what do you guys think its a 5.4l f250 i was having trouble starting it when the motor made a quite boom sound and it started smoking heavily outt of the air intake and the air filter was slightly burned do you guys think i damaged anything it still turns over but i havnt tryed to start it. and before this it has been idling rough and stalling when coming to a stop. also check engine light was flashing and truck had no power a couple times. then i would turn it off and restart and it would be solid cel again but running really rough. plz help me

 

Number ONE, you need to read the codes and see what your trucks brain says is wrong. (remember, it's brain may be a little rattled by the explosion!) You PROBABLY didn't hurt anything, it just backfired through the intake, but it's a pretty good explosion, so it may have blown a vacuum hose off or blown a throttle body gasket, who knows. You need to find out why it fired prematurely (out the intake when the intake valve was open), because I don't have to tell you, it's not supposed to do that. A sensor may be bad (crank sensor, cam sensor, probably quite a few more things that could cause the premature ignition) and you may also have some sticking injectors causing the rough running problem. Have to read the CEL code(s) to see what it says, but remember, when you've been having problems with running and acting strange, you may have a bunch of codes and you don't necessarily try to address ALL those codes. Does the dip stick smell like fuel? You need to make sure it didn't blow any vacuum hoses off or blow any gaskets that would let unwanted vacuum in and then read the codes, shut the CEL light off (with a scanner or disconnecting the battery for a little bit), see if you can get it started and then read the code(s) WHEN THE LIGHT 1st COMES ON. Then you MAY have a more usable code(s).

 

thanks for the fast response it fired up for me but I am not driving it, i checked the oil and i dont think it smells like gas it is hard to tell. I will get codes read asap. I was possibly thinking spark plugs?

 

I don't think so. Spark plugs wouldn't cause the back-fire through the intake.

 

Accidentally switching around two or more spark plug wires will -- I can personally attest to that.

This can happen when changing your spark plugs. Double-check that you have the wires hooked up to the correct plugs.

 

Plug wires ? These trucks don't have any stinkin plug wires. The V8's/V10's haven't had wires since 2000 and the 5.4's never had wires... So what wires are you referring to exactly lol.

 

D'OH!!

Brain check. Had a mental image of regular plug wires, not the coil-on-plug system used on these engines. :o

I was thinking to my dad's 1971 F-150 XLT that I accidentally did this to when I was a teenager, and which caused the exact same symptoms as the original post. He eventually forgave me.

 

But your right, if you mix up the plug wires on a vehicle that uses them, yea, they will make all kinds of noises. They'll thro a fit lol.

 

k so had my codes read heres what it said
code-p0344 camshaft position sensor
code-p0349 camshaft position sensor bank 2
code-0175 system to rich bank 2
so what is my next step ? do i replace the sensors?

 

i replaced the sensor didnt know if it was passenger or driver side tryed both no difference i am stumped. also was blowing white smoke out the exaust

 

it is also hard to start up and smells like gas. i dont have the money for a mechanic and i need my truck to work any ideas would be much appreciated.

 

Sounds like stuck injector, and if it is, you'd be well advised NOT to try starting it again until you determine whether it has a stuck injector or not. If it hydrolock's you may be buying an engine.

 

ive been driving ever since then last night cel started flashing motor had no power at all chugging really bad the ticking was so loud and fast sounded like it was going to blow up it barely made it home then almost died pulling it in im afraid to START my motor and i need my truck for work.

 

its also blowing blue smoke and before that engine sounds like something rattling around in there loosely ontop of the crazy ticking .i want to take it to a mechanic but i am so broke i want to cry.