@@trailspeed7037 I love the 4.6 2v that I have in the Family fleet. Coworker has the 4.6 3v and it is a champ. great motor. Had to of been a Friday before a holiday weekend when Ford made the 5.4L.
Soft spoken ,no curse words, all class ! If you aren't impressed with this man you are a boy forever ,real gentlemen are just that but push comes to shove these are the dudes getting babies out of house fires ,in the most stressfully situation ,when most people panic and step back from the stress wheel ,these step forward ,I've witnessed it of my dad my grampa and myself ,know your place and get it done!
“Your kids college fund” ... do your kids a favor and make them pay for their own school. I did and it made me much more careful about wasting my time and blowing money on parties, as well as choosing a degree that pays enough to pay off my loans.
I’m actually on my 5th 5.4 3V , 3rd Expedition. All have gone over 200,000 miles with no phaser, timing chain, spark plug issues. With over 50 years in the auto repair business, I’m obsessive about maintenance. Probably not the best Ford engine, for sure. My only complaint is low power
I had this in my07 Lincoln P U. Idid a timing job and phaser. Easy job. Just line up the timing marks and you are set. I did have to buy small tools to make things easier. Ran perfect.
I worked at a Ford dealership when this engine came out. One of the older veteran engine mechanics in the shop predicted the 5.4 Triton 3 valve engine to be an absolute disaster. He was correct.
Danny O nope still a heaping pile of shit. Spark plugs alone would make you lose your shit. They are prone to repeatedly breaking down esp in harsh conditions considering I run my trucks for mainly swamp logging, getting my guys to and from the job site but on top of that ford makes it a PAIN IN THE ASS to work on anything yourself. Fuck that blue oval and anyone who stands by there pieces of shit.
I had one for 3 years, I replaced the spark plugs and that was it. It had great low end power and preferred to tow with it over the Chevys I drove at work. I drove it for 100000 miles and traded it in for a new vehicle.
Danny O don’t ever plan to. I only buy V8’s with the exception of an old 2jz. Got a is300 I’m currently building. I stick to things that are easy/cheap to work on if I can.
That's common on ford's it's like their set for a certain amount of miles till the light comes on. It's honestly mind boggling how the F series trucks have been number 1 seller for however many years it's been even tho they are complete garbage and their is countless videos online proving that even the wizards video on 3/4 ton pickups to buy and not to buy proves ford trucks are garbage but people still buy them🤷 I'd rather own a dodge than a ford any day of the week and that's really saying something.
Great video. I currently have a 2007 Expedition and have had the unfortunate honor of changing the cam phasers, timing chain tensioners and guides. Once completed she ran and continues to run like a dream. Your video is spot on! Frequent oil changes is a must for this and many engines. I change mine every 3000 to 4000 miles. What also kills these engines are the short trips to the neighborhood "grocery store" and back. It is crucial for the engine parts to reach optimum operating temperature. Short hops doesn't heat up parts and oil or varnish sits on parts which begins the sludge build up process. So, change oil frequently and drive damn it. DRIVE!!!!
Indramatatic -- Don't let it get to you. I'm a GM guy, and they frequently do equally bad stuff. The Colorado motor comes to mind, but that's not the only one. It's a symptom of the times, and all manufacturers are afflicted by the "Stupid" disease.
I want a rwd Ford Fusion wagon.... America should’ve got the Mondeo wagon... shove a Coyote in it, manual transmission, sell it for cheap... would’ve taken off
I have worked at dealership that washed your car after service . Some customers like that ,the wizard has very different clients who own weird cars. Weird cars like RR, Viper, super cars that are not practical. I mean if it was just about getting there go buy a under 50k mile panther platform car for under $5k less than what they probably paid in interest and taxes.
I wouldn't really say it's the engine's fault then, the failure was caused by lack of maintenance. Sludge from no oil changes will kill any engine regardless of how good it is.
Yes, i'm a 2v fan over even the 4v n i've seen ppl using the original engine for over 300k to 500k miles, if ppl are lazy careless idiots who treat their engines like they do their ass, then yes it's gonna be full of shit..lol
Well.. other engines can be best around despite that and still run great ... Yeah sure it's still lack of maintenance but part of an engines reliability is inherently relying on forgiveness as well... That's how people brag about how reliable an engine is... They talk about how much shit they put it through without ever taking care of it cuz it's just that good
Yes, but in terms of reliability and lifespan, it is very short. It's like someone with an immune system and someone without one. If they got sick it's not their fault, but there are still consequences and one will pay a higher price than the other in terms of health.
