Any Ford techs out there?? 5.4L questions...

7423 · 12-30-2010, 02:55 PM

Looking to buy an E150 or E250 raised top conversion. I have had 351W motors in vans and pick up trucks before, they seem to be very pigish and the 460 makes great power but won't pass a gas station. The 5.4L is interesting but I have read many horror stories about spark plug threads blowouts and cam phaser issues that become very noisey. Some claim they sound like a knock..............all this equals waaaaay scarey!!! Who has experience with these issues?? I am thinking a 350 in an Express or Savana van is a better choice.

CycloneFE · 12-30-2010, 03:19 PM

Charlie,

I bought a 97 F150 (new)with the 5.4. When I sold It it had 175,000 on it and it needed nothing. I just needed more towing capacity (10,000lb). I was amazed at the torque "feel" that it had and through the years found that, that came from the transmission. My F 350 has a 5 speed auto, similar feel. I personally think that it is the best engine that Ford has made in years and wish I could race it more economically. The spark plug deal was only a smaller number of problems at the factory but the biggest portion was from the back yard mechanic stripping the threads as they are VERY hard to change. I only did it once to mine and it was 4 1/2 hours. The same problem also occurred on the V 10s.

If you look at the used F 150s the prices stay up for the 5.4 but drop off signicantly for the 4.6 motors, and most of them have new engines.

Bob Don · 12-30-2010, 03:24 PM

I have been towing with a Lincoln Mark LT with a 5.4L (no jokes, Billy). It's got almost 80k miles on it. I have not heard of the spark plug problem but I have heard of exhaust manifolds coming away from the head. (I'm told the studs in the head are of inadequate diameter and they work themselves loose. I had this happen on the passenger side and it was successfully repaired (so far). Other than that, it pulls just fine. My race car/trailer weighs about 5500 lbs.

Philip Saran · 12-30-2010, 03:28 PM

Charlie,

Just buy a F250 with a diesel motor and be done with it......

Yes I own a F350 diesel and it gets 15-16 MPG towing a 18 ft open
car trailer with a car on it. It will probably drop down to 10-11 MPG
with my new to me (2001) cab over camper added to the load.

Dave Casey · 12-30-2010, 05:58 PM

I own an e250 service van with a 5.4, 1998, 70,000 miles no issues runs great, good motor in my opinion, and not real thirsty for what it is. My brother has a F250, I think it is a 2007, with a 5.4 and his is good also.

Also have a 1998 F150 with a 4.6 , 135000 miles still runs good.

My GMC with a 5.3 get about 2 or 3 better mpg that the fords, but all run good.

The Ford diesels scare me, to many problems unless its a 7.3 which I think is before 01 ?

donc · 12-30-2010, 06:19 PM

Dave Casey owning and driving a ford, is anything sacred?

Pat Cook · 12-31-2010, 03:52 PM

Get a diesel. I own a 01 Ford SD with a 7.3. Pulls my 32' fifth wheel and my 24' box trailer just fine gets between 10-12 mpg in front of either trailer. The only thing that would make any better is if it had the 5 speed auto tranny that is behind the 6 liter.

Does anybody know if there is such an adapter to put that trans behind the 7.3?

CycloneFE · 12-31-2010, 05:15 PM

Pat,

That is why I bought my F-350 with the 6.0 and the 5 speed auto. It is a 2005 and most of the "problems" with the 6.0 had been upgraded. I still have yet to tow, to capacity, but I like what it is so far. I found it on E-bay but it went off and I contacted the seller who had it for sale locally and we made a deal. I payed almost half the sticker(he had it and all documentation) price. The mileage is great "empty", he said it would get 18 and I did on the way home. It is a 4X4 and I added a topper, which is heavy and I get 14.5 to 16 town and highway now. I haven't been able to find out about the 5 speed behind the 7.3 but will keep trying.

john bertges · 01-01-2011, 04:20 AM

i work for ford all econolines and f150 with a 5.4 liter use a 4r70w/4r75e trans the same as a crown vic if towning with a open trailer you should have no problems but i would install a transgo shift kit

and as for torque shift 5 speed to a 7.3l will not work but the new 6 speed torque shift will it has a sae bell and its own trans control module the adaptor on the back of the 7.3 will need to be replaced with a 7.3l from a f650/750 they had a allison trans i am collecting parts will try for future project

J Chet · 01-01-2011, 01:58 PM

Avoid 04 to 07 three valve 4.6 & 5.4's for spark plug issues, 08 & newer are supposed to have the "issue" corrected.

12-30-2010, 02:55 PM	#1
7423 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 639 Likes: 0 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Any Ford techs out there?? 5.4L questions... Looking to buy an E150 or E250 raised top conversion. I have had 351W motors in vans and pick up trucks before, they seem to be very pigish and the 460 makes great power but won't pass a gas station. The 5.4L is interesting but I have read many horror stories about spark plug threads blowouts and cam phaser issues that become very noisey. Some claim they sound like a knock..............all this equals waaaaay scarey!!! Who has experience with these issues?? I am thinking a 350 in an Express or Savana van is a better choice.

