My 2004 Screw 4x4 w/ 5.4 needs some engine help. I have never really been satisfied with the power of this truck even when it was new. Prior to this I had a 1999 F250LD 4x4 also with a 5.4 rated 265 HP?? and my seat of the pants feel is that it would toast my 2004. I am a Ford fan through and through but their engines have always been weak OE compared to GM I think. My wife's 2003 Yukon XL 5.3 will blow my current F150 away.

Now at 90K, obviously I like the truck otherwise so I've decided to keep it for a while longer and possibly sell it to my son in two years.

Lately it seems like the truck is especially slow. I'm talking it won't climb a freeway hill at 70 without shifting down. When I mash the throttle to pass, even on a downshift the engine makes nothing but noise and accelerates little. I think it runs better on cool mornings than in the afternoon but overall a toad. I would expect it to be down a little at 90K but if I don't do something I'm not sure I can last two more years. I'm off the extended Ford warranty so without a blower or getting inside the engine, what reasonable and reliable recommendations can any of you make to get it to run better and possibly pick up a little mileage along the way?

FYI the 3.73 ratio truck is bone stock except a Bilstein lift and 33x12.50x17 Goodyear ATS tires. I need to keep it CA smog legal. What should I do?

 

sounds like something is up with the truck...have you ever had the PCM reflashed with a newer tune from Ford? some of the 04/05's had an issue with their tunes. late 05's and 06+ have different fuel maps

my 06 FX4 with 5.4 and 3.73 gears isn't a road demon, but it does get the job done quickly and with plenty of power to spare.

FYI...for comparison, I have a 5.7 Hemi Durango in the driveway also. I still think the 5.4 is a good engine with decent power. I know what you mean about it not having equitable power


MODS: 4.56 gears. since you are Cali, I can't recommend exhaust and CAI and tuner. gears alone will give your truck a huge kick in the butt...and solve your downshifting problem immediately
the 04+ body style is on average 1,000#'s per cab style heavier than the 1998-2003 Body style.

they only gained 30ish HP...and the 1,000 lbs of weight

 

Your budget will affect the total performance improvement you will see from the 5.4. I assure you a supercharger will turn yours into a monster, even with the high mileage you have.

If you haven't started with an overall tuneup, i.e. plugs, K&N filter, intake cleaning, etc, I would start there. Then work your way to synthetic fluids.

 

Clean your MAF sensor.

Then get some custom tuning.

 

Yeah, that extra 1,000 lbs isn't helping you at all. My '99 F150 had some decent power for a v6, and I was pretty confident driving it. My '07 is a joke, it holds up traffic, people get really mad, and I lost my Scab.

 

Cool......Ducks Unlimited. My buddies used to be big supporters in Santa Clarita in the 80's. I used to go to the annual auction with them....I won a Remington 1187 once. It was fun and I get along with that crowd.

How do I clean the MAF sensor. Does my dip**** dealer do it? Where do I get "custom tuning"?

 

1. get electronics alcohol (Radio Shack) or a MAF cleaner at parts store

2a. go to dealer and ask what PCM version you are running...if a new one exists, ask them to update to the latest for your truck...maybe $100
2b. buy a programmer (Edge) and rerogram PCM yourself...but you'll need to remove at inspection time

 

Dont do this. The edge programmer is just a canned tune, and these 5.4 3V trucks dont seem to like those much. My truck ran horribly with the Edge.

Check out the tuning forum for lots of info. The site favorites for custom tuning are:

www.vmptuning.com

www.troyerperformance.com

www.powerhungryperformance.com

 

so you recommend buying a xcal programmer and getting their tunes? correct me if I'm wrong, but those tunes are "canned" also.

unless dyno tuning is done, it's all subjective with very safe margins to ensure motor damage isn't done.

