Dawg slow 2000 F150 4.6 4x4 Lariat 3.55
07-18-2017, 05:31 PM
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Dawg slow 2000 F150 4.6 4x4 Lariat 3.55
I have had this truck for over a year now and it has always felt unerpowered (to me, this is my first F150. I have a 7.3 Powerstroke F250 for comparison). The only code is a x Bank Lean code, which I am assuming is a vacuum leak somewhere that I haven't found. But the code is new, the underpowerness (new word) isn't. It hates to hold 65+ on the interstate, any amount of pedal or incline will drop gears.
I have a 19.6' runabout boat that (by the manufacture specs) weighs approximately 4k with the trailer and it's almost all the truck can do to pull it on the interstate. If you hit a hill of any kind you can drop 20mph easily while the engine screams trying to get back to speed.
I have seen multiple similar threads, but they all seem to abruptly end with no real troubleshooting or concrete answer as to what the problem is. Or if there is a problem at all. Maybe a 4.6 with 3.55 gears just can't pull 4k worth a crap.
Having said that, I'm open to suggestions on things to check and things to try.
I have a 19.6' runabout boat that (by the manufacture specs) weighs approximately 4k with the trailer and it's almost all the truck can do to pull it on the interstate. If you hit a hill of any kind you can drop 20mph easily while the engine screams trying to get back to speed.
I have seen multiple similar threads, but they all seem to abruptly end with no real troubleshooting or concrete answer as to what the problem is. Or if there is a problem at all. Maybe a 4.6 with 3.55 gears just can't pull 4k worth a crap.
Having said that, I'm open to suggestions on things to check and things to try.
07-18-2017, 06:15 PM
#2
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My 2001 SuperCrew 4.6 is the exact same way. It is extremely underpowered... and from my experiences, my friends 03 SuperCrew with the 5.4 isn't much faster. The problem I think isn't from the motor, I don't think the 4.6 or the 5.4 doesn't have any ***** as they do make quite a bit of horse power... It is the gearing.
Just like you, I have 3.55's and they aren't good for anything other than pulling its own weight and even then, they don't do a very good job at that. These trucks, especially the SuperCrew needed at least 3.73 from the factory... If I had the money or the time, I would most definitely regear, but the truck isn't worth it to me. The ratio's of the gears in the tranny doesn't help either... These trucks have a lot working against them and would probably get better gas mileage if the tranny didn't have to kick down every small hill. I'm surprised they don't have tranny problems...
Fix that lean code before you take out a catalytic converter... Then you'll have a real power problem if it gets plugged up. Not to mention, you have 4 of them.
Just like you, I have 3.55's and they aren't good for anything other than pulling its own weight and even then, they don't do a very good job at that. These trucks, especially the SuperCrew needed at least 3.73 from the factory... If I had the money or the time, I would most definitely regear, but the truck isn't worth it to me. The ratio's of the gears in the tranny doesn't help either... These trucks have a lot working against them and would probably get better gas mileage if the tranny didn't have to kick down every small hill. I'm surprised they don't have tranny problems...
Fix that lean code before you take out a catalytic converter... Then you'll have a real power problem if it gets plugged up. Not to mention, you have 4 of them.
Last edited by link5631; 07-18-2017 at 06:18 PM.
07-18-2017, 06:28 PM
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That isn't the answer I hoped for. Haha
I have some starter fluid to assist in finding a vacuum leak if there is one. Should be able to get to that tomorrow. I have seen threads where people have regeared and gained a few mpg as well as the ability to actually pull things. If I could find differentials in a junkyard or something that I could just swap in I would probably do it. I haven't looked yet though.
Once I get my diesel truck put back together it will be the puller anyway, I was just hoping to find a little more *** hidden in this one somewhere.
I also have a 2003 Lightning.. no lack of *** there. Haha but it is nowhere near being delegated to work truck duty.
I have some starter fluid to assist in finding a vacuum leak if there is one. Should be able to get to that tomorrow. I have seen threads where people have regeared and gained a few mpg as well as the ability to actually pull things. If I could find differentials in a junkyard or something that I could just swap in I would probably do it. I haven't looked yet though.
Once I get my diesel truck put back together it will be the puller anyway, I was just hoping to find a little more *** hidden in this one somewhere.
I also have a 2003 Lightning.. no lack of *** there. Haha but it is nowhere near being delegated to work truck duty.