It’s not bad engineering. There are literally millions of these engines and even the 4.6 3V is the same basic architecture. These engines require good maintenance. Look up the oil specs on these overseas and 5W-30 is what it calls for versus the 5W-20 Ford requires in the states for fuel mileage. Far from being the worst engine ever. Since GM’s DOD/AFM system was blowing up engines and Dodge’s Hemi’s were eating cams.
Guys. Mechanics like this make an honest living. You don't need a degree. You don't need student debt. Just make an honest living not screwing people like a lot of shit mechanics. Be honest, do good work, and live a great life.
Jacob Hiller dude I’m a teenager thanks to you now I know what to do in my life. I was cautious about going to college & taking in loans. I love cars & I’m not into college.
@@Bigshiesty1 Good for you man. I'm 28, and I know dozens of people who went to college and are paying off $50,000 loans with whatever service jobs they can scrape up. If you aren't getting a degree for a specific purpose in a well payed field, it's not a good investment.
@@Bigshiesty1 you could get certified as an auto tech in under 6 months and come out with zero debt and a rewarding job, if I could do it all over again I would have instead of wasting time at state and city colleges
@@davidbsac couldnt agree more, its more popluar in our current culture to overstate the negative. I turned wrenches in my youth and am now Tier 2 System Analyst. It was great foundational training for following procedures and there are A LOT of great shop and 3rd party technicians that get a bad name on the actions of a few as usual.
Really? I was hoping for 2 million 😉 👍👍 to my fellow 2uz drivers (I’ve had sequoias and lx470s 15+ years and just picked up a GX (currently have 3 sequoias an lx and now the GX). Unbeatable machines
Nice video Wizard. I've had several of these 5.4's and never had a problem. I always change the oil every 3k miles. I think it pays to baby your car. Oil is cheap compared to repairs. You can't change your oil enough.....clean oil = long life!!
Most people have money in the bank. Look around at the cars you see. They may be making car payments, but most that are not base model econo boxes are going to have a few grand within reach. Median income in the US is just shy of $5000 a month. Someone with a drive out tag on a 2003 Accord likely doesn't have much extra. They are the anomaly.
@channelofstuff At the median income(56k), tax is about 22%. At 60k a year, it's 25%. Throwing state taxes out because that varies too much state by state. That is also before deductions. Once you get above about 10-12 an hour a sizeable portion has a small backup. Some make 10an hour and have 20k sitting in the back. Some make 200k and have 500 in the bank.
@@feez357 Mine is in an F-150 and it gets nothing but Mobil1 and Costco Gas. My buddy has one he loved back to health in a trashy-lookin' Fox and if you unscrew the oil cap you can hear Yours Forever by Dara MacLean coming out of it. The thing sets off car alarms now!
one good thing for these motors is manning makes high volume oil pumps for it. Definitely helps with keeping those journals clear. I'm 100% with you on oil changes. I always recommend using synthetic oil and changing it ever 5000 miles for these motors.
I have an 06 expedition with this engine in it. It's been a good running truck. I did have to do the tune up where 3 of the plugs broke on me but the remover kit is worth it's wait in gold. I also do my engine oil changes every 3000. After watching your video on best trucks I do feel my next truck will be a Toyota though.
I own a 2005 F150 5.4 3V Triton engine. I've always used fully synthetic Royal Purple 5W20, then switched over to 5W30. The only thing that I ever changed on the engine was a starter that went out at 190,000 miles. The only next item I ever changed was the VCT Control Solenoids that are exposed from the top of the valve covers.. That's it. Everythiing else internally in the motor is original. Original timing chain, cam phase sensors, you name it. Muffler, tailpipe, catalytic converter...all original. Change your oil people, and you too will get 348,000 miles like I have so far. I'm heading for 400,000 miles on his worst engine. It runs like a top, has a lot of pep, energy, and speed. It's like most motors with 100,000 miles...that good.
