I don't know if this will help anyone, but I think it does when talking about other mechanics working on the 5.4 3V engines. Look at what these repairs will cost, the mileage on the engine, how much longer you actually plan to own the truck, or van, whatever.

My choice was, when I had these problems in 2014, was to get as much out of the original, without throwing parts at a 10 year old 100K engine, knowing full well what an engine replacement costs. The truck was in good shape, and still is, so I envisioned another decade at least. I don't have tools to dive deep into the front end of one of these engines. Come to find out I would have had to remove the AC can on the firewall just to get that valve cover off. Discharging an AC? People don't have those sorts of things just lying around.

A full timing job would have been in excess of 3K. And that was still with those nightmare 2004 model year junk plugs welded to the heads.

I drove that thing in with a partially blown engine at 15 miles an hour and said, put in a reman. 3 year 100K warranty. Fred Jones reman (supposedly lol) had the "upgrades"

Hopefully this helps anyone trying to decide what to do with these nightmares..

 

Actually.. you DON'T have to discharge or remove any AC parts to get that passenger cover off. Yea, it's a bitch, but it can be done. Some people have removed some of the cab bolts and jacked it up a bit. Even an inch would help. I may do this to put mine back on. I do have the AC tools, but I don't like messing with those components unless I absolutely have to.

Out of all the timing work being done, I think the valve covers were the worst... For me anyway. The oil pan and power steering pump was easier than that left cover.. ugh!

I'm also going to be doing a new engine. I've been looking at the Fraser engines. They have a 5-year no-fault warranty on the fully upgraded 5.4. I want to do an engine/trans package. Like yours - the rest of my truck is in excellent shape and worthy of repairing. Even if I went mass-overkill and spent $10k on a new power plant, it's still way cheaper than buying a new truck - or even decent used.

After all is done - I'll KNOW exactly what's in my truck. No used headache from someone else!

 

I'd have a hard time passing on letting my 2004 go for 8k LOL. And it's in great shape, white with shadow grey two tone, everything works, I just put a new set of tires in April and its got astrostart brand remote start and a block heater I put in for a Williston ND winter I spent working a couple years ago.

I know what you mean though, warranties are worth it to me too.

I also have a rebuilt rear end. thing failed at 35K not towing anything, got caught under original warranty in 2007
Transmission failed at 77K (after a 30&60K service at that). Did first pan drop myself after 60K on reman transmission in 2019.
Engine failed at 107K.
Truck currently sits at 150K

 

My truck runs sluggish in acceleration, especially when it's hot outside. Could this possibly fix that?
I've been told by 2 mechanics that it's sluggish because of the phasers and I need a new engine.
But I'm hesitant on getting new engine since it rinds great in morning and sometimes at night.

 

stick around...you have a LOT to read...many of us are here because we were also told the engine needs replacement when it may or may not need that...

Check out the FPDM (Fuel Pressure Driver Module?)
watch any Fordtechmakuloco videos on https://www.youtube.com/user/FordTechMakuloco
read about all the things you can do to your truck here on this Forum

I have my 2007 F150 Lariat Super Crew because the original owner was told by his Ford service department it needed phasers and more and ended with "it needs a new engine now"...at 119K miles and 11 years old

I followed along with much of what I could find on the Forum...replaced the easy stuff I could and never got into the engine besides changing to 5W30 full synthetic and the Motorcraft FL820S oil filter and a 3K mile change interval (I find the full synthetic on sale/rebate, the filters at WM or Farm and Fleet and the oil difference from 5W20 because it adds a bit of higher oil pressure to compensate for the failing internals)...

anyway...other than the takatakatak sound from the engine, mine runs pretty good following many suggestions on this Forum and although not my daily driver I have put almost 8K miles on it in the 19 plus months I've owned it...

I do not believe it will run this way for ever if I don't delve into the engine but the original owner sure misses "his F150" and this Forum is full of people who were told they needed a new engine only to fix theirs for much less than a new engine...will it work for you???...I dunno but there is much you could try before paying that huge bill for a new engine...

good luck with yours and welcome...their is a LOT of knowledge on this Forum

Bill

 

The reason for a crank no start when you have fuel and spark is probably because the timing is off!

