rough idle causes
98 F150 5.4L E40D/4R100
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 28,538
Likes: 7,640
From: MI
my brother never mentioned the old plug conditions did he... Dj said that oil on the electrode meant that it has a failing piston ring. It also has both valve covers leaking.. Could it be running in the cylinder? The plug wrench had oil on the tip of it when we got I think the 5th Plug out? That wouldn't happen if it was failing rings would it? ( the one covered in oil had a gap of over .100 we made sure they were all at .54 before the new ones went in. ) they are all fouled from the cht being bad.. And quite a bit of a mix of sea foam. ( 6 or so thousand miles ago ) then ford put their fuel stuff in it when a plug went bad. ( charged us a nut ) and changed the fuel filter. Then about 5,500 miles ago. Then Lucas fuel system cleaner about 3,000 miles ago. Nothing else since.
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,186
Likes: 63
From: Indiana
yeah.. Our dad made us put 7 quarts in it when the manual said 6.. He uses 7 in his 5.4 but he thinks the manual is wrong beacause his didn't come with one. He's used 7 quarts for 170,000+ miles and it's still not blown up. And The 7 quarts in me and my brother's truck brought all of the crap in the bottom of the oil pan and it drained out when we changed it. It looked cruddy... ( used 6 quarts this time!! ) But it's just the valve covers that are leaking that I know of. Also only Lucas is going in the tank from now on. It runs like a champ despite all of the stupid crap that we've accidentally done to it.
Last edited by Ford Fan#1; Apr 9, 2015 at 11:33 AM.
98 F150 5.4L E40D/4R100
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 28,538
Likes: 7,640
From: MI
yeah.. Our dad made us put 7 quarts in it when the manual said 6.. He uses 7 in his 5.4 but he thinks the manual is wrong beacause his didn't come with one. He's used 7 quarts for 170,000+ miles and it's still not blown up. And The 7 quarts in me and my brother's truck brought all of the crap in the bottom of the oil pan and it drained out when we changed it. It looked cruddy... ( used 6 quarts this time!! ) But it's just the valve covers that are leaking that I know of. Also only Lucas is going in the tank from now on. It runs like a champ despite all of the stupid crap that we've accidentally done to it.
Plus it's hell on the gaskets. You dad probably has a 3V 5.4L and yes those use 7 quarts. These 2V 5.4L's only use 6 quarts and 6 quarts on the stick = 1/4" below the top hash mark.
All you can do is ride that engine out now. Run it until it quits. Check the mains.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 3,266
Likes: 187
From: Mooresville indiana
Yea, I can't believe it still runs. Shows you how tough these engines can be. Running 7 quarts will, well what they call oil frothing and foaming. This causes the mains to go dry periodically. Too much oil causes a lack of lubrication. Plus it's hell on the gaskets. You dad probably has a 3V 5.4L and yes those use 7 quarts. These 2V 5.4L's only use 6 quarts and 6 quarts on the stick = 1/4" below the top hash mark. All you can do is ride that engine out now. Run it until it quits. Check the mains.
Last edited by Fordfan2006; Apr 9, 2015 at 05:27 PM.
98 F150 5.4L E40D/4R100
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 28,538
Likes: 7,640
From: MI
Most should know better than attempting to outsmart the Ford Engineers. It's not worth it, follow the manual exactly for the crankcase. That said, these engines will go 300,000 plus. My 98 is proof of that, 320,000 miles and it doesn't so much as use oil between changes.
Be good to your engine.
BTW, - Plugs break in these motors ?
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,186
Likes: 63
From: Indiana
yeah haha... The mechanic that helped me and my brother do the plugs had to get out a 3v plug and got out one of the 2v plugs and had to show my dad. Still unsure if he thinks we are right about the plugs yet... And we changed them in front of him!