I don't know what you mean, g2g? A year later, I have 363,000 miles on my 2005 F130, and I had to replace the alternator at 362,000 miles, but that's it. Just bought more Royal Purple fully synthetic motor oil and the WIX 10050 oil filter. Will change in a couple days, intervals at 6,000 or 7,000 miles.@@lennoxwelds
That's good to hear. I just inherited a 2009 Lariat from my Dad, 124,000 miles. He took really good care of it (besides all the elm leaves that the mice used to make a nest in the fresh air intake to the HVAC system lol). He changed all fluids very regularly. Drove it like an old lady going to church. I hope to be as fortunate as you have been. I have a 1997 Expedition with a 4.6L, and she's at 280,000 miles. Only minor repairs to her... she runs really well. Had an 02 Sport Trac that made it to 195,000 until my daughter totaled it. Change your oil, people.
My friend is a Ford mechanic. He says you have to be sure and use Motorcraft oil filters on the 5.4, because if you take it to a lube shop, they'll throw one of those tiny off-brand filters on there, and this is where you get the oil pressure problems.
@@HillBillyBrown Scotty used to be a little more into cutting corners back in his older videos. But in his newer ones he's been a lot better and logical.
I have a 2009 5.4 3v with 305,000 miles. Never been touched except for meticulous maintenance. This is a farm truck that gets daily hard usage. Take care of them and they will last a long time.
200,000 miles on mine. It's rattled since 85,000 but still runs strong. Regular oil changes and no problem changing spark plugs twice now. When it dies I'll put a new crate 5.4 3V in.
@@deandrehendry3733 yet there are engines where you can dog out and they still keep ticking. This engine is garbage, throw it on the pile with the caddy northstar and rotaries too. Bring on the hate
Seeing such a nice, soft spoken man such as the Wizard all riled up over the 5.4 has finally convinced me that the 5.4 isn't worth considering anymore in a used truck. I've been shopping used trucks and the 5.4 f150 is permanently off my list. Thanks bud! Keep on Wizarding on!
@@stickyfingerz6678 I personally own a 2007 Tahoe with 198k. Its on the second engine, first was replaced at 90k. I put an oil pump in it at 184k due to lifter noise at idle. If I was not a mechanic I would not own one. I just did a camshaft on a 2012 5.3l due to a wiped out cam lobe. Book time is 18 hours, parts cost was $700 for wholesale Ac Delco parts. If I had a shop do it, prob $3k repair. If the cam bearings were spanked, prob replace the engine and move on. Active fuel management lifter failure on the 07+ 5.3l is common. The cylinder heads need to come off to replace and the AFM solenoid should be replaced at the same time. Prob a $1500-2000 repair if you had a shop do that.
I had a 2010 Raptor with a 5.4L Triton 3V and I had no problems with it. I got it with about 5K miles but kept up with the oil changes frequently (about 3K miles) until I sold it with 55K miles. Between watching this and "I do cars" it makes me really appreciate the importance of keeping up with the oil changes in all motors. I work at home now so I don't put many miles on my vehicles so I change the oil every 6 months even if I have not put many miles on it since the last oil change. My thinking is that the gasoline starts breaking down the oil especially with all of the cold starts (dumping more fuel on start up) with all of my short trips.
@@TCreatorO i hear ya MY SUBIE WONT START HAD TO JUMPSTART IT WITH MY BATTERY JUMP PACK THE CAR IS 2 YRS OLD NO LIGHTS ARE ON INSIDE OR OUTSIDE - MIGHT BE DEFECT BATTERY?
@@ekop1778 maybe you left an interior light on? or an incorrectly installed aftermarket alarm system?a battery should last you at least 4 years, specially on a brand new car
Ford has some die hard customers...3v were just, 6.4 diesels were junk, ford never knew how to fix the 6.0 diesels...I have a 6.8 2v v10, the dipstick is short so I figured they fixed the problem went to the dealer and get a new one...nope they never fixed it
Like any manufacture, they all have some bad years. The 5.4 3v is a true crap engine. Chevy has the Piston slapping problem, Dodge has had and still does have some ssues and now some 5.7 Toyota Engines are failing. You really have to do your research. I have a buddy of mine who has an F-150 with a 5.4 2v engine with 393K and that engine purrs. You almost can't hear it when it's running. I kid you not. He is the second owner and has taken care of it meticulously by changing the oil every 3-5k miles. I believe the truck will last half a million miles or more.
Few understand the real pressures that are applied to engineers. They are simply the handmaidens of market analysts and bean counters anymore. For example, they were probably instructed by management to standardize on that plug because they could be purchased for 0.2 cents cheaper than a better one. 0.2 cents times 8 is 1.6 cents per engine, a significant additional cost over a 2 million model run. In my view, engineers usually have none of the authority, and all of the responsibility for what happens. Just ask the engineers at Boeing (Mar. 2019).
