Yes, I have searched, yes I think I know what to do, but just want to verify.
I normally hang out in the 10th gen, but don't know a lot about the 11th gen.

Just a little background, this is on my brother in law's 2004 with a 5.4 and 155,000 miles. It is around 10 miles away from me. He is physically not able to work on it now so I am trying to get some maintenance issues taken care of on it.
His battery was dead and wouldn't hold a charge, so I replaced it. It started just fine, but seemed to be running a little rough, but has not be started in over a month. I go drive it around, and it is lacking power, running even rougher, feels like it is backfiring/missing and won't rev above 3000 rpms (driving or in park). Get it back to his house and he tells me "oh yea, it has been running bad before the battery died". He said he had brought it to the parts store and thinks it had a P0174 and p0171 code.
In the little drive I did, it had a p0174 code pending, but the CEL had not tripped yet (but only a 2 mile drive if that). I have just a basic code reader so I can't read live data (I do have a SCT x3 for my truck, can I use that to just do live data??).

So my plan is to clean the MAF sensor since I have read the 3v is even more sensitive to MAF issues than the 2v. I did not have anything to clean it with at his house so could not do it today. I know the 2v has several areas that are prone to vacuum leaks (behind the intake and behind the battery tray). Are there any areas in particular areas to check for leaks/disconnects on the 3v? I do know the air filter is clean, but did not really have time today to get into troubleshooting. I wanted to drive it to my house but was worried about driving it that far in traffic.


edit: more info added 8/27, see my 2nd post

 

I got those on mine. It was a few bad injectors and a beoken coil pack

 

Update of what I have done so far.

As I said before, since the battery replacement, I had a pending P0174 code after driving it for about 5 minutes. I cleared that and have been driving it around trying to get codes to come up to know what to look at. It will start fine (takes a little longer than what I think it should) and idles OK most of the time. When driving, you can accelerate with light throttle, any more than that and it will bog down, start misfiring and surging. It will get up to around 45 mph with light throttle then starts to bog down. I can't get above 50. Sometimes even from a stand still and light throttle it will not accelerate at all and bogs down. It seems to be worse with the A/C on, but does it with it off too.

I know the plugs have never been changed, oil is done by a quickie lube place (not sure what OCI , oil type or viscosity).
I did clean the MAF today (did not look bad, but had some MAF cleaner from when I cleaned the one on my truck). I have done a quick check of the vacuum lines and they all seem OK (is there one in particular that normally is a problem?).

I forgot I have a bluetooth OBD II dongle (it does not work on my truck). So I put it in his truck and use the Torque Pro app. I have found that the long term fuel trim is way off.
At idle, bank 1 is -3 to -6% , bank 2 is +3 to +6% (almost exactly opposite of each other). When driving 40 mph on level ground, bank 1 is -10%, driver side is +25%. Short term fuel trim is all over the place. I also found the engine will go from a lot of vacuum (19 in/Hg) to a positive pressure of 10 or so, and the timing jumps around from 5 to 30 (or more, don't remember for sure, just know it is moving around a lot). All 4 O2 sensors have voltage readings going from 0.1 - 0.8 v. Also fuel pressure on the app is saying ~38 at idle, ~45 when driving.
I have driven it around 20 miles since replacing the battery and have not had any codes (pending or actual) come up yet since the initial P0174 pending code. I am also using a ton of gas, it was at F when I started driving it, it is now below 3/4. I did drive the truck to my house, so I have a few days to mess with it till I go to work again.

I know almost nothing about these 3v, but is this a problem with the phasers messed up, the VCT solenoids gone bad, plug or COP issues, some other vacuum line issue I am missing or what?

What else do I need to check, any other info that I can pull on the Torque App to help with diagnosis?

 

It finally got a hard P0174 code with a CEL, but nothing else.
I am doing the plugs tomorrow and cleaning the throttle body. I don't think those are the issues, but need to be done anyway. Since I am not getting any misfire codes, I am not thinking COP issues, but have a friend with a good scanner than can do Mode 6 to check for misfires (the Torque App does not show misfire as active to monitor).
Everything I am reading is leading to phaser issues, but I am probably going to try replacing the VCT solenoids first (figure they need to be done anyway). Still, just plugs (and Lisle plug removal tool) and VCT will be ~$300.
I may pull the injectors off too and do a bench clean on them.

 

Have a soft 172 code now, so bank 1 runs rich, bank 2 runs lean.

I decided to take out the upper 'O2 cylinders to see how it runs since I have read several posts about clogged cats. I took the drivers side off first since it is easier to get to and no real difference. I left that one off and then took the pass side off (man that pass side upper is a pain to get off) and the truck runs better a little better. I can at least get it about 50 mph now (actually got it up to 70). It still bogs down sometimes and feels like it is misfiring. I am running down to my friends shop to use his scan tool to check for misfires and also get some ideas from him (and see if he does cat replacement or at least has a place to recommend).

 

I had the P0172 code. I changed out my O2 sensors first and that didn't solve it and ended up being my fuel injectors. Sounds like your driver's side fuel injectors could be a culprit if they are running at greater than 25%

 

If you are using Torque "Pro" version, your "Test Results" from the main dashboard screen gives MODE $06 data. That gives misfire counts for the current drive cycle and total misfires for the last 10 drive cycles for all eight cylinders.


Unfortunately, the PCM on our 2004 5.4's does not present "live" misfires on the OBDII system / by cylinder. Apparently some models do, because the PIDs listed for Cylinder Misfire Counts for Cyl 1 - 8 return NO data Whatsoever on my vehicle. Even when I pull a COP plug off. If you would like to try them they are PID 160E, 160F, and 1610 -thru- 1615 respectively for cyl 1- 8.


