I am open for ideas.

Two weeks ago, my wife and I left for Florida for vacation. We left my heavily modified 2004 F150 with out son and took my wife's 2006 F150. I had scheduled to have a rush spot under the paint on the hood fixed and my son agreed to get it taken care of. A week ago, Thursday, my son picked up the truck and within an hour called to tell me the truck was running very poorly. In fact, the truck completely lays down when it warms up and the RPM's exceed 1600. It throws P300 & P316 CELs. My diagnostic monitor shows misfires on random cylinders. The engine runs just fine under no load in Park or Neutral. Under load, it misfires like crazy and the exhaust is hotter than normal (I think this is due to Air / Fuel problems causing the misfires so likely symptom only)

Following are the tests we have run and the tech at the Ford Garage has run:

1. Relative Compression Test
2. Fuel Injector Test
3. Fuel Delivery including Pump Pressure
4. Replaced the PCM
5. Replaced the Coils
6. Vacuum Check
7. Mass Air Flow Volts Tested
8. Mass Air Flow Sensor replaced
9. Visual looking for any wires rubbed through
10. Fuel extracted and tested

The master tech and I are at wits end. If you have any ideas, look at my list of mods. The latest mods are the Plasma Ignition Booster and the High Flow CATS. Both were done approx 2000 miles before I began experiencing these issues. The last change we did was to remove the headers and reinstall them with new gaskets and copper adhesive sealant and stage 8 locking bolts.

I am completely baffled.

 

Check the specs vs acutal voltage on the plasma booster. If it isn't getting a full voltage while under load, that could be why you're getting random misc misfires

 

Will do. While I did not remove the booster, I believe the master tech removed it during his tests and the issue persisted. I am going to get the truck from the dealership today and conduct some of my own tests this weekend. This will be one of them.

Anybody else have any ideas.

 

2004 Ford F-150 Pickup 5.4L, Vin 5



Mileage: 57523



Customer Concern: There is a ticking noise in the engine. It appears to be coming from the valve train area. Misfire on #4. Codes P0304 and P0316. Has fresh clean oil. Checked oil pressure, 60-65lbs.



Tests: Diagnose per TSB 04-22-1 for possible scuffed piston/s.



Potential Causes: Scuffed pistons and/or cylinders.



Tech Tips: Ford is suggesting engine replacement if physical damage is noted. Accompanying this repair is a PCM reflash.



Diagnostic Codes: P0304, P0316



User Comments: Close Comment(s)




Category: Engine Mechanical
Diagnostic Codes
Noises, Vibrations, Odors



Instead of a relative compression test, which is just a power balance test done with the wds, I would recomend you pull the plugs. Chances are you will find your problem that way. The above was copied from a tech site I belong to. There is also a TSB pertaining to a p0316 but I an unable to convert it from a pdf file to display it.

 

Yesterday, armed with a TSB 06-3-3 Spark Knock along with P0300 & P0316, I met the Service Director when at 07:30 AM. The tech had already pulled my truck in and was beginning to work on it. I spent the next hour reviewing next steps. I went through Quintin's recommendations along with the TSB above. We then began examining other symptoms. I left an hour later. At 05:00 Pm, I was back and learned that the root cause of the P0300 & the P0316 was burned down tips on all of my spark plugs. What? How could all of the spark plugs be burned down after only 17,000 miles. Some of you may remember, mine was the truck that had the spark plugs broken off in the heads requiring an Engine tear down.

I will be discussing this with Mike Troyer in the next couple of days. What caused the tips on the plugs to burn down after only 17K. Hmm. Following is an idea and I am real interested in additional input.

I have had several suggest the Plasma Ignition Booster; but, I'm not so sure. The Plasma has only been on the truck for about 2000 miles. Coult it be ? Others on this fourm have been using this same booster and haven't reported this issue ? Also, Ford has suddenly changed the plug for the 2004. The TSB referenced above was updated just two months ago and calls for a PZ1T plug; however, Ford has now recommended PZ2T as the plug for the 2004 F150 and examination of the plugs shows a visible difference. The plug now has a tip on the ground as well.

I am real interested in thoughts here. I will be getting the truck back this morning and am not sure if I will re-attach the Plasma.

 

Can you post a pic of one of the plugs? From the sounds of it I would guess timing or real lean mixture. But seeing a plug would help a lot.

 

I'll get them from the dealer; but, I looked at the plugs and they have a reasonable brown color. I expected to see white; but, didn't. The gaps were out at .055 on the ones we checked.

 

Wider gap hotter the spark,but if ford changed the plug on the engine,they must know something and are not saying.

 

If the truck was running ok when you took it to be worked on, and started running bad after it was picked up by your son..............

Sounds like someone did some thrashing in your truck.

 

So whatever happened with this issue??

 

Spark Plugs were burned up. Oil was burned as well. The oil in the truck was Royal Purple with a high flash point. Looks like cylinder head temps were around 500 degrees. It's a long story; but, root cause was a dyno run with no air flow (electric fans were not working) and very high engine temps.

 

.

Who put the truck on the Dyno??

 

The dyno shop. They put a small fan in front of the truck; but, it was nowhere near strong enough. I should have known better; but, didn't catch it until I was looking at the charts after this problem was resolved.

 

So who was sitting behind the wheel and let the engine temps get so hi during the dyno run?

You have a real nice hot rod there, I'd be having someones lunch if that was my truck.

But thanks anyway for sharing the outcome. Always glad to hear it's not the truck, but operator error, like in this case.

 

yeah dude that sucks. especially burning Royal Purple. Hope everything else goes smooth that is one nice truck