On the other side of the fence, I'm a Volvo semi truck tech and we have a massive problem with clutch actuators on the I-Shift trucks, as well as the covers leaking on the timing plates. Both of these are large jobs, and cost companies well over $10,000 for each unit repaired. The difference between the trucking industry and the automotive industry is the willingness to address and fix the problems. Last week, Volvo had sent in 2 engineers to watch one of our guys replace a timing cover and document the procedure so 1.) They can put out a repair bulletin with procedures to follow, common areas of difficulty, etc.. and 2.) hopefully they can work out a design in the future to fix these problems. The problem with the covers is the sealing material itself. The plate is a stamped piece of steel with a groove in it for a bead of silicone. That's it. There's no gasket, just a lengthy bead of silicone, and as we all know, barely stands up to the abuse and vibration of a lawn mower, let alone a truck that makes almost 2000 lb/ft of torque.
An engineer's job at a major auto manufacturer is to satisfy a giant compendium of federal regulation, then insure that the machinery will outlast the warranties by no more than six months at minimum manufacturing cost. Decades of testing refinements and advanced computer simulation have made it possible to hone the results to a razor's edge. Because they must play this game so closely, it is inevitable that things like oil passages that pass in ideal testing conditions fail in real world conditions from time to time.
3:46 I probably said that phrase dozens of times yesterday as I replaced a 5.4 in a 2005 F-150. Not only is the engine garbage but almost everything is difficult to access as well.
You say its garbage, ill laugh in 04 3v 5.4 with 180k, engine and tranny still strong, only real issue is a bad coil spring (passenger front) otherwise still good as new, also have a 06 3v 5.4 200k engine and Tranny are still strong needs are aq shifting cable, actuator and fuel filter, also have a first off the line ( Jan of 96) 97 f150, with 260k (needs a new torque converter and oil pump) 2v 4.6, I might be ford fan boy but then again the 4.3 vortec in the family owned and well maintained is the only thing that's left me on the road, not to mention how much other vehicles rust out compare to fords
Well sure, why not? Ford does make lots of great engines, trucks, and cars. This just wasn’t one of them, lol. I mean even Toyota had the same sludge issue caused by too small oil returns, and long oil change intervals on their 3.3’s.
I know people who had these kind of problems with 5.4 3v. Also with 5.4 and 4.6 2v blowing spark plug out the hole, also 6.0 and 6.4 blowing head gasket and also 4.2 v6 bending valve cause the engine had try to compress coolant because of a bad intake gasket design. They were all mad and disappointed at Ford and guess what, they almost all rebuy a Ford product later in their lives. The F150 is still and always the best seller pick up truck. I guess that good advertising campaign is more important than quality after all ......
Blew a plug out of my 2008 4.6 600 miles from home. Stuck in Knoxville for 3 days. Put in an unguaranteed helicoil and hoped for the best. Traded it in on a Sierra
The 2v engines are pretty good other than the plug issue. If done correctly, the helicoils are pretty reliable. The 3v is garbage; change my mind. This was Ford’s first attempt with VVT in a V8, and they failed. The 4.2 is a hit or miss..... I’m at a dealership which used to have a whole fleet of 4.2s. Most of them lasted 250-300+ with no issues, but I had problems with one in my personal truck (long story).
@@mikeruhberg2210 They should have dropped in the 32v DOHCs. Those are built like tanks(they were based on a WWII ford tank engine believe it or not). They are probably too expensive though for mainstream.
Yeah me too bud, I got an 08 f150 had it since 2012 and its been great, has 150,000miles on her now, done oil changes every 3000miles and it's been fine but gonna sell it soon before it blows up lol, it's been an awesome truck, I've been told I am very lucky lol.
Same. Love my Fords. Only vehicles I've ever owned that haven't left me stranded had a blue oval on them. But 5.4 was trash. Just like the newer focus clutches are trash.
