Thestronk

I'm looking to buying several 100k mile plus 04 to 08 F150s as a 3rd vehicle. All 4x4, supercabs or regular cab.
Anything specific to the 4.6 or 5.4 I need to be looking for beyond basic maintenance issues? Either one preferred, some years better than others?
Mostly for light towing, hauling nothing crazy.
Thanks in advance.

Patrick Boehm

2004 F150 107500 miles currently. .
7/11/2011 71890 Purchased 17010
7/15/2011 71890 New rear tires 0
7/17/2011 71930 floor mats 20
7/26/2011 72090 key, code for door 69
7/26/2011 72090 lens for box light 95
8/15/2011 72350 new shocks rear 124
9/2/2011 73550 seems noisy in 0
9/14/2011 73744 new noise?! 37.5
9/17/2011 73842 noise from right front wheel 862
9/23/2011 73850 engine noise, cam phasers 1262
9/23/2011 73850 spark plugs replaced 535
11/14/2011 75200 tonneau cover 275
5/27/2012 79115 new engine belt 41
6/15/2012 79345 ball joint, rotors surface, 824
8/4/2012 80856 replace front rotors 80
8/6/2012 80941 replace rear rotors 120
4/17/2013 86252 noise from left front, see note 1596.12
6/30/2014 95940 installed VCT solenoids 194
4/11/2015 101360 windshield replaced 175


As you can see not all these repairs were unexpected necessarily, but depending on the maintenance your candidates received, there might be things to fix, Cam phaser, and front drive vacuum parts come to mind. Once I got through the bugs we are approaching 3 years trouble free. ( I put the VCT solenoids on even though they were likely a mis-diagnosis on my part).

Mod (Ret.)

At 100K, these trucks are just breaking in...

My current is a 2007 with the 2V 4.6 (no issues like the 5.4 has). It had 126K when I bought it. I haul a 6K camper with it . No issues. I did make sure it had a transmission cooler, and I installed an engine oil cooler as well.

techrep

iTrader: (1)

Advice... if you buy a 5.4 make sure it’s an 08 with the redesigned heads.

Martian

^^ if you can, definitely. But if you can't, it's not the end of the world.

KEVININCHICAGO

100K is no problem.

advice:

1 - only run 5-30 full synthetic (Ford oil is very good) and never 5-20, your cam followers, guides, phasers will agree.

2 - Champion 1 piece plugs

3 - check heater core and evaporator, probably leaking if you smell a baby poo smell.

4 - replace 1 way vacuum valves for 4x4 & replace IWE solenoid.

5 - replace fuel module by spare tire, probably corroded through.

6 - check ball joints up front

7 - check transmission wire harness from computer on firewall to transmission, it rubs on the body and if it rubs through the insulation causes crazy transmission operation.

8 - be prepared to overhaul the rear axle. I never had one make it over 100,000 miles. On 4th rebuild right now. Found redline oil gives the most axle life so far.

9 - check every exhaust manifold bolt if used in salty environment or sitting for long periods.

10 - just keep 4 coil packs in the truck at all times because you will need them. If a coil is bad, replace that plug also. Always torque plugs to 25ft lbs! or the cab will get a gas smell.

I have 300,000 on FX4 2006 runs perfect and no ticks or oil consumption

dom07

Holy crap, way to go!!

techrep

iTrader: (1)

Champion 1 piece plugs ?
never 5-20 ?
be prepared to overhaul the rear axle. I never had one make it over 100,000 miles ?
just keep 4 coil packs in the truck at all times because you will need them ?

KEVININCHICAGO

for what it is worth this generation of trucks are really strong. Known for weak a/c and 5.4 problems. At 300,000 miles and 10 years of plowing snow, I have been into or taken apart just about everything at one time or another. Fix the weak a/c with a super heavy duty fan clutch and put a rubber seal on the top of the radiator to cover the gap between the radiator and the condenser so that all air gets pulled through the condenser and not around it. A piece of wood door garage door rubber works perfect. All engine noises are cured with 5-30 and I mean ALL are fixed as long as the phasers have not been trashed. Champion 1 piece plugs once installed will eliminate broken plugs for life and work well. The transmissions and transfer cases are very stout units. I did lose reverse at 250k but that was from plowing heavy heavy snow and skipping a trans service. Front hubs get destroyed by weak vaccuum either a small leak or IWE failure. If you cant fix it, just pull off the vacuum lines to the hubs and let them stay locked in, no big deal really. What I thought was an oil leak once was an oil filled engine mount destroyed from heavy plowing and engine torque. 10 years and 300,000 miles and never been towed. For what it is worth I installed a Crown Vic Police alternator from a 2006 for 220amp power and it was plug and play. I bought a 2015 truck last year but this truck is way stronger than that one. I will never sell my 2006. These trucks once you understand them are pretty simple workhorses with a huge database for solving any problems encountered. Downside is with age, parts become harder to get, especially soft interior pieces or trim. At least there were many many made.

screamineagle

100k is nothing if its been well maintained. My 06 5.4 has more than double that with zero issues.
Like mentioned, run 5w30 and you shouldnt have issues with timing components failing.