07-18-2017, 06:58 PM
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I have an 03 s-crew with the 5.4 and factory towing pkg.- it has 3.73 gears- believe me, its no bullet and its no clydesdale- but if you understand that and drive it wisely it does everything i need it to do- if you are doing a lot of pulling or hill work, pull it out of overdrive- will the gas milage suffer (more) ?- yep! But it was never designed to be a fuel sipper anyway-
07-18-2017, 09:20 PM
#5
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Well, the 4six is more less a taxi cab engine with a truck intake. The 4six and 5four don't compare when pulling. Anyone who puts them in the same category doesn't know what they're talking about. The 5four isn't a Powerstroke as much as the 4six isn't a 5four. Probably the worst mistake people make is pulling in Over Drive. The 4six and 5four are neck and neck as far as speed and quickness until you put a load behind them. The 5fours are strong pullers. They will pull 5-7000 lbs with ease without a downshift IF you know how to pull.
You don't pull in OD because there is very little cooling above D3. In essence your heating up fluid vs staying within much cooler fluid temperature margins. PS transmissions are the same way. All transmissions hate the heat.
You can burn that 4sixes trans up pulling anything over a ton in OD. Also, the more you heat it up, the less it will want to keep working until it cools back down.
I'm not sure what kind of mileage you'll get pulling in 3rd with the 4six. I can speak for the 5four. The 5fours love the fuel when pulling, your mileage will go to hell. Better hit the next exit when it gets to a 1/4 of a tank lol.
You don't pull in OD because there is very little cooling above D3. In essence your heating up fluid vs staying within much cooler fluid temperature margins. PS transmissions are the same way. All transmissions hate the heat.
You can burn that 4sixes trans up pulling anything over a ton in OD. Also, the more you heat it up, the less it will want to keep working until it cools back down.
I'm not sure what kind of mileage you'll get pulling in 3rd with the 4six. I can speak for the 5four. The 5fours love the fuel when pulling, your mileage will go to hell. Better hit the next exit when it gets to a 1/4 of a tank lol.
07-19-2017, 01:47 AM
#6
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which size are your tires?
how hot is it outside?
oversize tires = truck will drive like a slug. You must re-gear if you want to keep the larger tires and have truck not be a dog
on some trucks, every degree above 88ish and the truck retards the timing due to hot air going into the intake. Obviously worse at stop and go traffic. There's a TSB about re-flashing the PCM and installing a body plug, but most dealers won't touch the PCM if nothing's wrong on the truck. I read one forum sentence that dealers say "the customers told use the re-flash doesn't do anything." If it's hot, truck is gonna be slow.
so assuming you have stock tires and it's not 110 degrees out...
it kinda stinks to spend all this $$ when they all probably work okay, but without this covered, it's hard to say if something is wrong.
1.) do the full "modular engine" tune up - motorcraft PCV valve, spark plugs (careful not to strip!), air filter, coils, oil change, fix any vacuum leaks
2.) do the "cheap" mods - zip tie mod, gotts mod
3.) tuner will help with more firm shifts (maybe a little with pickup...but minimal)
4.) re-gear the truck to 4.10
20mph on a hill seems a bit low...but I never towed 4k before...I did 2,800lbs before and I passed cars at 75mph...I also had a 5.4 reg cab/long bed 2wd with dedicated cng and 265/75 tires instead of 245)
after that, know your limits of a 4.6 4x4
how hot is it outside?
oversize tires = truck will drive like a slug. You must re-gear if you want to keep the larger tires and have truck not be a dog
on some trucks, every degree above 88ish and the truck retards the timing due to hot air going into the intake. Obviously worse at stop and go traffic. There's a TSB about re-flashing the PCM and installing a body plug, but most dealers won't touch the PCM if nothing's wrong on the truck. I read one forum sentence that dealers say "the customers told use the re-flash doesn't do anything." If it's hot, truck is gonna be slow.
so assuming you have stock tires and it's not 110 degrees out...
it kinda stinks to spend all this $$ when they all probably work okay, but without this covered, it's hard to say if something is wrong.
1.) do the full "modular engine" tune up - motorcraft PCV valve, spark plugs (careful not to strip!), air filter, coils, oil change, fix any vacuum leaks
2.) do the "cheap" mods - zip tie mod, gotts mod
3.) tuner will help with more firm shifts (maybe a little with pickup...but minimal)
4.) re-gear the truck to 4.10
20mph on a hill seems a bit low...but I never towed 4k before...I did 2,800lbs before and I passed cars at 75mph...I also had a 5.4 reg cab/long bed 2wd with dedicated cng and 265/75 tires instead of 245)
after that, know your limits of a 4.6 4x4
Last edited by Vortex; 07-19-2017 at 01:52 AM.
07-19-2017, 06:02 AM
#7
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I pull my 17' boat with a 4.6/4R70W and don't have any highway problems but it does like to slow on hills with the cruise on. I can keep speed, no problem, it just takes more pedal. I keep it out of OD, run about 60-62 (get passed by every freaking thing, including bicycles), but it still gets 13-14 on the long run. If I jump up to 70, 11-11.5 mpg. It goes to hell quickly. Without the load, in OD, it will do almost 17 and have gotten 18.4 on one trip running at 70. The boat weight as well as no OD, just kills my mpg.
