cranda

Well I am officially blown! After an oops by me during initial install this thing is running again. I ended up installing a new passenger side head, got a valve job on the driver side with a new cam and all new timing gear (chains, tensioners, etc). Not sure what happened with the new injectors and ht0 plugs but after consulting with roush I went back to the original motocraft plugs, original roush injectors, a JDM custom tune and fired up and the truck is running like a dream.

I no longer have the infamous 5.4 cam phaser annoying tick because of new timing gear and the supercharger is running just like it should. 3/4 throttle on this thing is like full throttle with out it, if not even more. I'm definitely impressed with the amount of power it now has. I can't imagine how this thing would run if I didn't have such large wheels and tires. Idle is perfect and so is vacuum. What a relief to finally have this thing 100%.

I'm almost afraid to really romp on this thing in fear of breaking something just because I know what my last mechanic bill was but quite honestly if anything goes next it will prob be a rear end of tranny. The top side engine is practically completely rebuilt so it should be solid for quite some time.

I added some new recon smoked tail lights and they really improved the look. I've got a three Amber light bar for the grill, just like the newer roush trucks but haven't installed it yet.

My next move will probably be lt headers and hi flow cats but will probably leave the engine alone since it is doing fine.

Thanks everyone for the advice and comments along the way. I'm super jacked about it finally being done (at least running).

I'll prob post a new thread soon with updated pics of the entire truck with all the mods I've done to share what I've done through the years on this thing.

Summers22

iTrader: (2)

That is so good to hear! I bet those headers and hi-flow cats would add another 30-40 rwhp. Sounds like you have a beast on your hands!

Especial86

iTrader: (1)

Nice!
Glad to see this saga finally conclude!

You will love the new power on tap. Overtime, you will wonder how you ever went without it.

So you ended up going back to Roush injectors and sp515 plugs? I'm wondering if JDM even tuned you for the 47# injectors in the first place now?
Either way, with the stock Roush pulley you should be fine. If you start upping the boost however, you will need the bigger injectors to keep the AFR's safe. Properly sized injectors are what support the power levels you hope to achieve.
The cooler HT0 plugs are copper. They are known to be more reliable/durable when boosted than factory sp515 plugs. The cooler the plug, the better the abuse from heat it can take.. No biggie tho if you keep the Roush setup closer to stock.
If you ever notice boost just cutting out, or the engine just stops making power at peak rpms, this is called spark blowout. Sometimes it can feel like severe belt slip. Tighter gaps on plugs will typically cure this problem. I had spark blowout with my plugs after the gaps widened up over time. It's basically when the spark from the plug gets blown out, just like a candle in the wind..
Have some fun with the truck, and take her to the limit a bit. Just be careful with the dead stop launches with your tires. Wait for rainy days to really put the hammer down like that. You should be able to shift through all the gears quickly while spinning the tires as the truck basically just stands still..
Drifting out through corners is also pretty fun with extra power too!
Just get good with it and watch out for big puddles at higher cruising speeds.. Once you take a load off the back wheels while hydro planing, the truck might go right into boost unexpectedly, and she can get away from you.. Happened to me once already, and I almost sideswiped a car from the fish tailing just trying to get my truck straight again.

cranda

Yes, I went back to the original roush injectors and sp515 plugs. I think what happened was the original tune from JDM was configured for the roush injectors even though I told them I had larger injectors. Then, that tune made the engine run like crap and possibly fouled the HT0 Plugs. They resend me a new tune for new injectors but by then the plugs were fouled possibly causing it to still run like crap. So I just made the decision to try new plugs and go back to original injectors. Honestly, JDM told me that there was no need for the bigger injectors and this was treading new water for them on this specific kit. I was so happy to finally have a good running engine with standard plugs and standard roush injectors. JDM did tell me they did not recommend me going to standard plugs, while Roush told me those plugs are fine. I figured Roush built the kit so what they say should be fine. The only problem I have is cruising around 80 mph and in overdrive, around 1900 RPM I get a slight rattling sound coming from the front drivers side. Almost sounds like a rattling chain or something. Not sure. The mechanic replaced the VCT solenoid on the passenger side but did not on the driver side. If you kick it out of overdrive it revs up and goes away. I'm hoping that its just a solenoid on the drivers side since he did not replace that one. He offered to listen to the sound to diagnose further but otherwise the thing runs great. I think a new solenoid from Ford with seal is around $90 and simple to replace. I'm going to try that and see what happens.

thebreba

Man i have an 09 F-150 with the 5.4... Was kind of depressing being in the 09-14 truck part of the forum just because the majority of them are rocking the newer engines like the 5.0 and ecoboost... But man the **** you've done to your truck has really motivated me haha.. I recently just did an K&N CAI in my truck. and FlowMaster Super 44s. Along with ordering my OEM 2014 Raptor Rims. I put 33s on it as of now because I don't have my level done yet. However once I've done that I'll be putting 35's on there.