There is a Ford Tech Professional on You Tube that has a video series that shows this job step by step. Very informative and accurate. He also recommends replacing the oil pump with a High volume/High Pressure pump while you are in there. One thing he didn't mention was that when you take the front cover off, make sure that the oil pan gasket is not stuck to the cover or it will rip the front portion of the oil pan gasket off. Then, you will have to replace that too. I had to but it wasn't that big of a job to do and in fact, He had a video on that too! I had debri in my oil pick up tube screen. Glad I replaced that gasket and got that all cleaned out!
Do yourselves a favor and watch these videos. You will be glad you did.
1 of 4 2 of 4 3 of 4 4 of 4

 

FordteckMakuloco is the man! I watched his videos several times and took detailed notes before I cracked a bolt loose. I also had my laptop outside when I timed the engine and followed him step by step. It's not difficult at all once you get the cams in their neutral position (all of my rockers were removed). Yes, it's a bit more work that way, but there's no chance of a bent valve and it times perfectly the FIRST time. I just finished my 5.4 a few days ago and it purrs like a kitten! His videos are PRICELESS. Watch them and you won't go wrong!

I did have a few 'problem children' rockers going back in, but it was usually because I didn't have the spring compressor or the cam lobe in the right position. It's easy to get the compressor 'off' a little and hung up on the head so it won't compress the spring enough. Usually it was at the spot where the spark plug is. That part of the heads webbing dips 'inward' and is a tighter fit for the compressor. Also as the videos explain - make sure and 'press' the valve spring down with your finger as you are compressing the valve so the keepers don't pop off. I only had one valve try and do this because I got cocky and didn't press the spring down... (doing it 24 times got rough on my SASQUATCH hands) !!

TIP: If you can... Download his videos to your hard drive so you don't have to worry about internet issues, buffering, etc. Nothing is worse than a buffer in the middle of a tut... turo... tut tut.. turor... TUTORIAL! (there are several YouTube downloader add-ons out there). I use Firefox and the "YouTube Video and Audio Downloader" Add-On.


You got this! If this old crippled butt can do it... you can too!

 

I know that this thread is a few years old, but someone looking for this info will find it!

Just as a note to possibly help someone and save some time. You do not have to take the A/C system down by removing the A/C condenser on the left. You can get the passenger side valve cover off without removing it. Also, you do not have to remove the radiator and you do not have to remove the top radiator hose so you will save time and money there because you won't have to replace the antifreeze. Sure the hose might be in the way a little but after you get going, you won't notice it there that much. Also, the power steering reservoir on the right. There is an 18mm bolt holding it on. You have to loosen the bolt quite a bit but the bracket is slotted and will come off without removing the bolt but the reason you have to unthread it a lot is because there is a nub that goes into a hole on the head so you have to create clearance for that.

 

Just finished the job on my 05 f150. Took around 30 hours total but I did spark plugs, roller followers/ lifters, oil pump and timing kit. Hopefully I'll never have to go back in there before it rusts out. I'm right around $1500 in parts and tools to get the job done which included the lisle tool to extract the 5 broken spark plugs which worked like a champ by the way. Thanks to everyone who has posted in here over the years and the fordtechmakuloco page for the step by steps out there. I went with the Cloyes kit and it purrs like a kitten. For now at least.

 

Congrats on the successful repair! I just finished my 2004 a few hundred miles ago. Runs great. It almost acts like it's getting stronger.. could be that I'm not having to baby it anymore and not afraid to step on the gas. In fact - it runs so quiet now that I accidentally hit the starter the other day but the truck was already running! LOL! My neighbor also commented that my truck was the "quietest diesel" he's ever heard in a Ford! I was a little puzzled at first, but then realized what he said.. ROFL! I told him it wasn't a diesel, but it may as well have been with as much noise it had.
So that tells you the noise must have been pretty bad for my 80-year old neighbor to hear.. LOL.