I have a 2012 Lincoln Navigator with a 5.4 Triton motor. With a hundred and sixty something thousand miles on it. Check engine light came on and I had the codes checked I had a 301 to 304 and 300 code. Took it to a local shop they replaced all my spark plugs and two coils number 1 and number 4 cylinders. Shortly after the check engine light came on again same codes. It was suggested at AutoZone that I replace the VCT solenoid. This did not solve the problem. Other then running a little rough it seemed fine for a while. I put more miles on it. Could not get the problem resolved. Took it back to the same shop another mechanic looked at it. He pulled the plugs out the number one cylinder has a bent electrode on the spark plug. He said there's erratic vacuum reading on all cylinders. Says there is zero pressure in that cylinder. I don't know for sure I didn't see him do the test but I didn't see the spark plug. They are suggesting I replace the entire engine. I do not have the funds to do that I need this vehicle it is my job. The spark plugs are Champion spark plugs so I've been told that that was a bad choice that I should have used Motorcraft for Autolite. I remember the shop bragging that they only use OEM equipment and they were going to put in Motorcraft plugs but they couldn't find any so we put in Champion plugs instead. I appreciate any help. The car also started making the same noise this motor is notorious for so I thought it was going to be the cam phasers. It didn't start making that noise for a long time after they changed the plugs though.

 

An erratic vacuum reading is a bad sign. No pressure in No 1 is a VERY bad sign and so is the fact that the electrode is bent in the same cylinder. I'm guessing that the piston is broken. A bent or broken valve would give a similar reading but MOST likely would still show SOME pressure so I'm thinking that you have a catastrophic failure of the piston. You can get a borescope and look at the piston through the spark plug hole if you want to but I think it's going to be bad news. If the piston did shatter, then it's very likely that it could have damaged the cylinder wall, valves, the connecting rod and/or the crankshaft. And it's also very possible the bits of broken metal could have caused other damage in the engine. Replacing a piston is no small job but it sounds like you're going to need a COMPLETE overhaul of that engine and very likely some major parts too.

PERSONALLY I don't think that Champions are very good plugs but I don't think that they're what caused this.

 

thanks I was afraid it would be something along those lines. I was hoping it might be something along the lines of the fact that they did not use a torque wrench to put the spark plugs in. Also I've read other posts of people had problems with the champion plugs like the electrode wasn't placed in the center properly basically defective plug. I guess I don't know I wasn't there when they did the pressure test. Unfortunately you never know who's a shady shop.

 

thanks I was afraid it would be something along those lines. I was hoping it might be something along the lines of the fact that they did not use a torque wrench to put the spark plugs in. Also I've read other posts of people had problems with the champion plugs like the electrode wasn't placed in the center properly basically defective plug. I guess I don't know I wasn't there when they did the pressure test. Unfortunately you never know who's a shady shop.

 

Found a used 2013 motor from a F150 for a pretty good price with 70,000 miles on it. I realize they're basically the same motor but things like the intake and where the air conditioning and water pump, are may not be in the same place. Is this something that will create a problem to be able to use the intake manifold and the air conditioning off old motor. I'm just wondering if the blocks are different like where there holes that are already drilled that connect things.

 

The F-150 stopped using the 5.4 after 2010. Better recheck what you found. The only V8's in the 2013 F-150 were the Coyote 5.0 and the 6.2, neither of which have any parts interchangeable with a 5.4.

The only 2013 vehicles that still had the 5.4 3 valve were the Navigator and Expedition. The 2013 E-van had a 5.4 2 valve, also no interchangeable parts.

What you need is a 3 valve from a 2009/10 F-150 or a 2009 or later Expy/Navi.