I am currently contemplating the purchase of a 2011 5.0L F150. I currently have a 2004 5.4L 3V. Does the new engine design lend itself to better serviceability and less problems due to poor design? Are they regular spark plugs? Are there going to be cam phaser issues? Do the new engines have the dieseling/knocking sounds? Like with wines...was the 2004 just a bad year?

 

I can tell you that the broken spark plug problem was fixed with the 5.4 redesigned heads in early 2008. Who knows what problems the new engines may experience, too soon to know. I feel confident that there will be something to show up down the line. That is the nature with new designs in mechanical things.

 

I owned a 2004 until the cam phaser went out and damaged the engine. The engine was a $4,000 fix, and I didn't want to dump that amount back into the '04. I purchased my 2010 because of this. I can tell you that the 2010 doesn't have the diesel tick like my 2004 did. Like BLUEJAY said " too early to tell with other problems."

 

Judging by this link...

http://www.mycarstats.com/reports/fo...omplaints.aspx

It seems like 2004 was simply a lemon year.

Also...do you think it is too early to adopt the Ecoboost? I don't think that I can go without the V-8 engine sound either in a truck. But the whine of turbos might be cool too, but more moving parts to wear out at the same time.

 

The key to me is tht 2004 was the first year of a total engine redesign. They have improved every year through 2010. Now, 2011 is a redesign year, so if it were me, I would hold off a year to see what develops.

 

So that means Toyota then? I can't hold off another year.

*EDIT* The problems I had with my truck were more than just the engine too. Rear end rebuild 2x, transmission can't decide what gear to be in at certain speeds, fuel pump control module failure because of poor placement in the design, air bag sensor failure, IWE solonoid 2x, left front IWE actuator failure. Also, being without a warranty for a few years is really adding up.

 

That would be a bit drastic, Toyota has their own problems. There may not be any issues with the new engines, but if I were concerned about that being a possibility, I would look for a left over 2010.

 

Check my edit above...to be honest, if the engine does not slap and knock and the spark plugs are greatly more serviceable than the '04 that is probably good enough for me. For the most part, the 5.0 engine was used in the 2010 Mustang last year, and has at least 1 year of some sort of real world info to get back to Ford engineers through the service departments right?

 

Yes, the 5.0 should have some experience .

 

So should the EB - it's been in the Taurus SHO for a year now.

 

Thats what I did, traded my 06 for a 010 + 8K !

 

I've looked under the hood of a 5.0 truck and the plugs are right in the middle of the valve cover. They look to be pretty easy to get out as the only thing on top of them is the coil pack.

None of these motors are brand new. They have all been used in some other Ford product.

3.7 - Mustang
3.5EB - SHO, MKS, Flex
5.0 - Mustang, I also think some Aussie car uses it too
6.2 - SD