Hey Wiz, great video like always but I do have one point to make, using M1 for over 30 years now, 20K miles between oil changes and 5K miles on a quality Filter (i.e.WIX).. Here's a no BS story for you, had a 22R motor in an '81 Celica that I put 90K miles on, and later gave to my sister in law. Several years later one sunny afternoon she was driving to Atlanta form Birmingham when the motor overheated, steamed up ,etc... Had the car towed to a repair shop where the mechanic discovered a bad thermostat and warpped head. At the time the car had 180K miles and my dear sister in law performed zero maintenance. Funny thing was, when the guy pulled the valve cover, although he expected a ton of gunk, sludge however the rockers, overheard cam were pristine. Post head shave and gasket replaced, he pulled a compression check - the car exceeded MFR specs,. He then asked her who her mechanic was - she said no one but mentioned she got the car from me.
I love your videos. I am a a firm believer of preventative maintenance. I have a 2005 Ford F150 with the 5.4 3V engine with now has 62,000 miles on it. I purchased the truck when it had 22,000 miles on it. I immediately changed the spark plugs and took pretty much two days to do it. I sprayed each cylinder one at a time with DEEP CREEP and let it set for a least two hours before trying to remove the plugs. I used an air impact wrench but just tickled the trigger back and forth to break it loose. Luckily I didn't break a one and got them all out. Ford told me not to worry about it the truck only has 22,000 miles you can wait til 100,000 miles before replacing them. After replacing them later on I found out Ford came out with a second revision plug so I replaced the plugs again at 60,000 miles and just learned that Ford came out with a third revision of the plug. So I will replace them again this spring, if not before. All of the fuel injectors were cleaned with a new starter has also been done too. The transmission fluid and the power steering fluids were also changed with the differential all at 60,000. The fuel filter was also changed. I always change my oil and filter every 3,000 miles so I will not have that slug in the engine that you had there. I just recently changed the VCT solenoids even though I did not have any code issues, I just thought it was time to do it. I will also replace the belt tentioner, belt and camshaft solenoids, even though I don't have any code issues there either. Again I am a firm believer of preventative maintenance. Next up I will replace all of the followers, lash adjusters, timing chain, tentioners, rails, camshaft pharsers with a Melling M360HV extra heavy duty oil pump. After all of that done the engine should be bullet proof. I am not waiting till the vehicle has 100,000 miles or more on it before these things are taken care, even though Ford says you don't have to do all of that now. IMHO the truck is now 15 years old, you can't go by mileage. Just though you should know there are a few of us that really take care of the vehicles we have. Your videos are outstanding I really enjoy them.
OCTO Manual94 wizard stated several times that he “wasn’t” the original owner. Perhaps it was done by a previous owner. All I ask for is just a little common sense
It sounds like he really hates to be seen as the bad guy. Looks like he’s trying to make a public service announcement to warn people about this problem.
Thank you Sir Wizard for doing what you do. Truly, you provide a service, and for the normal people who can’t afford the high end vehicles, and buy used, this is invaluable.
189,000 on my 2010 F-150 just did Phasers, timing chain, timing guides, tensioners, melling high pressure oil pump. All in OEM Parts and labor it was $1187.00. A hair more than a new set of tires. Just had an offer of $14,000 for my rig, might sell it. Don't be afraid of the 5.4, great motor.
lol. considering regularly maintained ecoboost engines are seeing 200K without a rebuild. it depends on a lot of things, but ecoboost engines aren't as unreliable as some people want you to believe
I think ecoboost engines need even more tight oil change. I have a 2010 Flex ecoboost, drop the oil evey 5000km, only pour in 100% synthetic and I tow a lot with it. Otherwise, awesome engine. Torque of a diesel, power of a gaz and if you drive with your head, it's not harder on gas than anything else. Needs to run on premium tho.
Yeah it's just a matter of time before we all get bombarded with them. They do sell well however. I've brought four f150s back from auction and sold them in less than a month. I do have one that keeps coming back for odds and ends. It's starting to get noisy so I'm already prepared. The odd thing is it's the lowest milage. The owner drives like a idiot but there's not much I can do about besides fix it when it breaks. I'm praying he wrecks it or trades it in on a nice Dodge I have.
Bottom line: You are lucky, 120k is no miles at all, there are still Olds 350 diesels from the 80's running around. Those few survivors in no way change the fact the design was trash.
