1997 FORD F150 engine

vehicle. The damage may not be
covered by your warranty.
Your vehicle was not designed to
use fuel containing
manganese-based additives such as
MMT. Additionally, vehicles
certified to California emission
standards (indicated on the
underhood Vehicle Emissions
Control Information label) are
designed to operate on California
reformulated gasolines. If
California reformulated gasoline is
not available when you refuel, your
vehicle can be operated on
non-California fuels. However, even
though your engine will perform
adequately on other gasolines, the
performance of the emission
control devices and systems may
be adversely affected. Repair of
damage caused by using a fuel that
your vehicle was not designed for
may not be covered by your
warranty.
Octane recommendations
Your vehicle is designed to use
regular gasoline with an (R+M)/2
octane rating of 87. We do not
recommend gasolines labeled as
ªregularº in high altitude areas that
are sold with octane ratings of 86
or even less.
Do not be concerned if your
vehicle sometimes knocks lightly.
However, if it knocks heavily under
most driving conditions on the
recommended octane fuel, see
87
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191

your dealer or a qualified service
technician to prevent any engine
damage.
Fuel quality
If you are experiencing starting,
rough idle or hesitation problems
try a different brand of fuel. If the
condition persists, see your dealer
or a qualified service technician.
The American Automobile
Manufacturers Association (AAMA)
issued a gasoline specification to
provide information on high quality
fuels that optimize the
performance of your vehicle. We
recommend the use of gasolines
that meet the AAMA specification
if they are available.
It should not be necessary to add
any aftermarket products to your
fuel tank if you continue to use a
high-quality fuel.
Cleaner air
Ford approves the use of gasolines
to improve air quality, including
reformulated gasolines, that
contain oxygenates such as a
maximum of 10% ethanol or 15%
MTBE. There should be no more
than 5% methanol with cosolvents
and additives to protect the fuel
system.
Calculating fuel economy
To accurately calculate your
vehicle's fuel economy:
1. Fill the tank completely and
record the initial odometer
reading.
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192

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
ABOUT THE EMISSION
CONTROL SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with a
catalytic convertor which enables
your vehicle to comply with
applicable exhaust emission
requirements. For more
information on your vehicle's
emission control system, see the
Vehicle Emission Control
Information decal located on the
left side of the engine
compartment.
Follow these guidelines to ensure
proper emission system operation:
²Use only unleaded fuel.
²Avoid running out of fuel.
²Do not turn off the ignition
while the vehicle is in motion.
²Have regular maintenance
checks performed according to
the intervals in the ªService
Guide.º
When servicing your vehicle, never
use a metal exhaust collector. A
metal collector may melt or deform
plastic parts.
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194

Do not park, idle, or drive
your vehicle in dry grass
or other dry ground cover. The
emission system heats up the
engine compartment and exhaust
system, which can start a fire.
If you smell exhaust fumes
inside your vehicle, have
your dealer inspect your vehicle
immediately. Do not drive if you
smell exhaust fumes.
On vehicles without
original equipment floor
covering or insulation, do not let
passengers ride in your truck in
a manner that allows contact
between skin and the metal floor.
If you notice one or more of the
following, the emissions system
may not be working properly. Have
your vehicle serviced as soon as
possible.
²Fluid leaks
²The
orCHECK
ENGINElights
illuminate in the instrument
cluster and remain lit
²Strange odors
²Engine runs more than five
seconds after shut-off or engine
misfires, surges, stalls or
backfires
²Loss of oil pressure.
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195

Important emission control
information
By law, anyone who manufacturers,
repairs, services, sells, leases,
trades vehicles or supervises a
fleet of vehicles is not permitted to
intentionally remove an emission
control device or prevent it from
working.
Do not make any unauthorized
changes to the vehicle or engine.
Changes that cause more
unburned fuel to reach the exhaust
system can increase the
temperature of the engine or
exhaust system.
Preparing your vehicle for
inspection/maintenance testing
In some localities it may become a
legal requirement to pass an
Inspection/Maintenance test of the
on-board diagnostic (OBDII)
system. If the vehicle's powertrain
system or battery has just been
serviced, the OBD II system is
reset to a ªnot ready for I/M
testing condition.º To ready the
OBD II system for I/M testing, the
law specifies that additional mixed
city and highway driving is
necessary to complete the check of
the OBD II system.
The driving modes required to
reach the ready condition consist
of a minimum of 30 minutes of city
and highway driving as described
below:
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196

²20 minutes of driving in stop
and go city-type traffic with at
least four idle periods.
²10 minutes of driving on an
expressway or highway.
Before completing the above
driving modes, the engine must be
warmed up and at operating
temperature. Once started, the
vehicle must not be turned off
during the above driving modes.
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197

Replacing dome lamp bulb (if
equipped)
1. Carefully pull the dome lamp
lens from the lamp assembly.
2. Remove the dome lamp bulb
and replace it with a new bulb.
3. Carefully snap the dome lamp
lens into the dome lamp assembly.
Replacing dome/map lamp bulb
(if equipped)
1. Carefully pull the dome/map
lamp lens from the lamp assembly.
2. Remove the dome/map lamp
bulb and replace it with a new
bulb.
3. Carefully snap the dome lamp
lens into the dome/map lamp
assembly.
Replacing engine compartment
lamp bulb (if equipped)
1. Open the hood.
2. Carefully pull the engine
compartment lamp bulb from the
lamp assembly and replace with a
new bulb.
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Repairing paint chips
Minor scratches or paint damage
from road debris may be repaired
with touch-up paint, paint repair
foil or aerosol paint spray from the
Ford accessory line. Observe the
application instructions on the
products.
Remove particles such as bird
droppings, tree sap, insect
remains, tar spots, road salt and
industrial fallout immediately.
Cleaning the wheels
Wash the wheels with the same
detergent you use to clean the
body of your vehicle. Do not use
acid-based wheel cleaners, steel
wool, fuel or strong detergents.
Never use abrasives that will
damage the finish of special wheel
surfaces. Use a tar remover to
remove grease and tar.
Cleaning the engine
Engines are more efficient when
they are clean because grease and
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