Hi All,

I have a 2005 F150 (5.4 L engine) with ~110k miles that I use mainly for getting firewood and hauling a slide in pop up camper locally. The furthest I have taken it in the three years I have had it is only in about two hours away. I am considering whether to take it on a road trip next month from Colorado to Seattle. I haven't had any issues with it, except two years ago I borrowed a trailer and got decking materials from a town an hour away, and on the way back, the engine stalled a couple of times when idling. Twice I pulled over to check the load and the engine stalled when I came to a stop. Then one time it died at a stop light once I was back in town. My memory is it started up fine after stalling. Once home, I did realize that the oil was ~ 0.5-1 one quart low. I changed the oil and have kept a better eye on it and it has never stalled when idling since.

I'm pretty ignorant about mechanics, but the experience with the stalling a couple of years ago made me hesitant to take it on a long road trip,

A few questions
1) Any thoughts on that issue with it stalling when idling on that one trip?

2) Is it worth having a shop look over it? Is there specific things you'd ask them to check?

3) If I took it on the road trip, is there any reason I shouldn't bring the pop up camper? The camper is ~1200 pounds, the GVWR is 7200 and the curb weight is ~5800. So it is right about at the weight capacity with the camper and my family in it.

Any advice is welcome, thanks!

 

If you're running 5w20 or 0w20 oil, up it to 5w30 or 0w30. The stalling happens when the oil thins out (like towing that trailer) and the locking pins on the phasers don't lock back into their holes due to low oil pressure at idle. I had exactly that happen on my 2009 5.4 after towing a trailer running 0w20 oil. It was hot and it bucked and stalled out. Ran that truck on 0w40 from then on and never had a problem again...hauling much larger trailers. If it were up to me, I would throw a solid 30 weight oil in there and take the camper along on the trip.

 

Would be good for the old girl to get out for a work out.. If it was me and not mechanically inclined I would take it to a shop and have spark plugs done if you have not had them done, Also have them pull and check the breaks and all fluids.. Other than that assuming you have good tires i would not hesitate to take it anywhere with the camper.

 

i wouldn’t be testing out an old truck by going on a long trip. especially not if not mechanically inclined, even more
so if a family (and our trip) was depending on it. adding towing into the mix is even worse. may not be too much weight or be cause of a breakdown; but it will complicate things and limit your options if you do break down.

lastly, i wouldn’t have work done on a 5,4 3v (example plugs), and then immediately head on a trip.

could it all go fine? yes. but if it doesn’t, you’ll be in a tough spot and likely be backed into corner and choose between throwing good money at it that you likely wouldn’t otherwise (or be stuck and have to choose another expensive solution).

hope whatever you choose goes well

 

I’ve recently bought an f150 and I’ve been driving four hours to northern Michigan from Detroit.
I’ve had some issues with the truck running weird at idle. It’s not all the time. It’s like the truck is shaking but not anything that makes the truck shut off. It has new plugs and coils, New belt and pulleys, I deleted the 4wd actuators, new muffler /rear exhaust. It’s very odd because when I accelerate I don’t seem to have poor acceleration. I don’t get fluctuations in rpms or misfire codes that present as engine code.

I’ve been wondering about the PVC tube / valve and the egr or possibly even the exhaust having a leak closer to the engine. I had someone test the o2 sensors on a premium scanner to check air flow across cats and seems correct.

wondering what is should look into. And if anyone has had a similar issue. I’m new to this forum and this is my first post. So if it’s not in the right spot maybe move it or let me know where I should post.

 

Take it.
If it breaks, get it fixed.
I suspect it’ll be fine.
What’s the point in having it otherwise?