What years (if ever) did Ford fix the head gasket problem in these trucks? I've read some places that it is a bad gasket and others say it is a mismachined block. Are 99 and newer engines pretty safe and 97 and 98 with most of the porblems? I know there is always a few people with newer trucks with gasket problems but I am talking generally speaking. Thanks

 

my father has a 99 expedition. He has problems with the head gasket. It had some type of leak. It was fixed under warranty.

 

HI!... Actually as far as I know the "99" 5.4's seem to be having the most gasket leaks. I've had the heads and the gaskets replaced twice on my truck. I'm pretty sure that the 2001's and up have been fixed with a solution, and that goes for the piston slap too. This is what I have been tols by freinds that work on the 5.4 engine line here in WINDSOR.

 

So it sounds like the 97 and 98 would be a safer bet when shopping for a used truck. I would assume if they aren't leaking by 68,000 mi than they probably dont have a problem. Thanks.

 

Yea, from what I've heard the 97's and '98's didn't have the head gasket problem like the 99's and newer did. (99 was when the increased the HP.) If you get a '97 or '98 i think your tradeoff is it's more likely to have piston slap. Either way keep in mind you're still talking about a very low percentage of the overall number of trucks built.

 

Mine was replace, had a 1999 5.4 with 33,000 miles. Now a 2001 in a 99 body