HarryK

Hello everyone,


Work in progress on the 2004 Supercab XLT w/183K. Babying it with oil change, transmission fluid change, Transfer case change, Front and rear differential change. Bought it at right price as it is very clean inside.


A/C works well enough. Body solid up top, some rust below but solid. (New England Car ..northern )


What's the harm in not changing out the plugs and not doing the timing chain, phasers, VCTs?...Good for another 20,000 miles or so when I put only 3 to 4000 a year on it? Don't want to upset the balance and have something destructive happen when opening it up or changing out the plugs..


Thanks!

SCORGE

Are they a problem right now?
I would also like to assume that those are not the original plugs?

HarryK

Well, good question, sounds like a diesel, and some roughness on acceleration (not much). Idles nicely....Plug areas look old. As do coils. Just got it a couple of weeks ago and fixed some electrical issues. Put first bottle of Techron plus in. Doesn't have huge power...

SCORGE

If those are the original plugs....you need to get them out...ASAP.
Roughness could be attributed to old plugs/cops. I would put that as #1 and go from there.

SCORGE

Also, Fuel filter, MAF, and throttle body cleaning may help.

redfishtd

If you have pieces of guides in there then you will know . It will start to starve for oil if the pickup screen gets full . Oil pan gasket resusable but have to put rtv on metal joints in 4 places .
These engines are sensitive to oil flow ,lash adjusters ,vct's etc . That's why I put a better oil pump on her . The passenger side guide seems to go first then it jumps time and starts eating hole in timing alum cover .
Don't flush engine unless you are going to do timing job real quick ,it will break everything loose,ask me how I know that .
I'm not sorry I flushed it but shocked at how quickly it got worse but I knew the guides were gone anyway . It just wasn't drive-able after the flush .

HarryK

Don't know if original but agree it should be first job. Fuel filter came in, waiting to be installed as I had trouble with line. Pan drop is big job for me but will keep it on list after I fix other issues (like window not working...received many tips and need to jump at least one broken wire and clean some driver switches.)


Great advice thanks! BTW, the engine sounds like the Phasers/VCts not operating properly at idle, (most noise from passenger wheel well). quiets down as RPM increases (one of the reasons I bought it). Thought it was bottom end knocking at first (doesn't always happen) (Ford 5W20 standing by also.)


Methodical progress

techrep

iTrader: (1)

Passenger side wheel well noise could be from an exhaust manifold leak..very common issue on our year trucks.

vintageman

^ agreed

HarryK

Yes, it may have the passenger exhaust manifold leak but if it does, it's not bad yet. Also, the idle in the driveway is smooth but not the idle in traffic in the heat in drive.

Since I've completed my window problem (nice to have them all work like new again)....Now it's the muffler/tailpipe...good price on these ($96 +$29) and $15 for two small pipes in the front.

Once the truck quiets down, I'll assess the plug/coil pack job...like I said, it's not real rough on acceleration, but it's not smooth.

Thanks