hey every one
I'm new to the forum and I need some help. I just bought a 01 ford f150 with the 5.4 dohc 4x4 about 6 months ago. When I bought the truck it sound like it had an exhaust leak. Then about a month ago it started to miss and skip while at idle and when giving the gas slowly and about week ago the check engine light came on and I cared it to a local shop to get check out. It was missing on the first plug on the pass. side, the same side that the exhaust leak sound is coming from. They said it was a burnt valve so they check the compression and it didn't have alot or any at all. I talked to tech at the Ford dealership and he said that he has been working on the 5.4 for 10 years and never seen a burnt valve. He told me to check the valve spings, so I did and they seem to be tight. I just wonder if yall might have had the same problem

 

Let me correct you on some things-not trying to be a jerkFirst of you have a SOHC 5.4 Ford never put a DOHC in the f-150's unless if was a Lightning or a harley truck-I may be incorrect about that anyone feel free to correct me Second you have an OVERHEAD CAM ENGINE-i.e NO valve springs. I would change all your plugs and COP's {ignition coil on plugs} w/ ONLY MOTORCRAFT plugs COP's. You may also have a vaccum leak or a dirty throttle body as well hope this help you out a bit

 

sorry i might be wrong thats justwant the machanic at the shop said. He also said that them heads was job to get off and the hardest part was setting the time on both cams. He wanted $900 dollars just to take the head off. that just labor no parts or anything. that why I was talking to the tech from the ford place. thanks for the info

 

sorry i might be wrong thats just want the machanic at the shop said. He also said that thems heads was a job to get off and hardest part was setting the timeing on both sides. he wanted $900 just to take the head off. thats just labor no parts or anything. thats why I was talking to the tech from the ford place. thanks for the info. if U got the message twice sorry about that. Still trying to learn my way around the forum

 

What was the codes that were pulled from the misfire?
What were the compression numbers and who did the test.
The passenger side exhaust manifold was common for leaking, you probably have a couple of broken studs. I got mine fixed at an exhaust shop for around $300.

Be weary of what the dealership tells you, always get a second opinion if your unsure about something and don't know enough about it to tell whether its true or not.

 

I don't really know because I trop it of at a local shop and went to work. when I went back to pick it up thats when they told me want they thought was wrong and the price of fixing it. That shop is the one who did the codes test and the compression test. Far as the compression test goes, all they told me it was hitting on nothing. I should of let the ford dealer do the test but didn't wont to spend that money

 

The dealer will do a "120 point inspection" and a compression test for about $80

Just wish you had more of an understanding about what the issue is. Something tells me someones trying to burn you. Sounds like you have an exhaust leak at the passenger manifold due to broken exhaust studs which is common. And a missfore on one of your cylinder which is most likely a bad coil. You could probably use some simple maintenance like plugs, cleaning your mass air flow sensor and idle air control.

First thing you should do though is get the codes pulled for free at maybe autozone if you have one near you. Then bring the actual codes back here.

 

Thanks again Toyz. I have a couple of ducks I have to get ready to mount today but as soon as I get a break I'll run to Advance and let them run the codes for me. Ill be back on here later today.

 

how many miles are on the truck? I just did the head gaskets on my 2000 5.4l with 125k. I have quite a few pictures from my job not sure if i posted them on this site or not. Now I did this job with two master mechanics, Dad and Uncle and they both said it was a crap load easier than expected. You need a cam and crank locking tool. Do not take that truck out of time if you do it yourself. Now ill get details from them or someone can chime in but you have to lock down the pass cam, and crank and mark the teeth on the cam and crank with chain links. If you have engine experience they've said it wouldnt be that hard of job. But if your a valve spring push rod type of mechanic and your off a tooth timing it, you'll bend ever valve. If you want do a facebook search Travis Bowman, my truck is my picture, i have an album of all my pics fromt he job. NOW my truck did the exact same things your did and i had a cylinder 4 misfire and my truck would get pretty hot. not over heat.. it was sucking air in from head gasket and locking the thermostat up. Once we got the heads off u could see where it blew out, and my head was warped a little bit, YOU CAN SHAVE THESE HEADS WITH THE CAM IN THE HEAD!! everyone says you can but its BS we did you just need to loosen the cam. let me get back with you on some more details. If in fact someone isnt trying to bur you and youhave a serious problem. y truck did have alot of broken manifold studs as he mentioned haha. so i went with headers lol

 

Not sure, but I think Advance charges to get codes. Autozone has a nationwide policy to do it for free. Make sure you don't pay for something that should be free. You can always call ahead.

 

It should be free, atleast it is around here. I think autozone just advertizes it more.

To the OP, I'm not as knowledgeable on the internals of an engine as some, but I'm not so sure I'd believe the mechanic saying your exhaust leak led to a burnt valve. Not saying its impossible, but I think it would be far more common if it were true. If you can, get another opinion. I'm with Toyz on this though, get the codes and check to see what they are, but I think your problem could be fixed with a simple tune-up with new plugs, wires, coils and some good cleaning.

 

Incorrect, sir - ALL engines have valve springs. OHV engines have pushrods, lifters, and rocker arms where OHC's have cam followers and lash plungers.

Burned or stuck valve. Pull the valve cover and check everything up top, then stick a borescope down the plug hole and see what you can see.

 

Thanks again for the info ya'll. I borrowed a friends code reader and went to Advance. My friends decoder read [0301] Cylinder 1 Misfire detection [0181] Fuel Temperature Sensor A Circuit/Performance and it also read 2 more but couldn't find it in his book.
[07E5] and [ES38] is the other 2 but they could be just one code because they blinked fast ater oneanother and the other one blinked slow.
I called the local shop to see c want the compression test was and he said that the needle gauge bounced alittle pass 0. He also said that sound I thought was a exhuast leak was the air by passing the value I wish it could be just a plug or a coil.

 

My truck has about 186000 miles. Let me know if I understood this right. I was informed that the 5.4 I have is a sohc becauce it has one cam on each side and I thought that ment I had dohc but I was told the dohc has 2 cams on each side. I know 4 sure that it has valve springs because the tect at the ford dealer told me to check that first and make sure they were not lose. I did and the spring looked and felt tight. I had another2001 f150 5.4 but a wrecked it. It was doing the same as this is now and I change the plug and the coil because of the AC line was running over the coil leaking in it. I was hoping the same thing was wrong this time but the lost of compression is want worries me.