I. Own. A. F250. With. A 5.4. It. Had. 316000. Miles. On. It. Before. It. Died. It. Starting. To. Fail. At. 160000. Miles. But. I. Just. Let. It. Bang. And. Miss. And kept. Running. It. I. Love. Fords. They. Been. Good. To. Me. In. My. Opinion is when. I. Buy. A. New. Truck. It. Wont. Be. A. Ford
In all honesty there are issues in all the big 3 truck engines. I am not talking about external stuff, but internal major repairs. Chevy 5.7l great engines, spider injection not the greatest. 5.3l Chevy 99-06 were terrific engines 5.3l 07+, Active fuel management lifter failures, camshaft failures 6.0l relatively great engine, I have seen a few no oil pressure issues due to sticking oil pressure regulator 5.3l 15+, to soon to tell. Added direct injection. Dodge 4.7L, Not to powerful of an engine. Dropped valve seats, broken exhaust manifold bolts, warped heads. I actually like these engines, nut not powerful enough to tow with. 5.7l Hemi, 03-08 Dropped valve seats, lifter noise. 09+ Lifter noise, bad camshafts Ford 5.4l 3v Yeah, they are junky. 4.6l 2v, prob the best engine Ford ever made. Weak for towing. 5.4l 2v. Blows out spark plugs, but great engine, exhaust studs. 3.5l no personal experience 6.2l no personal experience 5.0l, 5.8l, Who cares, they are old as sh** 6.8l 2v V10, great engines, exhaust manifold studs Imports, Not sure. I don't wrench on them. On the 5.4l 3v. Yes, that sludged one should have been replaced. I have repaired them with success if the cam caps aren't wiped out. Use OEM Ford parts for timing components, Using a high volume/high pressure aftermarket oil pump is key. Also the 09+ 3v have a different spark plug, super easy to get out.
Dear Car Wizard and Family, it doesn’t matter if you are an engineer or not , you are the man who repairs day in and day out the cars which are produced, so normally engineers should flock to you for advice on how to build better cars. But as it seems the car industry is not at all interested in this or in its customers who keep the car corporations alive. Reminds me of the song of ABBA : „Money, Money, Money always funny in the Rich Man‘s World. God bless you All car Wizard for your excellent and heartfelt job.
My dad had an F-150 with this motor. I was sad when he sold it because I really liked the truck and got to drive it often. Now I can see he dodged a bullet because he was not good about getting his oil changed!
if you change your oil it's fine, there are still tons of 3Vs on the road with 200, 300k miles on them and the owners don't even know of this issue because they change their oil. My dad has a 5.3 in a silverado with 200k+, you hear all the time about the AFM eating cams, his is fine cause he changes his oil TOO much at 3k miles. He has a 2000 silverado that was my grandad's, everyone says the 4l60 is trash but his has 325k miles on it on the original trans because of servicing. These are all anecdotes but these problems are overstated and created by poor maintenance a lot of the time.
@@Terminxman Ford publishes a "severe service" maintenance schedule. It is no secret and in the manual. Many people are driving severe service and don't know it. They should be using the more frequent intervals.
Ugh, those 2-piece spark plugs were a nightmare when I was a service writer. Nothing like telling people right off the bat that their tune up was gonna run $1000.
@@CarlLevine some dealers really worked customers....oh you have a bad coil we suggest changing the plug too due to the misfire. Oh look it broke off 😂 yeah we going have to charge more labor.
Have two of these engines in the family. Dad's '04 is well over 100k now, it's needed a leaf blown out of the MAF and a fuel tank pressure sensor in that time, never leaves the driveway without a trailer behind it. My personal '06 is pushing 160k, valve covers have never been off, it's quiet as can be. The secret to our success? Change the oil on time! It's really that simple!
We have an '06 (or '08?I forget now) with the same engine. It's at about 160-170k. Did have one spark plug eject, belt tensioner pulley failed, and brake pump that had an issue. Basically, external components on the engine except for the spark plug. Unfortunately the truck is starting rust and peel paint by the wheel wells ... but then again we're in the rust belt.
The issue is not a badly designed Ford motor it’s as you stated a customer neglecting regular oil Changes. I’ve seen many 5.4 3v go well over 300,000 miles and I speak from experience as I also work in the trade.
Purchased mine used. Spark plugs and COP replaced on a few cylinders. Needed PCM reflash at 196,000. Runs good. But must agree... NEED TO DO REGULAR OIL CHANGES.
