so what's wrong with the 5.4L???
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 1,628
Likes: 0
From: Clemson SC US of A
I beg to differ a little. There were some 97 4.6L's made at Windsor. I had one. Also using the members figures might be a little off because I now own a 5.4L and when I first got here and registered it was this same Windsor 4.6L that I had.
By the way, no problems with either of them. This new 260 HP SuperDuty version of the 5.4L is really strong.
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2000 F-250 Super Duty, SuperCab XLT, Oxford white with medium grey cloth captains chairs, 5.4L Triton V8 (260 HP - 345 FP Torque version!), 4R100 4 Speed Automatic Transmission, 3.73, 4 wheel ABS, Deluxe Aluminum Wheels, Trailer Towing Package, Telescoping Trailer Towing Mirrors, Class IV Hitch, Reece load distribution system, Escort Sensor II Electronic Brake controller, Sure Stop towing skirt, "Westin" black powder coated step bars, Herculiner bed liner, ISSPRO Tranny Temp Guage, Excursion center console, Ford moulded mud gaurds, K&N Air and Oil filter, Amsoil XL7500 5W-30, Air filter minder, Perma Cool 8" (800 CFM) Tranny Cooler Fan (manualy switched), Deflect-a-Sheild Aluminum Dimond plate Tool Box.
By the way, no problems with either of them. This new 260 HP SuperDuty version of the 5.4L is really strong.
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2000 F-250 Super Duty, SuperCab XLT, Oxford white with medium grey cloth captains chairs, 5.4L Triton V8 (260 HP - 345 FP Torque version!), 4R100 4 Speed Automatic Transmission, 3.73, 4 wheel ABS, Deluxe Aluminum Wheels, Trailer Towing Package, Telescoping Trailer Towing Mirrors, Class IV Hitch, Reece load distribution system, Escort Sensor II Electronic Brake controller, Sure Stop towing skirt, "Westin" black powder coated step bars, Herculiner bed liner, ISSPRO Tranny Temp Guage, Excursion center console, Ford moulded mud gaurds, K&N Air and Oil filter, Amsoil XL7500 5W-30, Air filter minder, Perma Cool 8" (800 CFM) Tranny Cooler Fan (manualy switched), Deflect-a-Sheild Aluminum Dimond plate Tool Box.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
From: Woodbury CT USA
LarryS:
Your on the right track, but you need to explain things a little more. Actually "piston speed" can be very detramental to any IC engine. Harley owners will be chiming in Im sure. Speed or velocity is a function of distance and time, ie:miles per hour or in a pistons case, inches per second. Why do Harley's have such a low rev ceiling? The stroke of the V-Twin has alot to do with it. Take my bike (97 VFR 750) and my buddies Hog (99 FXDX). At 6500 rpm, the Harley has a piston speed of 866 inches per sec.!! The VFR at 12500 rpm has a piston speed of 758 inches per sec. Surprised?? Dont be. A Harley's piston has much further to go than your average Jap bike at any givin rpm. Now back to our trucks. The difference in stroke is not that substancial, and since the 4.6 has a VERY conservative redline, I would not worry about the longevity of the 5.4 since both motors have the same redline. You could however go into much further detail (gearing, oil, size of tires), but this post is already too long. In THEORY, you are correct. The 5.4 will have a shorter life than the 4.6. In all PRACTICAL PURPOSES, the truck will probably fall apart before either engine will fail.
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1999 F150 4x4 XLT BLACK ORP 4.6 5 SPEED 3.55
LUND HOOD SHEILD
K&N
FLOWMASTER SERIES 40 SINGLE OUTLET
CAPTAIN CHAIRS
PIONEER 6815's(for now)
SUPERCHIP
AIRBOX MOD
WAAG BRUSH GUARD
SPIRALMAX
KENWOOD 9015
SUPERCHIP STICKERS
MTX THUNDERFORM
KICKER 240 AMP
PIAA 9007'S
[This message has been edited by BLACKENEDFORD (edited 12-04-2000).]
Your on the right track, but you need to explain things a little more. Actually "piston speed" can be very detramental to any IC engine. Harley owners will be chiming in Im sure. Speed or velocity is a function of distance and time, ie:miles per hour or in a pistons case, inches per second. Why do Harley's have such a low rev ceiling? The stroke of the V-Twin has alot to do with it. Take my bike (97 VFR 750) and my buddies Hog (99 FXDX). At 6500 rpm, the Harley has a piston speed of 866 inches per sec.!! The VFR at 12500 rpm has a piston speed of 758 inches per sec. Surprised?? Dont be. A Harley's piston has much further to go than your average Jap bike at any givin rpm. Now back to our trucks. The difference in stroke is not that substancial, and since the 4.6 has a VERY conservative redline, I would not worry about the longevity of the 5.4 since both motors have the same redline. You could however go into much further detail (gearing, oil, size of tires), but this post is already too long. In THEORY, you are correct. The 5.4 will have a shorter life than the 4.6. In all PRACTICAL PURPOSES, the truck will probably fall apart before either engine will fail.
