Ford 5.4L Triton V8 is crap

[MWRR]

I bought an F-250 with the 5.4 Triton V-8 new in 2000. Has been an excellent truck except for the fuel milage. Has the 4.10 rear end and gets 11.4 mpg driving the seven mile from home to work. Hook up the gooseneck and it will drop down to 8 mpg.

About a year after I bought my truck I came across a guy passed out in a new F-150 with the 5.4 motor. It was late at night, middle of winter, cold out and the drunk had started his truck to warm it up. While waiting for the truck to warm up and windows to clear off the guy passed out. In his intoxicated state the guy unknowingly pushed the gas peddle to the floor and the truck was screaming wide open. I had to leave for a bit but returned in about 30 minutes. I returned with a friend and we stood there talked for about 5 minutes before we finally decided to wake the guy up. As soon as we woke him up he took his foot off the gas and shut off the truck. He was going back in to the house where he had been partying to find his friends. We talked with the guy for a couple of minutes and I asked him if he would start his truck up again. He asked why. I told him that he had passed out with his foot holding the gas peddle wide open. He got this sobering look on his face (like he had just screwed up his new truck) and started the 5.4 back up. It purred like a kitten.

That sold me on the 5.4 being a good engine!

 

[BillP603]

Happy with my 5.4. The plug issue is well known and properly equipped shops doesn't charge that kinds of money to fix.

Also very happy with my 5.4! It's in a 2000 F-150 with 226K on it, I've changed all my plugs at 105K and again at 220K, it time consuming but easily possible. Any make and model can have issues, but there are millions of f-series trucks running strong on the road every day.

 

[kenmac]

Not related to the OP'S problem. Not just this thread but , other threads as well. I always read about Dodge & their trannys . Where are all these dodge trucks with the bad trannys? I have owned 3 dodge trucks my current being a 2500 diesel with auto. & never had any tranny issues. All the Dodge 2500 diesels with auto tranny problems ( that I've read about) come from owners adding xtra power ( programer) to the truck without beefing up the tranny

 

[Dmace]

I always read about Dodge & their trannys . Where are all these dodge trucks with the bad trannys?

If you notice, all those that say Dodge trucks have tranny problems don't actually own a Dodge truck. Sure, Dodge had tranny problems in the early and mid 90's but not since the new design 545rfe in 2002.
Only 120k on mine but I have no doubt it will continue to be trouble-free unlike the auto's in my last three Fords...

 

[kenmac]

If you notice, all those that say Dodge trucks have tranny problems don't actually own a Dodge truck. Sure, Dodge had tranny problems in the early and mid 90's but not since the new design 545rfe in 2002.
...

One of the Dodge trucks that owned was a 95 with a 360. Bought it new in 95.Towed a drag car all over the place with it . never a tranny problem. A 727 which is about the same as in the 07 diesel is a (in my opinion) a good tranny

 

[houstonscott]

Problem is aluminum heads and steal spark plugs. Two dissimilar metals. If your smart and I am, take the plugs out of your new truck, and coat the threads with some copper anti seize lube and put them back in, now at 50k or 100k you will not have to worry. I recommend changing your plugs at 50k no matter what dealer or manufacture says to avoid just this problem. Go back to maintenance schedule from 1970's on your car or truck and you will have little or no problems. Oil, 3k, coolant 2yrs, brake fluid 2yrs, plugs 30K no more than 50K. Transmission fluid @ 50K, front brakes 25K and rears at 50K no matter what they look like. fuel filter 50K, on diesels fuel filter at 20K. Diff @ 50K. All belts and hose no matter what they look like every 4 years, and I mean all, if it has a liquid through it and its rubber change it. I don't have issues.

HS

 

[crazyal]

My biggest POS was a 2004 trailblazer. At 40K the power steering pump shaft broke and sent the pulley flying into the radiator. At 55k miles the two small gears inside the rear diff fused themselves onto the shaft they should spin freely on (open diff). The oil looked as new as the day they put it in there. Once they seized up the cast ring gear carrier split into several pieces requiring the whole rear axle to be replaced. At 60k the transmission oil looked like mud and it stopped working. That was the end of that vehicle for me.

The way I see it is any vehicle sold today should make 100k with no issues. I'm not talking about the rare one issue one or two people have but if spark plugs are popping out of the heads at 35k to more than 10% of the engines sold then you've made a POS.

 

[Dmace]

Problem is aluminum heads and steal spark plugs.

NO it's not. Every manufacturer has an engine with aluminum heads with no problems. The problem is Ford's crappy design which led to a head with not enough threads to hold the plugs in...

 

[5030]

Bottom line is they are ALL complex machines, assembled by HUMAN HANDS for the most part.

Complex machines break, thats the way it is, especially complex mechanical and electical systems... Systems that are more often than not serviced as they should be.....

I suggest that all of you rersort to shoeleather express for a while and quit whining....

It's getting real old.....:laughing:

Probably the biggest whiners have the largest girth too.....:thumbsup:

 

[buck12]

Problem is aluminum heads and steal spark plugs. Two dissimilar metals. If your smart and I am, take the plugs out of your new truck, and coat the threads with some copper anti seize lube and put them back in, now at 50k or 100k you will not have to worry. I recommend changing your plugs at 50k no matter what dealer or manufacture says to avoid just this problem. Go back to maintenance schedule from 1970's on your car or truck and you will have little or no problems. Oil, 3k, coolant 2yrs, brake fluid 2yrs, plugs 30K no more than 50K. Transmission fluid @ 50K, front brakes 25K and rears at 50K no matter what they look like. fuel filter 50K, on diesels fuel filter at 20K. Diff @ 50K. All belts and hose no matter what they look like every 4 years, and I mean all, if it has a liquid through it and its rubber change it. I don't have issues.

HS

I agree with a lot of your schedule. But why change good brakes. I get double what you list out of brakes. It's not like worn brake pads/shoes leave a driver stranded.