I have an 06 F-150 4x4 with the 5.4L Flex Fuel V-8. The truck has 133,000 miles on it. This morning, the truck was very hard to start. It took me 4-5 times of cranking the engine for 30 seconds or more before it started. Once it starts, it idles fine. Out on the road, the engine cuts out and the truck bucks pretty hard. The truck doesn't die, and the issue is intermittent. I changed the fuel filter less that 10,000 miles ago. The Check Engine Light has NOT come on. What could my problem be? Thanks.

 

Just stabbing guesses here but TPS, MAF, maybe air filter, clogged injectors, low line pressure etc...

Are you throwing a code?

 

I'd suggest getting it scanned for codes even if the CEL isn't on.

 

How many miles on the spark plugs and fuel filter?

 

Not trying to be a jerk, I miss this stuff a lot too...

Per the OP Good question about the plugs though...

 

i'd also check your fpdm above the spare tire and see if its corroded through and shorting out the circuit board inside, this could cause hard starts or no starts and also shutting engine down while driving.

 

Id check this! Had mine crap out last winter on me, it broke in 2 fro the corrosion. One thing i noticed that the truck would do before it died, was that the idle would surge when the fan would engage

 

After letting the truck sit for 5 hours, it started fine and has not had any other problems.
I've had it scanned, and go no codes. I have a scanner, not just a code reader, and everything checks out.
The fuel filter has less than 10k miles on it, the plugs are the original ones.
I have not checked the fuel pump driver module above the spare tire yet.
The morning that I had the problem, the truck had sat out in the rain for 24 hours prior, and it was still raining. The weather has been dry since. Today it is raining, and has been for a few hours. I'm gonna plug the scanner in before I start it and see what happens. I'll let y'all know. Thanks for the help.

 

to be honest with you, with the age of the truck and as many miles are on it, i would go ahead and replace the fpdm as a maintenance item, i replaced mine last fall, truck wasn't having any issues, but i'm glad i replaced it because it was corroded and had a couple holes in it. the new style has stand off's that space the fpdm away from the frame cross member, i also coated the aluminum with undercoating

 

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/more...801&cc=1432394

$57.79.

 

Thanks for all of the replies guys. Yesterday I was heading from home (near St Louis, in Southern IL) to Northern IL for the funeral of a fellow firefighter. I got caught in the big storms and lots of rain. The truck began cutting out again. I had the OBD II scanner with me and plugged it in. It showed that the fuel rail pressure was falling below 10psi. Normal is around 38psi. I contacted the nearest part store to my location, but before I could get there, the truck died. No fuel pressure at all. Luckily another firefighter stopped and gave us a ride. When we got back to the truck, there was still no Check Engine Light, but the scanner was picking up a Fuel Rail Pressure Sensor code. Changed the Fuel Pump Driver Module out and everything is fine so far. The old one was rusted through. No idea how it was working at all. Anyway, it took me 20 minutes and $120, but I now have fuel pressure!