------------------
1999 F150 4x4 XLT BLACK ORP 4.6 5 SPEED 3.55
LUND HOOD SHEILD
K&N
FLOWMASTER SERIES 40 SINGLE OUTLET
CAPTAIN CHAIRS
PIONEER 6815's(for now)
SUPERCHIP
AIRBOX MOD
WAAG BRUSH GUARD
SPIRALMAX
KENWOOD 9015
SUPERCHIP STICKERS
MTX THUNDERFORM
KICKER 240 AMP
PIAA 9007'S
[This message has been edited by BLACKENEDFORD (edited 12-04-2000).]
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: USA
My 99 lariat 5.4 is going in the shop Wednsday for the third time to fix an intermittent miss.First two times I was told the problem was bad coil-pac..the service rep said this was a rare problem but it has happened to mine twice,maybe now a third time.I only have 18000 miles on this truck and I have taken very good care of it.I hope they will find and fix the REAL problem before my warranty runs out.This is my fourth NEW Ford truck in ten years and it seems like each one has been of poorer quality than the one before it.I have a 95 and a 99 Mustang GT which have had no problems whatsoever.
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: USA
My 99 lariat 5.4 is going in the shop Wednsday for the third time to fix an intermittent miss.First two times I was told the problem was bad coil-pac..the service rep said this was a rare problem but it has happened to mine twice,maybe now a third time.I only have 18000 miles on this truck and I have taken very good care of it.I hope they will find and fix the REAL problem before my warranty runs out.This is my fourth NEW Ford truck in ten years and it seems like each one has been of poorer quality than the one before it.I have a 95 and a 99 Mustang GT which have had no problems whatsoever.
Senior Member
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 232
Likes: 0
From: Denver,Co
Not mentioning any neat technical jargon or fancy numbers, my opinion as stated before that the '97 + F150's are not being built as work trucks or built to last. They are being built and targeted to urban yuppies and soccer moms who will not keep the truck for more than 3-5 years anyway. Yes, I'm a disgruntled Ford owner and will never EVER buy a Ford again. I've had a '98 and a '99 F150 both of which had nothing but problems. Lastly, Ford customer service and quality control absolutely STINKS !!
Don't ask me to justify any of this, I can't. It's just a cranky old pissed off opinion
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99 F150 5.4 4x4 ORP 3.73 styleside deep wedgewood blue ..Mods: New Vizsla pup
Don't ask me to justify any of this, I can't. It's just a cranky old pissed off opinion
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99 F150 5.4 4x4 ORP 3.73 styleside deep wedgewood blue ..Mods: New Vizsla pup
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 411
Likes: 0
From: Calgary, Canada
Hear We Go!
2001 Supercrew (4x4) 17"x10 spoke rims, XLT, all options and powered by the smaller but powerful and realiable 4.6L Triton...I love this truck!
At first I may of been a bit skeptical about the power of the 4.6L...But now after owning and driving one for eight months I have never been so pleased and impressed with this so called smaller V8. It tow's around our 19' ski boat in the summer and the 4 place sled trailer in the winter without a problem through the Canadian Rockies....life does not get any better.
Both the Triton 4.6L and 5.4L motors are great engines, it just depends on your pride, bank account and what that perfect truck sitting on the lot has stuffed under the hood when you walk onto the dealer lot....Like me!
I have installed a "Superchip" into the truck...but everyone else is including a ton of 5.4L / Powerstroker and V10 owners! It's a great investment for the money and the truck loves it...just makes it a lot more fun to drive!
2001 Supercrew (4x4) 17"x10 spoke rims, XLT, all options and powered by the smaller but powerful and realiable 4.6L Triton...I love this truck!
At first I may of been a bit skeptical about the power of the 4.6L...But now after owning and driving one for eight months I have never been so pleased and impressed with this so called smaller V8. It tow's around our 19' ski boat in the summer and the 4 place sled trailer in the winter without a problem through the Canadian Rockies....life does not get any better.
Both the Triton 4.6L and 5.4L motors are great engines, it just depends on your pride, bank account and what that perfect truck sitting on the lot has stuffed under the hood when you walk onto the dealer lot....Like me!
I have installed a "Superchip" into the truck...but everyone else is including a ton of 5.4L / Powerstroker and V10 owners! It's a great investment for the money and the truck loves it...just makes it a lot more fun to drive!
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 642
Likes: 0
From: Calgary,Alberta,Canada
Around 80% of the problems with the 5.4L is piston slap, and this problem has been corrected a long time ago. I've also heard problems with leaky head gaskets, which I've heard from my friend that worked as a mechanic at Ford as being either cheap gaskets (very common) or an uneven surface on the cylinder head, which requires machining. For a motor that's was just put into production 3 years ago, the problems are minor, and can be or have been corrected. As an owner of a 5.4L, I am disappointed that these problems weren't found and corrected sooner. But Ford's thinking is that they should just pump out these trucks as fast as there being purchased, and since the warranty will cover any problems that occur, they'll just let the dealers and customers deal with it. Which I strongly disagree with.