However I do have the infamous Cam Phaser tick... Kind of annoying. I'm at 149k miles now. How much did it cost you to get yours fixed?

Also if you don't mind me asking, How much would you say you have invested in your truck?

cranda

I think at one point I had a quote from the Ford dealership to do the entire "cam phaser tick" job around $2300 or so. It takes a lot of time to tear into the front end, that's why it's so expensive. Definitely worth it tho IMO.


Good question, on how much I have invested. I would say $2K on tires, $2K on wheels, $2K on body lift, maybe $2500 or more on 6" Suspension Lift. Just on the lift kits, wheels and tires that's $8,500. Sound system with DVD and subs another $1,500, so theres $10K. Step bars, push bar and all the lighting another $1,500 which puts me around $12,000. Wow, I've never really figured it up like this. Oh, not to mention the hood was prob $800 plus painting plus the saleen grill.


Add $2K for the supercharger and the $5K OOPS mechanic bill including the timing gear change, I'm getting up there. The good news is I've done this bits at a time. I think I've owned the truck for 6-7 years. Started with a suspension lift, rims and 35" tires. Then later decided to go bigger and went with a body lift and bigger tires. Added some stuff along the way but It can really add up.


I always tell my wife, doing the mods just insures I will keep the truck longer in the end. I have no intentions on getting rid of this truck unless something stupid happens (it gets totaled or something).


This forum has been really good for me. Great people with good advice and it's allowed me to look at modifications done by others so I could pick and choose the ones I wanted.


BTW...back to the supercharger, I replaced the solenoid and still have the marble in glass jar sound and I'm pretty sure its detonation. JDM is going to modify the timing in my tune and send a new one next week. That should resolve it.


I've wanted to pull the trigger on a supercharger for the longest time, just couldn't ever really justify the $ at the time. The mods never really end, but there isn't a whole lot more that I'm thinking of doing to the truck. It will prob stay like this for a little while.

cranda

Getting a rattling sound coming from the engine compartment seems to be drivers side. Kind of hard to explain but when the engine shifts to overdrive at cruising speed around 1900 RPMs when you accelerate slowly you can hear a rattling sound. I'm not sure if it's detonation or what. If you do it long enough at that on the engine actually missed and hesitates. I seem to have a little power loss at high speed. My mechanic told me to let him listen to it because he knows what detonation sounds like I just haven't made it over yet. JDM insists I have bad fuel but it's 91 I've been running for years. Seen another post about IWEs causing something like this. Any suggestions? Oh, if I kick it out of overdrive it seems to go away.

Especial86

iTrader: (1)

Kicking out of overdrive just raises the rpm's.

It could be detonation which I would also argue in favor of bad gas.. Does it sound like a marble in a can but kinda muffled, but not to pingy..? Kinda like the sound of 2 billiard ***** hitting each other..
If it's only happening under certain conditions than I would suspect some knock or detonation. Try running some 93 octane before you go too crazy tearing into her again. 93 is more stable then 91, if switching to 93 cures it then it was detonation..

I'd still say you should run the cooler HT0 plugs, it could be the excess heat on those sp515's that's causing some pre ignition of the AFR mix..
Basically, it's possible the SP515 plugs are getting just hot enough to light the fuel without the spark.. The cooler HT0 plugs will wick excess heat away through the head much better than the sp515..

cranda

The mechanic said definitely pre ignition but very minor and mild. He agreed on the fuel and recommended I go with whatever plugs JDM recommends.

I ran the tank to almost empty and filled 91 at a different location, not a mom and pop and it did much better. I'm going to run a couple tanks through and if I still notice the problem I'll probably, do yet again, another plug swap. I'm getting pretty good at it by now. I think the last one was around 45 minutes. Lol

cranda

I'd like to try 93 but I don't think I 93 is available anywhere around here.