majick872

i have a 03 f150 5.4l and it started leaking oil but cant seem to pin point it.The leak is somewhere on the back of the motor up high it seems,it runs down the passenger side back corner over the starter and everywhere else.my guess is the oil sending unit which i have no idea where it is or the valley pan gasket is blown.it is a fair bit of oil in a short time now my question is how much work is it to take the intake off that motor and what kind of speacial tools are required?any insight would be greatly appreciated

majick872

is it possible that it is a head gasket?

Good old Bill

Not the expert you need, prior engines had the valve covers dripping off of the starter.

majick872

that was the first thing i thought but almost positive its not the valve cover gasket...when i run my haand all along the back nothing shows on my fingers.not sure but i dont think these engines have a valley pan gasket either its just open underneath the intake manifold like an air gap intake.

BRyan

i think i have the same problem as yours. it leaks about 2 quarts every 3000 miles. i just brought it into the dealer and they said it was my passenger side head gasket. i guess its a known problem in the 97-03 5.4l engines. they quoted me a 1400 dollar bill to replace it.

majick872

I think you are right,i went to the dealer the other day myself and they told me the same thing arrrrggg.now to decide if i want to just keep addin oil or spend the money and fix it. ford junk

knobbie33

it is the head gasket...if your starter area is wet with oil. expect to pay 15-1800.00 to replace, it is a defective gasket design. (according to my Ford dealer)

autocar

WOW...I am in the wrong business. If my pickup were to have to have a head gasket to fix an oil leak, I am taking it down and rebuilding the motor.

So how many of these defective gaskets were there over how many years I wonder?