OK here's my situation. I took my 98 Expedition with the 5.4L Triton 158k miles into the shop on Monday after the stuttering (missing?) I was experiencing had gotten worse (went from only when warm to all the time). I got a call from them today and they let me know one of the first things I needed was the PVC Elbow that was creating a vacuum leak. I get them to replace that, as of then my total bill was around $195 for diagnostics and compression check + Elbow. After they replaced the PVC elbow they still get a rough idle and they narrowed it down to 2 things it could be. 1.) The Mass Airflow Sensor or, 2.) The spark plug boots carbon tracking (or something). I already had all 8 spark plugs replaced less then 200 miles ago so I just got off the phone telling them they can replace the MAS bringing my work total to around $395. The boots and new plugs they estimated 3 hours of work at $390 around total price.

The question is have any of you ever experienced similar problems with a 5.4L Triton? Also was I wise for not going for the boots?

At any rate I will update this hopefully today with more information as it comes.

Thanks in advance I'm new here.

 

You can fill the boots (or not fill, but add some) with dielectric grease and they'll usually be fine. $195 for that elbow from the pcv, you got hammered, no vaseline, not even water for a lubricant there. There's most likely nothing wrong with the MAF sensor either. Its just the boots

 

Yeah I have always had a really bad time with machanics and there lack of lubing. The $195 was around $75 Diagnostic and then something like $65 for Compresion test for the #4 Cylander, the elbow was somethign like $13 part $10 placement. Is it easy to put the dielectric grease in the boot? I am not very good under the hood thus paying alot more at machanics. Any help before I go pick it up.

Also the quoted price of $395 for Spark/Boots is that high if I just wanted new ones?

 

Just a little update. They kept it another night and still have not put in the MAF so I'm waiting on the call.

Had another question on the same subject.

When they told me it was either MAF or bad Boots Carbon Tracking they told me that I had to replace my Spark plugs along with the boots to do it right ($390 with 3 hours labor). The problem is I just had my spark plugs changed less then 200 miles ago. I'm weary of changing the spark plugs so often because of blowout.

Should I tell them to just replace all Boots and add a nice amount of Dielectric grease and tell them I do not want another set of spark plugs, or have them do the whole tuneup? If I just have them do the boots does it cut the work time in half from 3 hours to about 1.5 or not?

Thanks In advance.

 

If you just had the plugs replaced 200 miles ago, and they know this yet still want to change the plugs, pick the truck up and go somewhere else. Changing the boots is the same labor as changing the plugs, hence the high expense. The problem is, once you've done one or two of the 5.4 tuneups, you figure out the tricks and its easy. I charge (depending on the person, aka azzhole or not) between $150-$250 for the 5.4 plug change. Most around here get $300 or more. You have to pull the coil packs to get the boots out, and thats difficult on the #4, #7, and #8 cylinders for the novice.

Whats the shop name (you can PM me if you don't want it public) I'd recommend going to a local small shop that gets about $60 an hour or so for labor and then you could get out for $120-$180 instead of $250 or so they are going to charge you.

 

Update again they now called me and told me that there leaning toward it being plug and boot replacement for the $390 making my grand total for Dignostics, PCV Elbow, MAF and Plugs/Boots around $790!!

I told him once again that I do not want to replace the spark plugs if I can avoid it saying that I dont want to put my car at more risk of blowing out a spark plug and he argues with me that "It must be done to ensure a correct fix" and "There is no problem with these Trucks blowing out spark plugs".

I need asap help on this!!!!

 

Thanks 98Navi for the replies.

I think they found the coulprit, when they went in to replace the Boots & Plugs they found 4 COPs with cracks in them so Im having them replace them aswell. I told them before they started that I thought it was either the PCV Elbow or a bad COP after researching the problem for around a month on this and other forums + Google. Oh well guess that is what happends when you buy a used car.

I got one good thing out of it I told them before they ordering the MAF to unplug it first and run it with it unplugged to see if it still stuttered and they did so and did not waste more of my hard earned money on a sensless repair.

I just dont understand how the shop I took it to first that replaced the spark plugs to fix this same stutter did not see the cracked COPs. That was around $360.

 

If you're not looking for it, you don't always see it. For a crappy example to this, yesterday when I got home I saw my oldest kid and wife on the couch watching tv. I asked where the younger one was, and well, Low and behold I was about to step on her as she was asleep next to the couch on the floor. Sometimes the obvious things are the ones you don't see. I'm glad to see you didn't uselessly replace the MAF. Hell, I have two or three of them laying around my garage.

Good luck on the rest

 

The only true thing that irritated me was when I took it to a diffrent shop to have this same problem fixed a month ago they replaced the spark plugs and fuel filter and did not notice the 4 cracked COP's.

Could have saved alot of money and headaches.

Judgging by on phone no lube estamates:
Primary Diagnostics: $75.00
Compresion Testing: $65.00
PCV Elbow: $13.00 Part $10.00 Labor
Tune Up with Boots/Spark Plugs: $390.00
4 Used (Spaldings) COP's at $22.00: $88.00
Radiator Flush/Fill: $65.00

Balance: $706.00
Tax: $56.48
Total: $762.48

Hoping it will not be much more.

Thanks again 98Navi for the help I'll post back the results once I hopefully get it back tonight.

 

I'd really beat on them about that price. Its still high. That diagnostic charge is BS. Its nothing more than plugging in a code scanner. I can't believe shops still get away with charging that when autozone does it for free.

Take a few stabs at them about how expensive it is and this that and the other, ask them about a payment plan even and you may get them to knock a few bucks off. Trust me, it works, I've done it.

 

Well I'm still crossing my fingers at this point. I called them about a hour ago, they said they had it on the road and that they would be calling me soon.

Hope they didn't find "Another Problem"......

The wierd thing about the vehicle is it would have it's good and bad days. Some days it would run perfect others it would run horrid (stuttering on idle and under slow exceleration). When I drove it off the lot ($8,500) it ran absolutly perfect for 2 days, then I felt the first sign of trouble when I noticed the first little stutter, took it to my machanic to have him put it on the machine again and nothing.

It's days like this that make me wish I where a machanic. Lets hope these are the only ghosts I have to take care of before 200k miles.

The reason I'm posting this in the detail that I am is so someone else can maybe find some usefull info. Hope I'm not breaking some sort of forum rules.

 

Your good man. I wish some of the others would help you out a bit as well. I just know cause I have the same setup in my Navigator. Quintin is one of the best as he is a Ford Dealer Tech