Now I have lil Red and I actually tried him this past week. I pulled a 4 wheeler and side by side for 60 miles to a buddies. This is up and down thru the hills and freeway. It got about 11.7 mpg for the overall trip. I'm guessing the got 10 going with the load, and 13 or so without coming back. Not great, but that 5.4/E4OD, is a pulling machine compared to my 4.6. You can pull out to pass with ease, while it takes a bit more effort to wind the 4.6 up. Like I said in the Thinking thread, I really like my 4.6 overall, but the 5.4 (same year trucks) has shown me a vast power improvement. It isn't even close to the 4.6 fuel mileage. Not close at all. I had never been a 5.4 fan (always a FORD guy though), but it's growing on me. There you go Brew......lol
Now I have lil Red and I actually tried him this past week. I pulled a 4 wheeler and side by side for 60 miles to a buddies. This is up and down thru the hills and freeway. It got about 11.7 mpg for the overall trip. I'm guessing the got 10 going with the load, and 13 or so without coming back. Not great, but that 5.4/E4OD, is a pulling machine compared to my 4.6. You can pull out to pass with ease, while it takes a bit more effort to wind the 4.6 up. Like I said in the Thinking thread, I really like my 4.6 overall, but the 5.4 (same year trucks) has shown me a vast power improvement. It isn't even close to the 4.6 fuel mileage. Not close at all. I had never been a 5.4 fan (always a FORD guy though), but it's growing on me. There you go Brew......lol
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07-19-2017, 09:22 AM
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which size are your tires?
how hot is it outside?
oversize tires = truck will drive like a slug. You must re-gear if you want to keep the larger tires and have truck not be a dog
on some trucks, every degree above 88ish and the truck retards the timing due to hot air going into the intake. Obviously worse at stop and go traffic. There's a TSB about re-flashing the PCM and installing a body plug, but most dealers won't touch the PCM if nothing's wrong on the truck. I read one forum sentence that dealers say "the customers told use the re-flash doesn't do anything." If it's hot, truck is gonna be slow.
so assuming you have stock tires and it's not 110 degrees out...
it kinda stinks to spend all this $$ when they all probably work okay, but without this covered, it's hard to say if something is wrong.
1.) do the full "modular engine" tune up - motorcraft PCV valve, spark plugs (careful not to strip!), air filter, coils, oil change, fix any vacuum leaks
2.) do the "cheap" mods - zip tie mod, gotts mod
3.) tuner will help with more firm shifts (maybe a little with pickup...but minimal)
4.) re-gear the truck to 4.10
20mph on a hill seems a bit low...but I never towed 4k before...I did 2,800lbs before and I passed cars at 75mph...I also had a 5.4 reg cab/long bed 2wd with dedicated cng and 265/75 tires instead of 245)
after that, know your limits of a 4.6 4x4
how hot is it outside?
oversize tires = truck will drive like a slug. You must re-gear if you want to keep the larger tires and have truck not be a dog
on some trucks, every degree above 88ish and the truck retards the timing due to hot air going into the intake. Obviously worse at stop and go traffic. There's a TSB about re-flashing the PCM and installing a body plug, but most dealers won't touch the PCM if nothing's wrong on the truck. I read one forum sentence that dealers say "the customers told use the re-flash doesn't do anything." If it's hot, truck is gonna be slow.
so assuming you have stock tires and it's not 110 degrees out...
it kinda stinks to spend all this $$ when they all probably work okay, but without this covered, it's hard to say if something is wrong.
1.) do the full "modular engine" tune up - motorcraft PCV valve, spark plugs (careful not to strip!), air filter, coils, oil change, fix any vacuum leaks
2.) do the "cheap" mods - zip tie mod, gotts mod
3.) tuner will help with more firm shifts (maybe a little with pickup...but minimal)
4.) re-gear the truck to 4.10
20mph on a hill seems a bit low...but I never towed 4k before...I did 2,800lbs before and I passed cars at 75mph...I also had a 5.4 reg cab/long bed 2wd with dedicated cng and 265/75 tires instead of 245)
after that, know your limits of a 4.6 4x4
The 20mph going up a hill was meaning I can lose sometimes 20mph below current speed (70 will drop to 45mph on some seemingly small grades).
I replaced everything except PCV and coils around this time last year. Maybe I will do those and see what it gets me.
The fuel mileage was another thing. I am not looking for a Honda, I drive trucks and I understand the fuel hit. But I have a 94 Jeep Wrangler which is notorious for ****ty fuel mileage and it does better than the 150. I hand calculate usually an average of 9-12mpg. Highest has been about 13 all interstate between 55 and 70mph.
