might not be bad and only a leaking seal somewhere. If coming from underneath that will be a different story. A good light and creeper under there might be enlightening.

As far as the V10 I never liked them. They guzzle fuel and weren't as powerful as they should be. Our fleet guy spec'd them on some of our trucks but they weren't impressive. If that's what you have it will probably be fine for your setup if it is in good shape, just expensive to drive. That rough ride? It's an empty 1 ton van....they ARE rough. Good luck on getting things fixed up.
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Old 10-18-2021, 08:36 AM   #11
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I was wrong the V10 ford came out in 1997. I remember the last 460 I had was 1995 or 96. So that makes more sense. I was wrong.
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Old 10-18-2021, 08:38 AM   #12
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Great info guys, you are all amazing. I have a call into the local mechanic that has worked on that van and that we trust a lot. I'll have him look at the tie rods, suspension, ball joints, underside etc. and see what he thinks.

As far as what we can afford, we don't want to buy something new, we don't have the money so it would ba a loan. I don't like adding loans to our lives. If it was a vehicle that we could use year round we could sell one of our cars, but we live in New England and a RWD is not going to cut it, so it comes down to a 4X4 pickup or some huge SUV like a Durango. A used van would be an option and keep it in the barn in the Winter as we do this one. We can pack tons of tables, chairs, bicycles in the van, it's a great camping vehicle. Easy to get to things from the back doors and side doors.

So spending some money on this that we'll never get back isn't that bad of an option.
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Old 10-18-2021, 08:38 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken / Claudia View Post
Double check the engine, I think ford came out with the V-10 after the 460 v-8 went away, in about 2007.
But I had both as work vehicles and here's my take. Both have power and mpg in the 5 to 8 range pulling. That year, 2002 may have the crappy transmission or the newer better one. The one you want has the tow mode, that locks out the transmission to hold a low gear all long grades. The other does not.
If it was me I would get rid of a 460 with the older tranny. That stuff is way outdated. A real V-10 and newer style tranny keep. No matter what vehicle you have that is that age will need repairs done, you will never get all of that money back, but you will get a vehicle that is trust worthy.
As far as the water leak, just as a RV look for a window, door leaking 1st. water runs down not up. And fix it.
Shocks, suspension, steering repairs right now could be easy 3 to 5 thousand if much needs replaced and why do a half way job. Brakes will be do soon if not replaced yet.
Edit: I missed you said you maintain it, so I guess the belts, spark plugs and wires, things made from rubber have been replaced already since they rot away.
The Ford 7.5-liter, 240-horsepower V-8 engine ran in the F- series trucks from 1968 to 1997. Not sure about the E series vans but guessing it was about the same lifespan. They started putting the 6.8L Triton in vans and Superduty trucks in 1998 and I believe that engine was used in the vans until 2015 or something like that (but not the trucks) and was also used in Class A and C campers until the 7.3L gas came out.
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Old 10-18-2021, 08:50 AM   #14
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Great info guys, you are all amazing. I have a call into the local mechanic that has worked on that van and that we trust a lot. I'll have him look at the tie rods, suspension, ball joints, underside etc. and see what he thinks.

As far as what we can afford, we don't want to buy something new, we don't have the money so it would ba a loan. I don't like adding loans to our lives. If it was a vehicle that we could use year round we could sell one of our cars, but we live in New England and a RWD is not going to cut it, so it comes down to a 4X4 pickup or some huge SUV like a Durango. A used van would be an option and keep it in the barn in the Winter as we do this one. We can pack tons of tables, chairs, bicycles in the van, it's a great camping vehicle. Easy to get to things from the back doors and side doors.

So spending some money on this that we'll never get back isn't that bad of an option.
Fords do eat front ends. I have replaced the front end on most of the Ford pickups and diesels are the worst because of the additional weight. Other brands share this issue to some degree. I replaced the front end on my truck at about 125K miles. I used a kit from Detroit Axle which contained all needed parts except a steering damper. I bought that separately at an auto parts store. The van will also ride better if you replace the body mount bushings; the originals are shot. Guranteed.
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Old 10-18-2021, 08:57 AM   #15
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This begs the question of the 19 years vs. the only 60,000 miles. Plus it being kept off the road in the Winter for the last 10 years or so (I don't know how it was garaged before that.)

60K is a very low mileage vehicle.
19 years is an old vehicle.

What systems are effected more by which factor?
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Old 10-18-2021, 09:03 AM   #16
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Since it is hard to tell where the location "Central" is, rust up north would be a factor. Brake pads and disks are a factor. The front end is a factor already covered. Hoses & bests should be replaced. Take the thing to a good mechanic you trust for an evaluation.

My wife drives a 2002 Crown Victoria. She bought it from a gal whose mother had passed and it had 35K on it when we bought it. I took it to Rio Medina Automotive (NAPA) and they went over it stem to stern. Since then tires, fluids, and a battery, etc. and not much else and we live in Texas where vehicles don't suffer deterioration from rust very much.
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Old 10-18-2021, 09:04 AM   #17
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Central Massachusetts. I put that in my profile, but I guess it doesn't show the state.
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Old 10-18-2021, 09:08 AM   #18
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Central Massachusetts. I put that in my profile, but I guess it doesn't show the state.
That stuff on the left of the page where you have the little picture. Where you put in town, put in the town field both Central and MA; such as:

Central MA.
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Old 10-18-2021, 09:28 AM   #19
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This begs the question of the 19 years vs. the only 60,000 miles. Plus it being kept off the road in the Winter for the last 10 years or so (I don't know how it was garaged before that.)

60K is a very low mileage vehicle.
19 years is an old vehicle.

What systems are effected more by which factor?

Age vs miles on the van, sort of like age vs miles on an RV tire. You have LOTS of components made of rubber/rubber compounds that age out, dry up, crack, leak and break simply due to age....not miles. Some cover lubed joints; the rubber cracks the lube dries out, crusts/cracks up and falls off...losing its lubricating qualities. Lots of other things that age out. On every older vehicle I've brought in to revamp I've replaced anything that was made of any kind of rubber/compound; that includes shocks (inner pistons), any/all joint covers under the vehicle etc. - including the body mount bushings George mentioned. I will say that after using the "improved" hard polyurethane bushings I wish I had used the standard rubber ones. The poly bushings squeaked a lot and nothing I did made them stop for more than a short period.
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Old 10-18-2021, 10:02 AM   #20
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Age vs miles on the van, sort of like age vs miles on an RV tire. You have LOTS of components made of rubber/rubber compounds that age out, dry up, crack, leak and break simply due to age....not miles. Some cover lubed joints; the rubber cracks the lube dries out, crusts/cracks up and falls off...losing its lubricating qualities. Lots of other things that age out. On every older vehicle I've brought in to revamp I've replaced anything that was made of any kind of rubber/compound; that includes shocks (inner pistons), any/all joint covers under the vehicle etc. - including the body mount bushings George mentioned. I will say that after using the "improved" hard polyurethane bushings I wish I had used the standard rubber ones. The poly bushings squeaked a lot and nothing I did made them stop for more than a short period.
The poly bushings do make some noise; the originals were made out of yellow sponge cake and the ones on my 2006 mostly gone or crumbled to the point of useless. It isn't hard to change them except for the ones at the very front which require several extensions to reach. I wouldn't put originals on as they are junk and the polys last forever but are noisy My truck cab swayed a bit until I figured out the bushings needed changing.
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