12-30-2010, 03:19 PM	#2
CycloneFE Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Decatur Illinois Posts: 634 Likes: 0 Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Any Ford techs out there?? 5.4L questions... Charlie, I bought a 97 F150 (new)with the 5.4. When I sold It it had 175,000 on it and it needed nothing. I just needed more towing capacity (10,000lb). I was amazed at the torque "feel" that it had and through the years found that, that came from the transmission. My F 350 has a 5 speed auto, similar feel. I personally think that it is the best engine that Ford has made in years and wish I could race it more economically. The spark plug deal was only a smaller number of problems at the factory but the biggest portion was from the back yard mechanic stripping the threads as they are VERY hard to change. I only did it once to mine and it was 4 1/2 hours. The same problem also occurred on the V 10s. If you look at the used F 150s the prices stay up for the 5.4 but drop off signicantly for the 4.6 motors, and most of them have new engines. __________________ Steve Jackson

12-30-2010, 03:24 PM	#3
Bob Don VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Greater Boston Posts: 1,494 Likes: 1,108 Liked 893 Times in 190 Posts	Re: Any Ford techs out there?? 5.4L questions... I have been towing with a Lincoln Mark LT with a 5.4L (no jokes, Billy). It's got almost 80k miles on it. I have not heard of the spark plug problem but I have heard of exhaust manifolds coming away from the head. (I'm told the studs in the head are of inadequate diameter and they work themselves loose. I had this happen on the passenger side and it was successfully repaired (so far). Other than that, it pulls just fine. My race car/trailer weighs about 5500 lbs. __________________ Bob Don 128 SS Last edited by Bob Don; 12-30-2010 at 03:27 PM.

12-30-2010, 03:28 PM	#4
Philip Saran Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Parker, CO. Posts: 728 Likes: 163 Liked 14 Times in 11 Posts	Re: Any Ford techs out there?? 5.4L questions... Charlie, Just buy a F250 with a diesel motor and be done with it...... Yes I own a F350 diesel and it gets 15-16 MPG towing a 18 ft open car trailer with a car on it. It will probably drop down to 10-11 MPG with my new to me (2001) cab over camper added to the load. __________________ Phil Saran Parker, Colorado

12-30-2010, 05:58 PM	#5
Dave Casey VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Hampden, MA Posts: 1,198 Likes: 233 Liked 769 Times in 162 Posts	Re: Any Ford techs out there?? 5.4L questions... I own an e250 service van with a 5.4, 1998, 70,000 miles no issues runs great, good motor in my opinion, and not real thirsty for what it is. My brother has a F250, I think it is a 2007, with a 5.4 and his is good also. Also have a 1998 F150 with a 4.6 , 135000 miles still runs good. My GMC with a 5.3 get about 2 or 3 better mpg that the fords, but all run good. The Ford diesels scare me, to many problems unless its a 7.3 which I think is before 01 ? __________________ Dave Casey 1330 STK

12-30-2010, 06:19 PM	#6
donc Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 15 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Any Ford techs out there?? 5.4L questions... Dave Casey owning and driving a ford, is anything sacred?

12-31-2010, 03:52 PM	#7
Pat Cook Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 175 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Any Ford techs out there?? 5.4L questions... Get a diesel. I own a 01 Ford SD with a 7.3. Pulls my 32' fifth wheel and my 24' box trailer just fine gets between 10-12 mpg in front of either trailer. The only thing that would make any better is if it had the 5 speed auto tranny that is behind the 6 liter. Does anybody know if there is such an adapter to put that trans behind the 7.3? __________________ 67 Ford Fairlane F/SA 749

12-31-2010, 05:15 PM	#8
CycloneFE Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Decatur Illinois Posts: 634 Likes: 0 Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Any Ford techs out there?? 5.4L questions... Pat, That is why I bought my F-350 with the 6.0 and the 5 speed auto. It is a 2005 and most of the "problems" with the 6.0 had been upgraded. I still have yet to tow, to capacity, but I like what it is so far. I found it on E-bay but it went off and I contacted the seller who had it for sale locally and we made a deal. I payed almost half the sticker(he had it and all documentation) price. The mileage is great "empty", he said it would get 18 and I did on the way home. It is a 4X4 and I added a topper, which is heavy and I get 14.5 to 16 town and highway now. I haven't been able to find out about the 5 speed behind the 7.3 but will keep trying. __________________ Steve Jackson

01-01-2011, 04:20 AM	#9
john bertges Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: coram ,long island ,ny Posts: 20 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Any Ford techs out there?? 5.4L questions... i work for ford all econolines and f150 with a 5.4 liter use a 4r70w/4r75e trans the same as a crown vic if towning with a open trailer you should have no problems but i would install a transgo shift kit and as for torque shift 5 speed to a 7.3l will not work but the new 6 speed torque shift will it has a sae bell and its own trans control module the adaptor on the back of the 7.3 will need to be replaced with a 7.3l from a f650/750 they had a allison trans i am collecting parts will try for future project

01-01-2011, 01:58 PM	#10
J Chet Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: SE Iowa Posts: 13 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Any Ford techs out there?? 5.4L questions... Avoid 04 to 07 three valve 4.6 & 5.4's for spark plug issues, 08 & newer are supposed to have the "issue" corrected. __________________ Jerry Tschetter Stk 5094