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I've owned my 04 3 years. I must say, I wasn't aware of all the issues that plague some 04 trucks. I had heard stories about the 3 valve engine's cam phasers and the ridiculous spark plug design. My truck had 186k miles on it and a lit check engine light when I bought it. Truck had spent its life within 75 miles of where it was purchased, so no rust issues. The paint looked good, minus some fine scratches, no accidents or signs of repairs, and a clean interior, so I bought it. CEL was the knock sensor wires that had been chewed into by mice. Engine had the original phasers, and they would knock at hot idle. I weighed the idea of doing a timing job and upgraded oil pump versus replacing the engine with a new one. Drove it 10k miles, decided on a new engine from Powertrain, while the engine was out I had the transmission refreshed. I've upgraded the shocks and struts changed the wheels, and lowered it. The OEM paint quality on this truck is amazing. I clayed it, did a two step polish and waxed it. I like my truck and I really like not having a truck payment.
Love your truck buddy. I've seen you post in the 11th gen FB group. Had my truck for almost 14 years. Long journey modding mine over the years, and I've been toying with painting mine your color combo. Actually had saved a picture of your truck haha. Eventually be adding a fog bumper, cowl hood and some other items to get it where I have enivisioned it over the years. These trucks don't need much to look classy imo. Lots of HD parts on mine.
Love your truck buddy. I've seen you post in the 11th gen FB group. Had my truck for almost 14 years. Long journey modding mine over the years, and I've been toying with painting mine your color combo. Actually had saved a picture of your truck haha. Eventually be adding a fog bumper, cowl hood and some other items to get it where I have enivisioned it over the years. These trucks don't need much to look classy imo. Lots of HD parts on mine.
getting ready to pull the engine for the first time
i have had my 04 for about 13 years now. it is not my daily driver and overall i've only put about 41k on it in all that time. it has 134k now. i've been real happy with the truck though and the only time it let me down was when it spit the #2 plug. (4.6 engine)
ever since i bought it though, it's always had a persistant oil leak up near the valve cover or the front cover on the passenger side right near the a/c compressor. i tried to fix it a couple of years after i bought the truck by doing the front cover, oil pan, and vc gaskets, but the leak returned. meantime i just lived with it. but the last couple of years i have pulled the engines out of my mustangs for the first time, and have learned alot, so now i am going to try it on this truck. looking forward to it!
goal is to all gaskets (including head gaskets), upgrade all spark plug threads, and of course clean it all up. truck doesn't burn any oil or water and runs great, so i doubt if i will do valve stem seals or anything else, but we'll see how it all looks. cheers -
Yesterday truck kept dying on me while driving. Long story short, have to remove the intake manifold and replace the runner valve on the back. Got everything out runner replaced but here's MY issue. I don't know where this coupler came from. I literally found it in a bunch of wet rags that I using to sop up the antifreeze on the passenger side where a heater hose was plugged into. Now I know it will fit in metal portion that the hose was plugged into, but I believe that any pressure would move the part/coupler up in the hose. I noticed that there are some marks around the edge so that tells me its attached to something that's clamped onto it. Can someone PLEASE help me with this one? 04 F150 5.4 3V. some type of coupler
i have had my 04 for about 13 years now. it is not my daily driver and overall i've only put about 41k on it in all that time. it has 134k now. i've been real happy with the truck though and the only time it let me down was when it spit the #2 plug. (4.6 engine)
ever since i bought it though, it's always had a persistant oil leak up near the valve cover or the front cover on the passenger side right near the a/c compressor. i tried to fix it a couple of years after i bought the truck by doing the front cover, oil pan, and vc gaskets, but the leak returned. meantime i just lived with it. but the last couple of years i have pulled the engines out of my mustangs for the first time, and have learned alot, so now i am going to try it on this truck. looking forward to it!
goal is to all gaskets (including head gaskets), upgrade all spark plug threads, and of course clean it all up. truck doesn't burn any oil or water and runs great, so i doubt if i will do valve stem seals or anything else, but we'll see how it all looks. cheers -
just an update to this post and what i did to this truck a couple years ago.
honestly, this has to be some of the best money i spent because now it's almost like a new truck that i am sure will last me many years - and, as stated above, the prices of new or used trucks is ridiculous anymore. so far i think i have about 25k miles on it with the new heads and rebuilt transmission and it runs great.
as long as frame/body rust is not an issue, my advice is always to repair or rebuild.
these 11th gens are great trucks imo. cheers
Bought that 2004 brand new in May of 04, and just sold it at auction in July of 25. Changed out the radiator, and two spark plug swaps. Nothing else but oil changes every 3.5k on that 5.4. Replaced it with a 25 Nissan Frontier, so we'll see how long that lasts.
