Beeman1221

About a week ago I bought a 2007 lariat. I bought it for $2650. A great price right? That's because it's said to need a "new engine" due to the "engine knock" that doesn't exist lol. I started it up after putting in a battery and fuel connector. And it ran like crap. Motor was shaking, like it was only firing on 6 or 7 cylinders. I tried pulling the plugs and the ends if them stayed in the heads (flex fuel plugs). Most will understand the struggle. The plugs looked like they have been in there for 150,000 miles. Old and bad. There was no knock, just ran rough. Check engine light told me both cam sensors were bad, and someone else told me not to waste money on them but to redo the timing on it. Did I get a good deal? Or am I in a **** pit. Let me know your thoughts and opinions. Here are some pics of the truck, and what I've taken off the engine so far, 5.4 ltr.

rangertamer

Awesome deal in my book! I bought a 04 that has a "engine knock" it's just a exhaust leak. But I got a great deal because the guy didn't know what he had and just dumped a bunch of money into a brand new transmission and didn't have time to look into what the noise really was.

Beeman1221

Man oh man. Aren't we all just so lucky lol.

dnlow

If you know how to fix it then you did very good. I am not a master mechanic but I would consider myself an intermediate level mechanic so I generally look for cars with problems so I can get them cheap.

Beeman1221

I'm working in it now. Pulling the heads today to see what's going in in the top end, praying I find something wrong!

Legendsk

I hope I'm not hijacking, but the thread has an aspect of bargains because someone misdiagnosed a problem.
I bought a Fort Taunus very cheap because it had a vacuum operated clutch. No clutch pedal at all. As the oil pressure came up, a vacuum cylinder slowly engaged the clutch. The column shift had microswitches in the mechanism so when the shift was pushed slightly in any direction, the clutch would immediately disengage and as soon as the pressure on the shift lever was gone, immediately engage again.

To drive it, you just moved the shift lever to first and stepped on the gas. When time to shift, just move the shift lever from first to second and let go of it. Was great - but not working. Nobody understood it and everyone was afraid of it. I bought it and when I got home started looking for the problem.

The hose to the vacuum cylinder was a long coil spring, wrapped with friction tape. It had come out of one of its hangers and dropped down on the exhaust manifold and burned off a foot or so of tape. Wrapped 1/2 roll of friction tape around the hose and drove it for 150,000 miles. Then gave it to my little sister to drive.

These kinds of deals are like finding buried treasure. All it takes is luck or better diagnosis than the other guy.

Congratulations on your 2007 5.4 The most serious problem with them is the little hassle with the plugs and you have that figured out. Should have years of happy motoring or can sell it and triple your money.

dnlow

I bought a 2004 Mazda 3 several months ago because it had some issues. Not a great deal like the OP but still a very good price. I needed a small commuter car so what it will save in gas over the F150 in about 18 months will come out to what I paid for the car. I will be able to drive it for a few years and sell it for more than what I paid plus repairs.

Cars are such a great expense I am glad that I have some knowledge to be able to fix them. Plus, now that I am older I am so past needing to have a fancy car. I just need something that is reliable.

Beeman1221

This past year I have bought 3 vehichles, the f150 ($2650), a 2005 Mazda 6($2300), and a 2006 Mazda 3($2400). Bought all if them from the dealership downstate from me. The Mazda 6 was said to have a bad engine, wouldn't start, ended up being out of time, a $5 dollar fix for the average mechanic, the dealship mechanic CAME FROM MAZDA before going to this dealship and didn't know it was out of time and couldn't fix it, only had 64,000 miles. The Mazda 3 didn't turn over or anything, said to have a bad engine, turns out the mechanic was mad at me for buying the Mazda 6 and fixing it when he couldn't, and he unplugged ground wires for the starter and the cars computer. And it was also out of time. Plugged the wires in, and did my $5 fix. Ended up having 2 bent valves in the head. A day of work. Got another great running car! Now I'm working on this truck that "needs an engine". Some people really are crazy. I honestly don't know how I've been getting this lucky.