I know brand bashing isn't allowed here so I hope this doesn't fall under that category, but just had to rant here.
My 2000 F150 with the 5.4L triton motor started leaking antifreeze Sunday. Looked like it was coming from the top front right-hand side (as if sitting in the truck) of the motor. There's a return line from the heater core in that area, so I just thought it would be a leaking hose. Got it in the shop yesterday morning only to get a call and learn that the fluid was actually leaking from the cracked PLASTIC intake manifold, which had to be replaced!!!! What the crap is this??? A frigging intake manifold made entirely of plastic????? You gotta be kidding me?
I had no idea!
So yeah, a plastic lip that holds an O ring in place underneath a fitting where the heater core line returns had broken. This allowed part of the O ring to shift over and pretty much destroy the seal that the O ring was making, and it was spewing fluid all over that side of the top of the engine. So, after a new intake manifold, and about $700 later, it's all back together and running again.
And just about 2 yrs ago I had a plug that was seized up and broke off when I tried to back it out to replace the plugs. This wound up costing about $500 after the same garage had to get out the rest of the plug, and use a small bore camera to go inside the chamber and make sure they got all the bits and pieces out of the chamber, before putting a new plug back in. Btw, those plugs are a pain to get to, they are directly under the fuel rails to start with, which pretty much have to be moved over to get the coil packs off first. To make matters worse, they sit down in a narrow well about 5 inches deep, with the individual coil packs sitting right on top of the plugs. Another poor design feature that allows condensation to collect in the bottom of the well, which helps things corrode and seize up. To compound it, the plugs are about as skinny as your pinky, so there isn't much metal there to give them a lot of strength.
So, this will be my first, last, and ONLY Triton v8 that I will ever own. Have been a Ford truck guy for a long time, but next truck purchase just might be another brand.