Maybe I am just trying to keep it too low. Like I said I am used to the torque and power band of a diesel, which is a night and day difference. Therefore, I don't like to rev high and let it eat, but it seems like that's what it takes in these trucks. I've always been a low end torque guy so when something revs to 4-5k and sits there it starts to bother me.
07-19-2017, 10:43 AM
#9
Senior Member
I pull my 17' boat with a 4.6/4R70W and don't have any highway problems but it does like to slow on hills with the cruise on. I can keep speed, no problem, it just takes more pedal. I keep it out of OD, run about 60-62 (get passed by every freaking thing, including bicycles), but it still gets 13-14 on the long run. If I jump up to 70, 11-11.5 mpg. It goes to hell quickly. Without the load, in OD, it will do almost 17 and have gotten 18.4 on one trip running at 70. The boat weight as well as no OD, just kills my mpg.
Now I have lil Red and I actually tried him this past week. I pulled a 4 wheeler and side by side for 60 miles to a buddies. This is up and down thru the hills and freeway. It got about 11.7 mpg for the overall trip. I'm guessing the got 10 going with the load, and 13 or so without coming back. Not great, but that 5.4/E4OD, is a pulling machine compared to my 4.6. You can pull out to pass with ease, while it takes a bit more effort to wind the 4.6 up. Like I said in the Thinking thread, I really like my 4.6 overall, but the 5.4 (same year trucks) has shown me a vast power improvement. It isn't even close to the 4.6 fuel mileage. Not close at all. I had never been a 5.4 fan (always a FORD guy though), but it's growing on me. There you go Brew......lol
Now I have lil Red and I actually tried him this past week. I pulled a 4 wheeler and side by side for 60 miles to a buddies. This is up and down thru the hills and freeway. It got about 11.7 mpg for the overall trip. I'm guessing the got 10 going with the load, and 13 or so without coming back. Not great, but that 5.4/E4OD, is a pulling machine compared to my 4.6. You can pull out to pass with ease, while it takes a bit more effort to wind the 4.6 up. Like I said in the Thinking thread, I really like my 4.6 overall, but the 5.4 (same year trucks) has shown me a vast power improvement. It isn't even close to the 4.6 fuel mileage. Not close at all. I had never been a 5.4 fan (always a FORD guy though), but it's growing on me. There you go Brew......lol
I think my 4.6 Windsor does a pretty damn good job overall. The weak link on the truck, to me, is the brakes. They suck when it's loaded down.
07-19-2017, 11:08 AM
#10
Senior Member
I pull my 17' boat with a 4.6/4R70W and don't have any highway problems but it does like to slow on hills with the cruise on. I can keep speed, no problem, it just takes more pedal. I keep it out of OD, run about 60-62 (get passed by every freaking thing, including bicycles), but it still gets 13-14 on the long run. If I jump up to 70, 11-11.5 mpg. It goes to hell quickly. Without the load, in OD, it will do almost 17 and have gotten 18.4 on one trip running at 70. The boat weight as well as no OD, just kills my mpg.
Now I have lil Red and I actually tried him this past week. I pulled a 4 wheeler and side by side for 60 miles to a buddies. This is up and down thru the hills and freeway. It got about 11.7 mpg for the overall trip. I'm guessing the got 10 going with the load, and 13 or so without coming back. Not great, but that 5.4/E4OD, is a pulling machine compared to my 4.6. You can pull out to pass with ease, while it takes a bit more effort to wind the 4.6 up. Like I said in the Thinking thread, I really like my 4.6 overall, but the 5.4 (same year trucks) has shown me a vast power improvement. It isn't even close to the 4.6 fuel mileage. Not close at all. I had never been a 5.4 fan (always a FORD guy though), but it's growing on me. There you go Brew......lol
Now I have lil Red and I actually tried him this past week. I pulled a 4 wheeler and side by side for 60 miles to a buddies. This is up and down thru the hills and freeway. It got about 11.7 mpg for the overall trip. I'm guessing the got 10 going with the load, and 13 or so without coming back. Not great, but that 5.4/E4OD, is a pulling machine compared to my 4.6. You can pull out to pass with ease, while it takes a bit more effort to wind the 4.6 up. Like I said in the Thinking thread, I really like my 4.6 overall, but the 5.4 (same year trucks) has shown me a vast power improvement. It isn't even close to the 4.6 fuel mileage. Not close at all. I had never been a 5.4 fan (always a FORD guy though), but it's growing on me. There you go Brew......lol
Anyway that's a little heavy for a gen 10 150 IMO, to go on tour with. The 5four can most likley handle it though. The truck has 340,000 plus on it but acts like a kid lol. Original Ford U-joints engine and trans with no mechanical issues so far (knock on wood). Probably not a good idea to push it lol.