As for the durability/reliability issue with the 5.4, as I see it, the longer stroke is a very good benefit when it comes to truck motors. This provides great low end torque, which in turn makes the motor work alot less, considering it really doesn't need to use higher rpm's to provide the output needed. The higher the rpm's needed for sufficient output in a engine, the more the engine is being used, in turn, the faster the engine will wear out. The down side to higher torque motors is the increased forces the crankshaft will endure, which raises a concern of durability. But, not true in the case of the 5.4L. Crankshaft or main bearing caps failures or any other related part has been reported to date.
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~'98 F-150 XLT Reg. Cab Flareside 4x4, Black, 5.4L, 3.55LS, tow package, 285/75/r16 Mud Terrain BFG's,K&N, GTS headlight covers, Alpine changer w/FM mod, Clifford alarm system w/keyless entry & starter disable // Future considerations: Bed mat, tonneau cover, 4" suspension lift or 3" body lift.
~'71 F-100 Sport Custom Reg.Cab
-390FE w/Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, 780cfm Holley, ported & polished cylinder heads,
Hydraulic Crane Cam, 10.5:1 CR, Black Jack headers, true double roller timing chain, and high volume oil pump
-C6 transmision w/B&M 2600rpm stall
-9" Ford Rearend w/4.10 Richmond Gears & 31 spline axles
-215/65/r15 Yokohama's for the front & 28"x13.5"x15" Mickey Thompson ET Street slicks for the back
Best 1/4 mile time @ 3500ft altitude 14.69secs @ 92mph
~2000 Suzuki RM125 Dirt Bike
-no need for any modifications! (yet)
As for the durability/reliability issue with the 5.4, as I see it, the longer stroke is a very good benefit when it comes to truck motors. This provides great low end torque, which in turn makes the motor work alot less, considering it really doesn't need to use higher rpm's to provide the output needed. The higher the rpm's needed for sufficient output in a engine, the more the engine is being used, in turn, the faster the engine will wear out. The down side to higher torque motors is the increased forces the crankshaft will endure, which raises a concern of durability. But, not true in the case of the 5.4L. Crankshaft or main bearing caps failures or any other related part has been reported to date.
------------------
~'98 F-150 XLT Reg. Cab Flareside 4x4, Black, 5.4L, 3.55LS, tow package, 285/75/r16 Mud Terrain BFG's,K&N, GTS headlight covers, Alpine changer w/FM mod, Clifford alarm system w/keyless entry & starter disable // Future considerations: Bed mat, tonneau cover, 4" suspension lift or 3" body lift.
~'71 F-100 Sport Custom Reg.Cab
-390FE w/Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, 780cfm Holley, ported & polished cylinder heads,
Hydraulic Crane Cam, 10.5:1 CR, Black Jack headers, true double roller timing chain, and high volume oil pump
-C6 transmision w/B&M 2600rpm stall
-9" Ford Rearend w/4.10 Richmond Gears & 31 spline axles
-215/65/r15 Yokohama's for the front & 28"x13.5"x15" Mickey Thompson ET Street slicks for the back
Best 1/4 mile time @ 3500ft altitude 14.69secs @ 92mph
~2000 Suzuki RM125 Dirt Bike
-no need for any modifications! (yet)
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,759
Likes: 4
From: Friendswood Texas
97 f250 5.4, 93,000 miles - nothing is wrong with it! no slap, no leak, no nothing! as i said before. you never here a guy with a 5.4 saying he wish he would have got the 4.6 or 4.2 v-6.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 1,177
Likes: 0
From: Carolina, Puerto Rico, USA
IMHO, generally speaking the 5.4 is OK, should I say great?
Relatively speaking there is a small % of the total population with problems( and I am not justifying them) like other brands have.
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My Ride: 1998 F150 4x4 Lariat Supercab Flareside 5.4L in Oxford White/gold, ORP, Tow Package, 3.55 Gears.
Modifications: K&N FIPK, Stepshield door sill protectors, Performance Accesories 3" body lift, Lift Lips, Gabriel Gas Ryder LT VST Shocks, Daystar front anti-sway bar polyurethane bushings and 35x12.5R16.5LT BFG All Terrain KO's on 16.5x9.75 American Eagle 589's.
Photos at: http://www.communicomgroup.com/jmtruck
Relatively speaking there is a small % of the total population with problems( and I am not justifying them) like other brands have.
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My Ride: 1998 F150 4x4 Lariat Supercab Flareside 5.4L in Oxford White/gold, ORP, Tow Package, 3.55 Gears.
Modifications: K&N FIPK, Stepshield door sill protectors, Performance Accesories 3" body lift, Lift Lips, Gabriel Gas Ryder LT VST Shocks, Daystar front anti-sway bar polyurethane bushings and 35x12.5R16.5LT BFG All Terrain KO's on 16.5x9.75 American Eagle 589's.
Photos at: http://www.communicomgroup.com/jmtruck