In this case, the Edge is a better choice. You get the cool little gage functions with it...and it's CARB certified in California. Not to mention the OP has 90,000 miles + and it probably isn't a good idea to overly tax that engine/transmission with big changes in performance

 

I'll try to explain it. The Edge has a generic tune on it, written for all Ford F150s. However, there are hundreds of different factory codes out there, all slightly different. So the Edge can never get the "perfect" tune for all said parameters.

Custom tuning can. You give the tuner every piece of information about your *specific* vehicle, and they tailor the perfect tune. Several members on this site have gotten dyno readings with a custom tune and an Edge side by side....the custom tune was by far safer for the truck and had perfect a/f ratios (edge was running truck very lean), and yet still produced more power. Custom written tunes are far from canned. I've used both, i can tell you the custom tuning even "feels" better, the transmission is a TON better than with a canned tune.

I live in CA, and i run the xcal2 with custom tunes. When i had the Edge it was not CARB certified, and in fact it said "illegal for use in CA" on the side of the box. i have 90k miles on my truck, and im lifted on 35s (more taxation on drivetrain). My truck runs stronger and safer now than it did the day it rolled off the lot. The Edge will throw it farther out of factory parameters than any custom tune will.

 

Most "tuners" will give you marginal performance gains.

The bottom line is if you want performance > 7% you'll need to either go with a supercharged/turbocharged option or nitrous to get the happy improvements you're really looking for.

 

EDGE is CARB certified. that alone tells me it isn't bad for your vehicle. Emissions are too fickle for the Edge to harmful to your motor...and the CARB process is too detailed and straight-jacketed.

Your right that the Edge is middle of the road in power gains. Alot of guys have shown that 250-260 RWHP is achievable with our trucks with bolt-ons and custom tuning. I think the Edge is +25 HP? I would rather have safe ECU fuel maps that gain me some performance (Edge), than tighter margin ECU maps from across the country that were developed from other trucks (Xcal Troyer)...and not my truck specifically.

tuning the vehicle sight unseen...I'm very skeptical that anything Mike Troyer or the other tuners offer is truly worlds better than the Edge itself. Everything they offer is a best guess. A very well educated guess, but still a guess. There will be small gains and improvements...because as you pointed out, there are soo many different ECU fuel maps and the various differences between the years.

Without the dyno tuning, a Xcal programmer isn't worth the expense and trouble associated with it. For just some better safe performance and that little something extra, the Edge is the best product on the market right now.


I agree 100% though that the Xcal is a better tuner in all respects. It's just dependant on Dyno tuning. My argument is that the Edge is the better tuner for the OP's useage. It's a true Plug n' Play setup.

 

what maintenance (if any) have you done to the truck?

Spark plugs? Air filter? Fuel filter?

What kind of fuel do you use?

These things should be covered first, as they could have a lot to do with a lagging engine at 90k. My Dad's 2004 5.4 shows no signs of age.

 

If I get the cleaner, what exactly is the procedure for cleaning the MAF? Do I unbolt it from the intake or what?

I have religiously followed Ford's maintenance schedule but it does not call for the plugs yet......obviously they are good to 100K????

You guys lost me on the tuning thing. It appears to be a matter of at least some opinion but as far as I can gather, I need someone to put the truck on a dyno with these electronic gadgets? I assume said dyno tech needs to know what to do with said electronic programmer. If this is the case, how can I find a reliable place to do it near Los Angeles that won't screw up my truck?

Is at least cat-back exhaust or other not worthwhile on these trucks? I'm not a kid so I really don't want all the noise but the Banks on my last 454 motorhome had me racing cars up freeway hills.

 

The best way to clean the MAF is to take the intake tube off and spray electronic cleaner (just say NO to carb cleaner or expect to replace the sensor) across all sensors. Do not take the MAF sensor out.

You should replace your spark plugs every 30-40K regardless of what Ford says. We've all had our share of fun with these plugs already.

On a stock setup, exhaust won't do you much good. The motor isn't producing enough power to expect any sort of real gains from all the money, noise, and hassle.

When you go the supercharged route, a true dual setup with minimum 2.5" pipes and a crossover point is an absolute must. I can't stress this enough.