Been reading about it on various threads. Seems like many still
report quite a few problems going on it 3rd year. What has
Ford done to improve the engine say from 2004, to 2005 and now
to 2006.

 

Besides the engine having no NADS, there is no problems at all.

 

no problems yet on my 06' with about 600 miles on it...i've heard the spark plugs are a problem to change but other than that i haven't heard of any major problems? this motor sure beats my old 5.4L i had in my 99!

 

yah...you better change those plugs every 10k just to be sure they didn't seize on you...

 

Anyone ever notice moisture accumulating underneath the oil fill cap when the truck sat for about a week. This is happening to me there's a yellow sludge like substance collecting under the oil fill cap. I sometimes don't drive my truck for a week at a time. Moisture in the engine but I haven't touched the motor

 

The cams, cam phasers and lash adjusters were changed in '05+ engines, but otherwise they're basically the same.

 

I Have the same yellow sludge on my fill cap I cleaned it off about 4 months ago but it came back Any body have an answear?

 

It's normal condensation. Happens often when the truck sits up for a few days and/or you're making lots of short trips without letting the engine reach full operating temperature to burn the condensation off. Don't worry about it.

 

Thank You QUINTIN

 

Quinton you have an idea why they did these changes, my 04 is very quiet except for a little injector noise???K

 

I dunno. Because they're stupid, probably. If the day ever comes that you decide to DIY your camshafts, phasers, or just about anything else in the valvetrain on an '04 5.4 3V, do not use 2005 or newer model year parts, otherwise you'll be in store for a world of hurt.

 

Quintin, can I ask? What problems do the later model valvetrain incite? Is it just a noise issue, or do the phasers rattle more than before? I only ask because in all the responses I saw when searching, it seemed the phasers rattled in earlier models, and less and less motors made the noise as the production line continued.

E.

 

I think the lash adjusters were changed because they incited some noise in some '04 engines. I need to correct myself though, I think the only parts that won't interchange between '04 and '05+ engines are the camshafts and phasers, i.e. can't put an '05 model year phaser on an '04 camshaft or vice versa.

 

It seems most auto manufacturers do some changes to the engine
as a new model year comes around. So was wondering what
Ford has done to the 5.4.

Some of the post talk about engine or valve noise, knocking. Dont notice
anything as of yet on mine but hardly any miles.

 

I just passed the 40K mark (today in fact) on my '04 w/5.4L. This is my daily driver which sees its fair share of short trips, errands, and several 1k+ mile trips. I have not had a single issue with the engine nor any drive train component on this truck. My build date was 10/03 so I suspect that I have one of the earliest 5.4L 3V on this board and it has never, let me say that again, never given me even the slighest hint of a malfunction (no CEL's, no stalling, nothing)

This has proven to be one of the most reliable new trucks that I have ever owned/driven especially considering all of the new advancements that Ford put into the latest generation F150.

Ox