Ford 5.4L Triton V8 is crap

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   / Ford 5.4L Triton V8 is crap #1  

kebo

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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? :mad: :mad: 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.
 
   / Ford 5.4L Triton V8 is crap #2  
Sorry to hear this. My similar experience with many broken 5.4's is why I tell everyone to stay clear of them. The poor reliability on top of poor performance makes it a no-brainer...
 
   / Ford 5.4L Triton V8 is crap #3  
OK, you know every vehicle manufacture on the planet builds a bad product every now and then. Furthermore switching brands guarantees you NOTHING after 12 years.

Few manufacturer build their vehicles to last even 10 years, they can't they would be out of business. So consider getting 12 years out of yours a blessing.

The only manufacturer I know that build a vehicle to last is the UNIMOG. In fact because they build their vehicle to last it is costing them sales according to the Unimog Engineer I rode with in a Unimog. They see a Unimog to a City, Country and that's the last time they hear from them and their vehicle is still plowing the Alps, or some other remote road.

So anyone complaining any one particular manufacture is pretty much falling on deaf ears since the net was invented by Al Gore.

Anyone can clearly match complaint for complaint against every Auto maker.

Lets take the owners over at the Lexus site. There you will have people swearing they will never ever buy another Lexus and they are junk because the glove box rattles.
 
   / Ford 5.4L Triton V8 is crap #4  
I know the guys on here will get on me for saying this but come on. If I had a GM, Toyota, Dodge, Nissan that was 12 years old and my biggest problem was a bad gasket on the intake I would be pleased. A broken plug is not a big issue either. I remember when this happened to you. A un qualified mechanic caused your issues at Jiffy Lube if I remember right.

I mean come on man, this is a 12 year old truck with how many miles?

By the way a plastic intake is the way they are all going. It makes more HP because it does not transfer heat like a cast intake. Heat kills HP so plastic makes sense for not only that but it also allows for smother air runs.

I would be saying the same thing no matter what brand it is so don't jump on me for being a Ford guy. Its a 12 year old truck. Now if it were a 4 year old truck that would be a different story.

Come on Kebo, you are smarter than that.

Chris
 
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   / Ford 5.4L Triton V8 is crap #5  
Sorry to hear this. My similar experience with many broken 5.4's is why I tell everyone to stay clear of them. The poor reliability on top of poor performance makes it a no-brainer...

I will return the favor with the POS Dodge trannys that I have now replace 3 of in 2 trucks in less than 150,000 total miles.... Owned well over a dozen other trucks and a dozen cars of all brands and never a single tranny issue other than a bad transfer-case on a GM.

You are smarter than this Dmace. Its a 12 year old truck. Figure 12,000 mile per year that means its got over 140,000 miles and a bad gasket/intake and a broken plug (by a dip shat Jiffy Lube Wanna B Mechanic) are his complaints he has done just fine with this truck. He is just upset right now and he will soon realize what he is saying.

Chris
 
   / Ford 5.4L Triton V8 is crap #6  
Sorry to hear that Kebo, the water pump on my 2007 Tundra had to be replaced @ 86,512 miles. It had a SLIGHT leak. Any thing mechanical can fail.
 
   / Ford 5.4L Triton V8 is crap #7  
Diamondpilot said:
Come on Kebo, you are smarter than that.
Chris
So now he's dumb for complaining about engine problems? You Ford fans have no morals sometimes. Now I see why you like Fords so much, you think a truck with a cracked intake manifold and broken spark plugs is good...
Diamondpilot said:
You are smarter than this Dmace. Its a 12 year old truck.
Your right, I am smarter than that which is why my 10 year old truck with 120k miles has had no mechanical failures and based on it's reputation, it won't.
 
   / Ford 5.4L Triton V8 is crap #8  
So now he's dumb for complaining about engine problems? You Ford fans have no morals sometimes. Now I see why you like Fords so much, you think a truck with a cracked intake manifold and broken spark plugs is good...

You know nothing about me so don't talk about my morals. I paid you a complement. 2 issues on a 12 year old anything by any brand is perfectly acceptable. I figured you would be the bigger man and take off the Fiat/Dodge blinders for a minute and agree with me on this one but no, you took the low road. If you are happy living down there go for it, some are.:confused2::confused::mad:

Chris
 
   / Ford 5.4L Triton V8 is crap #9  
So now he's dumb for complaining about engine problems? You Ford fans have no morals sometimes. Now I see why you like Fords so much, you think a truck with a cracked intake manifold and broken spark plugs is good...

I got 200K out of multiple GM trucks and didn't experience that...My days of doing that are over for now.

I do own a '97 V10 Ford with an iffy fuel rail, rotted manifold bolts and an oil pan I'm a little concerned about rotting out, I find this hard to believe. I own two Chevy's out of the early 70's and neither has this problem...And yes, the V10 is mostly kept indoors and hasn't been driven in snow..It's an E450 motorhome.
 
   / Ford 5.4L Triton V8 is crap #10  
I got 200K out of multiple GM trucks and didn't experience that...My days of doing that are over for now.

Same here. I had 2 Saturns that did that (GM's), a Toyota Truck, a few Hondas, that did that, and quite a few Fords but I would not be all upset because I had 2 issues over a 2 year period on a 12 year old truck.

Now if it blew up the motor, tranny, ect in the first say 6 years or 100,000 miles yes.

Chris
 
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