I am looking to buy my first F150 and would like some help. I have done extensive research and have come to a small delima. First off I am looking for a 2004-2010 4x4 crew or extended cab. I am weary of the 5.4L due to all the fuss over cam phaser issues and spark plug ejections. What I have found is that the 4.6 is a safer buy, However I have heard negative about them as well. . As far as horsepower is concerned that isn't a big deal to me. I won't pull anything I just want the truck to drive on trips like vacation and hauling general things in the bed. So I could care less that the 5.4 is more powerful. I want the one that is more reliable and isn't a money trap. Also if the V6 is good motor please feel free to discuss that too. So please comment and let me know what you guys think

 

The 4.2l and the 4.6l are stout engines. I recommend them in automatics.

I would look for something that has low mileage.

 

 

1. Although a good reliable engine, the 4.2 V6 was not even available in the 2004 new body style, and in 2005-2008 was only available in a regular cab 2wd.
2. The 5.4 3 valve did not eject plugs, the plugs would stick and break during removal. This was fixed in mid-2008 with a head redesign.
3. The 4.6 3 valve (2009-2010) had the same phaser issues.
4. The 4.6 2 valve had the plug ejection issues. This was cured by torquing them to 28 ft/lb.

I personally would get the 4.6 2 valve. However, why don't you look at a 2011 or newer with a 5.0 V8 or 3.7 V6?

Note that the 2009 and 2010 5.4 3 valve and 4.6 3 valve got the 6 speed automatic, all engines got it in 2011.

 

Absolutely correct in years prior to 2004. The 2004 4.6 2V came with revised heads and had long shank plugs and threads in the head. Know that if it has the 4 speed auto bolted to it, it's a land slug- I had one. MY 3.7 will blow the doors off of a good running 4.6 and will walk away from any normally installed 5.4 2 or 3 V engine. The 5.4 was great at one thing, eating gas and being a boat anchor. Probably the worst engine to ever sit in a Ford product. The 3.7 makes the same HP and it's all there where I've never seen a stock 5.4 make over 260HP on a dyno. If you're not pulling anything, the 3.7 is a perky engine. Otherwise it lacks low end grunt needed for pulling a trailer. The 5.0 is another good engine providing it is a 2012 or newer. The 2011s were plagued with metallurgy issues that were corrected mid year with no way to differentiate one from another. If power is unimportant, the 4.6 2v engines of 2004 and newer were near bulletproof. The engine was on Wards Ten Best List. In the 2004 SCRew XLT I had, I could get a little over 22 MPGs hiway at 65 mph. Any faster and it dropped like a rock. In a 4x4, I'd figure tops will probably around 15mpg. I'd avoid any of the early EcoBust engines= tons of problems.

 

I would recommend, if you can afford it, the 3.7l v6. There has been good talk about that engine.

Yes, it's anemic, BUT it is better than the 4.2l in terms of power. Also it seems a like a stout engine from what folks talk about (or don't talk about!).

If you live in a relatively flat area or you don't tow much, I'd honestly go for the 3.7l. Again, if you can afford it!

 

Labnerd - even with the long shank plugs and threads, there have been plug ejection issues simply due to the insufficient factory torque specs.

 

Remember, there were also spark plug launching issues way back in 1997 with the early modular motors that only had 3 threads holding the plugs in. That issue was solved with a revised head design. Could that be the issue the OP is referring to?

 

Getting back to the OP's question, I may have some personal experience that could help you make your decision. I had a 2005 regular cab / short box 4x4 with the 5.4 and the 4 speed automatic. I traded it in on a virtually identical 2010 - except it had the 4.6 with the 6 speed automatic. (Same rear gears.) The 4.6 would absolutely run away and hide from the 5.4 and got about 2-3 more MPG. The whole difference was due to the transmission. And since both engines are pretty much the same except for displacement, they had similar issues.

So my advice would be to get the 4.6 - if it has the 6 speed.

 

The 6 speed 4.6 was the 3 valve with VCT's and phasers.

Yes, I know the 2004+ 4.6 2 valve had more threads, but there are STILL issues with plugs ejecting due to insufficient factory torque specs.

 

i think the bigger question is budget. life always comes down to time and money. the people that say price does not matter are the ones that cry the loudest when reality hits

You want the newest truck, in the best condition you can find. Ask yourself, would you rather have a newer truck with more miles or an older truck with fewer miles. a newer truck in medium condition or an older in great condition.

I would get the newest truck I could afford. What was loaded and top of the line in 2007 is a middle of the road today.

 

Wow, I didn't know the 4.6 / 2 valve was even still available that late. I thought they were all 3 valve motors starting in 2004 or so. Thanks for the correction!

BTW, I had a couple of 4.6 / 2 valve motors (1997 & 2002) and they were turds.

 

The last year of the 4.6 2 valve in the F-150 was 2010. It never got the 6 speed transmission, it kept the old 4 speed.
The 4.6 3 valve was only available in the F-150 in 2009 and 2010. It had the 6 speed.

To you, the 4.6 2 valve may have been a turd, but it was very reliable and to a lot of people, the power was adequate, especially in the 2001 and newer versions with PI heads. It had more power than the pushrod 302/5.0 it replaced, which was a very popular engine in pre-1997 F-150's.

 

You have a very good point on reliability of the 2 valve motor. For instance, my 2005 / 5.4 liter / 3 valve didn't even make it out the door on delivery day as I refused it. The next day they had the whole front of the motor off replacing both cam phasers to get it to sound less like a diesel. I couldn't believe it even made it out of the assembly plant with all that racket. I kept it for another 60,000 miles, but they were filled with various (mostly motor related) issues before trading it in on my 2010 4.6 / 3 valve - which was a far better truck.