PID #1616 will give you TOTAL number of misfires (all cyls), but you have to rely on Mode $06 to get individual cylinder counts.


However, the ECU OBDII provides a wealth of other valuable information and status switches through the OBDII outputs that can help sort out misfire causes, if you care to enter some custom PIDs and formulas into your Torque Pro App, and then create gauges for them. They are:


Mode/PID:2216d3... MFF-RPM, Engine RPM at time of Misfire, Units = RPM
___________formula= (A*256)+B, Units=RPM min..0 - max..7000, Hdr = blank


Mode/PID:2216d4... MFF-LOAD, Engine Load at time of Misfire, Units = %
___________formula= ((A*256)+B)*(100/32767), Units = % min..0 - max..100, Hdr = blank


Mode/PID: 216d5... MFF-VS, Vehicle Speed at time of Misfire, Units = km/h mph
___________formula= A, Units= km/h mph, min..0 - max..120, Hdr = blank


Mode/PID:2216d6... MFF-IAT, Intake Air Temp at the time of Misfire, Units = Degrees C or F (according to options)
___________formula= A, Units = Degrees C or F (per options settings) Units= º , min..0 - max..100, Hdr blank


Mode/PID:2216d7... MFF-SOAK, Engine-Off Soak Time at time of Misfire, Units= Minutes
___________formula= (A*256)+B, Units = minutes, min..0 - max..32767, Hdr = blank

Mode/PID:2216d8... MFF-RNTM, Engine Running Time at time of Misfire, Units = Minutes
___________formula= A, Units = minutes, min..0 - max..255, Hdr = blank


Mode/PID:2216d9... MFF-EGR, EGR DFPE Sensor at time of Misfire, Units=Volts **(N/A on 5.4)
___________formula= ???
Mode/PID:2216da... MFF-TP, Throttle Position at time of Misfire, Units=Volts
___________formula= ???

Mode/PID:2216dd... MPLRN, Misfire Wheel Profile Learned in KAM, Units = YES-1/NO-zero
___________formula= {A:0}, Units = On/Off, min..0 - max..1, Hdr = Auto

Mode/PID:2216dd... MFF-PNP, In Drive at time of Misfire, Units = Yes-1/No-zero
___________formula= {A:1}, Units = On/Off, min..0 - max..1, Hdr = Auto

 

Thanks F150Torqued, I will have to look into that.
Kind of a moot point since I went ahead and ordered a new set of COP, but good for future reference.


Good news is I got all 8 plugs out intact!


The original plug is a pzt2f 4g:


New SP-515 plug vs old one (man there is a huge gap in there):


and close up of my "bad" ones. They were the #8 and #4 plugs:



I know these are nothing compared to some pics of plugs I have seen though. I don't know if it was it was just dumping so much fuel that it broke the carbon up or what, but I am not complaining. Followed the Ford TSB instructions (used Brake Cleaner and also tapped on the ratchet with a hammer gently when breaking it free). There were a few times on the rear 2 I thought I had broken them, especially the #4 since you have to use several extensions and swivel with odd angles, I did take the computer off since it did make a little better angle to get at it.
I just saved $70 since I can return the Lisle extraction tool.

I have not put the new plugs in yet (started raining, but the holes are covered). Have the nickel anti-seize and plugs ready to go (got it a Advance Auto for $65 with the $40 off $100 code, same price as Amazon, but I got to inspect the plugs before I walked out the door).

I went to my friends shop yesterday and he agrees it is clogged cats. I have a set ordered from Rock Auto ($470 total shipped for both sides, way cheaper than the $800 per side I was quoted at 2 places). Found a shop that will install them for $60, and that is worth it just for the stupid passenger side upper O2 sensor plug.
COP are coming, as are 2 new Motorcraft Upstream O2 sensors (I figure downstream is not a huge deal, and is easy to change if/when the time comes).

Next question is why did the cats melt. thanks for the suggestion mavrik2747, I will check out the injectors while waiting for other parts.

Hopefully this time next week all parts will be in and installed, and then I can go from there if anything else pops up. I am hoping the VCT solenoids are good, but may just change them anyway (at least pull them out and look at them to check the screens). Will see what the truck sounds like once it is running again.

 

Story of my life. A day late, and a dollar short.


Anyhow, I am glad to hear the (rather unusual) success story on removal without breakage.

 

Well, I think it was a combination of the plugs and probably a bad COP or two which lead to clogged cats.
I got the cats replaced yesterday. Runs great now. The guy that replaced them said that he was surprised it was even running with how clogged they were. The upper cats were gone inside on the passenger side, so I am sure the lowers were trashed. I am noticing a little ticking on the passenger side near the manifold though, so need to look into that a little closer.

Just a side note, I want to slap the designer that put the upper O2 sensor and plug on the passenger side. My hand and wrist still hurt from messing with that thing days ago.


So I think I have my brother in laws truck drivable now. Coils and plugs replaced. Throttle body and MAF cleaned. Cats replaced. New battery. New O2 sensors, oil change and transmission fluid and filter replaced.

I am going to get some front brake pads now. I took the tires off just to see where they were at and one is almost grinding. I also am going to change the rear diff fluid and fuel filter (have the filter, lost my disconnect tool).

I can tell he will need new ball joints, and I think he may have a front wheel bearing going out, but that will have to wait a month or so.
I still have not pulled the VCT solenoids yet, but the truck is running good (no rattles and such) so I am not worrying about it at the moment, I just made sure I used some good oil (Castrol GTX Syn Blend 5w-20) to get whatever oil Meineke put in there 7000 miles ago, as well as installing a Wix filter to replace the Purepro filter on there.