ken2736

Hello everyone.

As the title says im debating on selling my truck. Its an 04 f150 fX4 supercab. The truck has 58k on it. Ive had the phaser knock since 26k. About six months ago I switched from conventional 5-20 to mc 5-20. Thats when the chain rattle at start-up started.

I have used bad oil filters in the past before I realized their poor quality. Since then I have switched to mc filters. Im getting my truck in to shop to replace all timing components with OEM parts.

Ive read alot of horror stories about the 5.4 3v issues. Once fixed should I sell the truck and find something else thats not a ticking time bomb. Just concerned about the longevity of the motor. I guess I will know more when the motor is opened up.

Thanks for the advice on advance!

lewissa81

Just my personal opinion: if you like the truck, keep it. If you've only put 58k in 10 years, that means you don't drive it all that much, and it will last a good while. Now that you know about the maintenance issues (decent oil filter and oil), fix it, and keep it. My 04 has 196k and didn't start having chain/phaser issues until 189k. I fixed her quickly and fully expect another 100k out of the motor. I wouldn't sell the truck ONLY because of this issue.
On the other hand, if you're just ready for a new truck, then sell it. It shouldn't be hard at all to sell it with 58k, especially once the timing is fixed.

Rick's 06

It's a hard question to answer, since it's subjective. Logically, if they replace all those things with quality OEM parts, you should be good to go for a long time if you choose to. However if you're just Jones'n for another truck, then look into selling yours and getting something different. Of course you're gambling a little since now you're selling your truck that's just been fixed and purchasing a new Used truck with some unknown history. Get your truck back from the shop and drive it around for a while. You may fall in love with it again if she's purring like a kitten. Good luck.

stringer

Honestly, I wouldn't sell if I were in your shoes. You essentially have a truck that is barely broke in with your miles. I understand that it has it's issues but it could be worse. I am assuming you are the original owner? If so, that would mean the truck is paid off. That alone would deter me from getting rid of it. Now if you were to say that you don't like what you drive anymore, then I would do what is best. Just my thoughts.

ken2736

Thanks for the replies. I do enjoy having the truck. Yes its been paid of for years so thats a plus. Im not wanting a new truck at all, I just want an engine thats reliable. Its frustrating to have these kind of engine problems with low miles. Although I knew they were coming since I have read these forums for a long time.

I am not the original owner. I bought the truck with only 3500 miles on it. Seems like the lifespan of these motors are a hit and miss.

stringer

Once you take care of the timing chain, the next big issue would be the plugs/COPs. If you do decide to keep the truck, I would look into having the phasers fixed:

https://www.f150forum.com/f4/final-r...-sound-141266/

Once all of this is taken care of, you should be set for a long time.

O, and a side note. While we are talking about known problems.... drop your spare tire and check out your Fuel Pump Driver Module:

https://www.f150forum.com/f4/fuel-pu...-yours-152908/

F150_Life

^ I agree, I think you're barley breakin it in.

Nautique

The time to trade it in was before you spent any money on repairs. Now you will need to recoup your expenditures since essentially the truck won't be worth any more after you fix it.

corey_lax

Hold on to your truck unless you are looking to get into a different kind of vehicle (SUV, Car, even a minivan haha). I drive in a lot of new F-150's and they aren't that much superior to mine. A fancy interior and one MPG isn't enough to get me to switch. Hell, I drove our work 2014 Ram 2500 the other day and felt the thing was gutless unless I stomped on it up to 4,000 RPMs.

I think you should hold on to the truck. I also think you probably did the timing replacement a little early. I think people read up on these issues and think its the end of the world, but really the truck is doing just fine. My trucks had a slight tick since I got it at 60K. It hasn't gotten much worse at 188K so why should I replace it? My pops old 04 started ticking at about 150K and he sold it at around 250K without doing anything mechanical. Granted it did sound terrible at that point haha. But he wasn't one for doing oil changed regularly....

lewissa81

I have to disagree with Corey_lax on one thing. It's not a good idea to let the timing problems go. For a lot of people, the phasers are making noise because of reduced oil pressure. No matter how many people have gotten lucky and their motor has survived under these conditions, running the motor with lower oil pressure will mess something up if it's not taking care of.
Since the motors don't have cam bearings, if your cam isn't getting proper oil, damage can occur that is not easily repaired.
The phasers will still function for a while even when they are making the diesel noise, but eventually they will completely fail also.
The chain tensioners operate by way of oil pressure. A failure in tensioner seals is the most common reason for the phasers to fail because of the reduced oil pressure. When they fail, the chain slackens, which will cause the chain to slap against the guides and timing cover. This causes bits of plastic and metal throughout the motor which can exacerbate the oil pressure issue by blocking ports and the pick up.
Sorry for the novel, I just don't think it's wise to let it go.