My truck is going to the shop to get an engine put in it. The truck is an '04 FX4 and is in nice shape with 126,000 miles. It sat for a year after an oil pressure related phaser/passenger camshaft failure. The camshaft actually melted into the head's bearing journals. I couldn't stomach putting $5,000 into a truck worth $7,000-$8,000 that I've never really loved. After looking for about a month, I couldn't stomach the price of used trucks ($15,000+starting to rust), and I really don't want or need a $40,000 new truck. Anybody regret putting this kind of money into their truck?

 

Remember your name from the old days.
You got ridiculous miles out of 10th generation.
Head and shoulders above anybody else so, I don't have much sympathy.

 

I put a 5.4 in mine. the old one took a **** at 100k. I have a neighbor who has a fleet of 5.4 F-150s and he has replaced 7 of them. Be sure to use 5w-20 and the ford FL-820 filter

 

I cheated. I bought that truck 2 years old with 164,000 miles for $8200. I'll buy another like that if I ever get another chance.

This truck was 8 years old when I bought it. Once that truck got rusty with 332,000 miles, I wanted a GMC and 4x4. My wife kinda forced me into this POS because the last truck was so good to me. In 5 years I've had it, I've put 25,000 miles on it and will have spent about $6500 in repairs. After the engine, I hope to get another 4-5 years out of it.

 

Always did. It's just a crappy redesign of a really good engine. This is really true with the '04's!

 

Funny how some people with 5.4 3v can get 300K miles out of one & others have nothing but issues? Hit or miss with these engines?

 

It's not just the 5.4 3V. My brother in law has an otherwise beautiful Grand Marquis with the 3v 4.6L. Same issues my 5.4 has. Phaser knock, oiling issue.

For what it's worth. Used trucks near me are plenty spendy, $10 grand and up for a beater just because it has a truck bed and runs... To replace my 04 4x4 super cab with a new 4x4 super cab XLT 5.0L we are looking at an MSRP of just over $40,000.00

IF I couldn't find a top notch engine builder that could help me work out the kinks from Ford on my original engine, I would happily swap in a crate engine and keep it chugging along. It's been a decent enough truck, although not as much of a dream to own as my Ranger was...

I have owned my '04 since early '06 and have had the following problems with it...

#1. Ball joints. Replaced with Moog pieces. No problems since.
#2. Window regulators. Drivers door twice, passengers door once, passenger rear door once.
#3. Leaking third brake light.
#4. Sway bar end links / bushings gone bad. Replaced with Moog pieces. No problems since.
#5. Leaking headlights filing with water every time we had a hard rain.
#6. Failed transmission at 20K miles. Massive tranny leak caused by bad vent hose at 100k miles.
#7. Transmission shifter cable melted through because it was too close to the exhaust.
#8. Failed catalytic converters. Replaced with Flowmasters.
#9. Cam phaser / solenoid problems. I will write up on this more later. It is DEFINATELY oiling related, and Marvel Mystery oil, combined with plenty of time to do its work seems to be helping more than I could have hoped...

 

Put a new engine in 3 years ago at 98k and of course was not happy about having to do it. But cost of an unknown used engine or an unknown used truck was not attractive. I still have a problem in that I still have a 5.4 3v in a 13 year

 

You guys make me nervous, I have an 05 with 115k and other than the injector problems has been ok. I have used full synthetic since day one with only Ford oil filter. As everyone else said the window regulators, ball joints, etc. Are the phase adjusters the weak point, or how have you all maintained the engine, what kind of oil, etc.

 

Lenore, sorry to worry you but honest information is the great benefit of this forum since I have owned this 2004 5.4 3V. Here is where I learned of the cam phaser knock and had it fixed under warranty at 34K in 2006. In hindsight I should have ditched this truck then because I had to replace the engine at 98K in 2014. I have used Mobil 1 5W-20 and Motorcraft filters at 4,000 mile changes for 13 years but it didn't seem to do much good. I live in snow country but I have no rust because I take care of it. Yes I know I bought a lemon and will never buy another Ford for good reason. Good for those who have not had trouble with this engine. Hope the Eco-boost engines do better over the years.

 

FWIW my mechanic, who is a great mechanic, thinks, other than the engine, these are really solid trucks. For me it's underpowered for the gas mileage it gets, and the AC is weak. It does pull my car trailer well, and it's not as rusty a a GM would be around here.

 

The 5.0 has been in the F-150 for 6 years now with very few issues.

 

Sorry to hear about your failure, Ok your maintenance is same as mine. I guess it is the luck of the draw. (knock on wood) I bought this truck as an alternate to the Toyota Tundra in 2005, Love the ride, but I have had issues with fuel injectors, window regulators, brakes, original continental tires, clutch packs in rear end (under warranty). Other than that it has been solid. The air conditioning sucks when in town, and yes sometimes I admire the Toyota. But the size in 2005 was very small in the Tundra compared to the Ford. Hope mine keeps chugging along. Have a great day.

 

Bill, what about a WIX filter?

 

Wix makes NAPA Gold filters which I used in in my 93 Ranger for 180k and 01 Accord for 190k miles. Was going to use them in this 04 F150 until I read in this forum about the importance of the anti-drainback valve in the Mortorcraft filter. But I was not certain about the NAPA Gold. Plus the MC is half the price at Wally World.