Well I decided to stat a new thread to see if I can generate some more interest in my problems.......

Took the truck in for Cam Phasers and it turns out I need new heads. My 05 F-150 4x4 with only 34,600 miles and a 5.4 motor is basically junk now. The cam lobes are trashed and there was enough sludge in the heads to fill a slurppie cup. SUCK!!!! So Ford will not warrantee it because of non service and abuse. Thank you previous owner!!!! What else should I be worried about other than the heads. I was thinking Rod and Main bearing need replaced along with the oil pump. Any thoughts????????????????????

 

Just rebuild it. Sometimes you can get an entire engine fairly cheaply from a wrecked truck. We did it for my sons Ranger. Probably dump the truck after that. You are likely in for all kinds of problems. If the maintenance wasn't completed, my guess is the rest of the truck was thrashed 4 wheelin' or something.

 

Wow, That thing must have been abused bad.

If it is that bad you might as well play it safe and tear the engine completely down and take a good look at everything. Heck the cylinder walls and piston ring might have too much wear on them as well. I would say this is going to get expensive in a hurry for you

Best of luck and I would try and find the previous owner and hit them over the head with one of the bad cams.

 

Run a combo of 50% motor oil & 50% auto trans fluid in the motor. Let idle and run for 30 minutes. Trans fluid has amazing cleaning properties and can clean the motors with sludge out rather quickly. Be sure to change the oil filter before you fill it up with oil and run it. I know many here will bash me for this, and do research before you throw this in your motor..... I buy quite a few old trucks to make into offroad toys that are usually neglected and have sludge pretty bad. Some are even starving for oil because the pick up was so clogged, but I have had really good luck bringing these motors back using this method. Saved me from having to take the heads off and clean the thing manually

 

I ain't gonna beat you up about that. While it's not ideal, it can help...transmission fluid has a lot of detergents in it that can help free up some of the sludge and crap in the engine.

 

lemon busters on those used rides!

chris

 

So sorry to hear about your misfortune :[ That's no good.

 

Sorry about your luck. It must have been bad abuse!

I have one question (not wanting to steal this thread, but related)...? At the 30K maintainance at the dealership, the service rep hit me up for an engine flush to remove the sludge. I was a little concerned since I always use the recommended lubes and such. So to someone like Quintin, do these motors accumulate alot of sludge over 30K to require a "flush"? I follow the book with every 5K oil changes, and I do not tow/haul alot of stuff. If it is something that is indeed required (why I'm asking a tech), then I guess that I will do that at 45K instead. Thanks.

 

If you change the oil at the reccomended interval and use a good quality oil a flush is never needed. Oil has detergents already in it to help prevent and even clean out sludge, so the best thing is stick to your service schedule. All "engine flushes" do is flush the money from ur wallet

 

Who did you buy the truck from, private party or dealer? Was it advertised as "well kept" or "well maintained"? Did you ask the previous owner (if private party) about their maintenance schedule? If the seller made any kind of representation that it was maintained according to Ford's requirements, then you may approach them about paying for half of the cost to repair. The alternative is that you could take them to small claims court. Granted, used car's are typically sold "as-is", but if they made a representation that it was properly maintained, and you now have solid proof that is WASN'T, then that could be interpreted as fraud, and you could prevail in a lawsuit.

 

Naw, the flush thing is a drastic measure, IMO...if you already know the engine's sludged up, there's nothing else to lose, might as well give it a try. I had one of my valve covers off at around 34Kish or so to replace a cam phaser, and there wasn't nary a hint of sludge present. I change my oil every 3K with a Motorcraft filter and Motorcraft oil.

 

Thanks, guys. I feel better know.

 

I bought my truck from a dealer here in Virginia. Not only did it have the remainder of the factory warrantee I purchased the additional 60,000 mile warantee. The dealer sold me a lemon in my opinon. I have had the truck in three times now for the motor noise. It has been making it since day one. I am not sure what my options are. I have contacted the dealer that sold it to me, I have contacted Ford, so hopefully between the two they will make it right.

 

Yes, but the point I was getting at was, did the dealer tell you that it had been properly maintained when you bought it? If so, then that condition could of become a verbal part of the transaction. So if they told you that it had been maintained properly, and you bought it based on that info, then they could be partly responsible... OTOH, if they said they sold it to you on the basis that they had no idea what the previous owner did with it, then you have absolutely no claim...

Either way, I don't think that ANY warranty (factory or exteneded) will pay to have your truck fixed. IMO your only recourse could be against the selling dealer, IF, at the time of sale, they indicated to you that it had been properly maintained... Even then, you're going to have an uphill battle, but at least you'd have a LITTLE ground to stand on.

 

They told me it was a good truck with no reference to how it was serviced. I find it really depressing that I could be screwed in this whole thing. I would have never bought it if I would have known the motor had that much damage. Ford said they wold make there decision on Wed.