truck: 2000 F150 5.4 auto 4x4
202,000miles. Anybody know how to fix these problems?
1. have to turn starter at least twice or hold for a few rotations for engine to crank.
2. sometimes at red light the engine will surge with foot on brake and in park or neutral. usually up and down about 100 or 200 rpms.
3. If truck is left overnight parked uphill, when cranked in morning the engine will shake for about 2 or 3 min then smooth out. What causes that? Oil building on crankshaft?

Fuel filter never been changed. Thinking that could be causing problem but not sure. Just changed plugs about 2k miles ago and oil. running ford plugs and delo 400 oil. Also passenger exhaust mani is cracked. been that way for about a year now. Is that causing damage?

 

Since the fuel filter should be changed about every 20,000 miles, that couls very well be a problem.

 

Isn't Delo 400 diesel oil? You shouldn't be using that in a Triton, you need gas spec 5w20 or 5w30.

 

yes delo is diesel oil. More detergents and much higher grade than any gasoline oil. Didn'e know about the 20k changes. we are talking about the filter on the frame under the cab right?

 

Yep, the fuel filter is on the drivers side frame rail.

Using diesel oil in a ford modular is definitely a bad idea... The added detergents in the diesel oil will prob eat away at all your seals and if im not mistaken froth up a bunch when it's churned up in your motor. Also, these motors are very finicky with oil weights... so it's really a bad idea overall to put a diesel motor oil in there instead of the recommended 5w-20 or 5w-30.

- Erik

 

His does not have cam phasers so the oil is not a major issue. Dual rated oils like Delo have anti-foam agents in them so there would be no foam. Probably not the best choice of oil and viscosity for that engine but it made it 202,000 miles. A new one won't run that long on that oil though. There are no more detergents that have value to a gasoline engine than any other oil so while there are no advantages of using it, there aren't any major issues using it in that old of an engine. But it has cost in fuel mileage that a proper gasoline oil with the EC label on it would have provided.

 

what oil filter are you using? a quality filter with anti-drainback is pretty much mandatory. motorcraft is your best bet.

how is your a/c? when you are setting in traffic is it blowing cold or do you have it on anything other than the panel setting? low pressure in the system can cause a surge at idle when the compressor is activated.

 

Going to change oil over to 5w-20 and see if that helps. usually run wix or parts master filters. Whichever one is cheapest at local parts house. A/c is fine. always has blown cold. If I remember correct engine will surge with and without a/c on. I'm gonna change the fuel filter and see if that helps. Cleaned the intake and all ports at about 170k. It was pretty gunked up then. Other than that the truck has been great. Bought the truck new with 5 miles on it and only had to put 1 trans in it so it's been a good one.

 

Diesel engine oils are rated for use in gasoline engines as well, and will not eat up your seals. It could be a number of things, but clogged injectors or a dirty MAS would be a good place to start.

 

hmm, that's new to me. Always heard it was a bad idea to do that. Oh well, guess I just learned something new. I know I won't be putting any diesel oil in mine any time soon though lol.

- Erik

 

anybody got anything on why the engine starts off shaking? Oil buildup in rear crank bearings?

 

Along with the fuel filter, I suggest having the fuel pump checked to see if it's putting out enough pressure. If its wearing out or worn out already without failing 100%, it won't provide enough fuel to the engine intermittently causing the shakes.

 

I have a few jugs of Chevron Delo Syn 0W30 diesel engine oil at home, its written on the back that its also rated SJ for gasoline engines. Its not old, but its rated SJ because of the elevated additives in it. Ford also makes a 0W30 diesel oil. Everyone worries about it fouling the catalytic converters, but if your engine is burning oil, they are getting fouled anyway.