Figured I'd go all out from my first post... 04 5.4 died on way home, just lost power all the sudden. Towed home. Now when trying to crank it over it backfires and smoke can be seen coming from intake. Where the **** do I start?.... Or is a new engine in my near future? Any and all help is welcome and thank you in advance.

 

Any trouble codes stored in the pcm from the failure?
could be lots of things but with it being a 5.4 triton it's probably the typical old phaser/timing chain guide/ tensioner problems.
Engine could be wrecked it could be saved just depends how bad.
I think I'd start with scanning obd2 for codes, then check fuel and spark, and do a compression test maybe.

 

Thanks for the fast reply. I haven't checked codes yet need a reader due to the display comes and goes as it pleases. Im getting fuel/spark, have yet to test the compression tho. What is the difficulty level if it is the timing tensioner in your opinion?