Dave Roberts I’ve heard that the 5-20 is used only in the states for emissions and world wide they use at least 5-30 and they don’t get the same cam phaser tick because of this. I’ve used 5-40 synthetic and mine runs great
@@roninkraut6873 The OEM oil pump on the 5.4 04'-10' had a problem with poor volume delivery. Mellings per Ford on the 3 valve 340 hv (hi vol). Now the vct solinoids are touchy and those screens break or clog end up with the cam phaser issue. I got the 5-30 if switching the o.p. Spoke with Cam Mellings on the 5-30
You gotta watch using high volume oil pumps. If the oil passages aren't up to snuff, all you're going to do is pump all the oil into the top end where it will sit and not drain back creating a breeding ground for sludge. I use Shell Rotella T6 5W40 in all my cars and have been for years and my engines are clean as a whistle and I have zero issues. Of course, I also change my oil on time.
Maintenance definitely plays a major role.... I've owned 2 3v 5.4's without an issue. I drove both trucks well into the high 100k range. They were both fantastic engines, but I maintained them properly
As a matter of fact the only vehicle that I've owned that I have any issue with was a 2000 5.3 Silverado... Had a rear diff failure at 35k and a worn out cam at 85k.... I drove an 04 ram 130k and then sold it to my best friend who drove it to 185k without any issue what so ever ..... I also had an 01 f150 that my father in law drives to this day at over 200k that has only had the transmission replaced and that was after sitting for 2 years
gulfcoaster210 318 v8 in a Dodge van 387,000 when I sold it and still running great. Crown Vic 485,000 and not burning any oil when I bought another one. Only have 96,000 on my present Crown Vic and it's not broken in yet. None of them had any engine work done except normal maintenance. Maybe I'm lucky?
@@409novaman that's pretty crazy for a crown Vick.... Most 2 valve modular fords burn oil pretty much from new. I've never been around a 2v modular that didn't burn at least half a quart between oil changes.... They r great engines and last forever but damn they go through oil. I used to have to top my 2v 5.4 off once a month or so because it loose half a quart per 1000 mikes
Have a 2005 fx4 5.4 with 233k. Oil changes every 4500 miles and use the heavier motorcraft oil. It's a 20 mpg highway truck and runs great with bolt ons. I did have a roller follower.fail at 195k miles but fixed it immediately. People need to pay attention to issues and not just run until detonation.
Also the 08 and up 5.4 has a standard spark plug. If you follow the actual procedure from Ford the plugs don't break. What i do is once it's up to operating temp i crack them a quarter turn then soak them with carb cleaner and let them sit haven't broke a plug yet.
I just take them out with a 1/2 Impact... Probably one broken out of every 3 trucks. Push the creamic down with 1/4 long extension, pull out the tip with lisle tool, and fire it up to blow out the carbon and put the new plug in. Easy as pie.
I liked the Wizard's attitude about cleaning a customer's car. I took my car to a body shop after a front-end collision. When I went to pick it up, he said he needed to show me something. All the paint was peeled off of the rear bumper. I was like WTF the front end was damaged in an accident, not the rear! The ass had pressure-washed the whole car which peeled the paint off the rear bumper, and then he refused to do anything to fix the damage he had done. Needless to say I will never go back to that shop and I bad-mouthed him all over town.
if he made a mistake no biggie. But pawning off the mistake and blaming the customer for it then charge him for their mistake. Yea the bad-mouthing is warranted
5 ปีที่แล้ว +29
An observation: The amount a sludge built up in that engine indicates that the oil may have never been changed or hardly ever. That's about the worst I've seen in many years of tear downs.
Then you're greener than me. I've seen far worse. I'd say this example is just Jiffy Lube oil changes at over 5k miles each time. Some engines make sludge no matter what. Especially the Dodge 2.7.
193,000 miles on '07 F150. Change oil every 3,000, changed spark plugs at 100,000 myself, nothing broke. I did by the Lisle tool just in case. The camshaft phasors have been ticking lightly since 85,000. Love the truck, when the engine goes I'll replace it with a Jasper and motor on.
@@BrownBomber92181 The 4v engines are good too i havent had too many of them come through the shop, never had any issue with my cobra either knock on wood. Hope i didnt jinx myself lol.
@@bigbadboof6284 243xxx on mine, 09 5.4 3v just do full synthetic oil changes every 7500miles. Alot of hauling and towing too. Only problem now is the drivers side exhaust manifold cracked and got a tick but will be swapping in a set of shorty headers soon.
@@texaseliteperformance4471 I change the the oil every 5-6,000 miles with full synthetic as well. Maybe I should consider waiting until 7,500 miles as well to save money.
@@bigbadboof6284 yup i do full synthetic penzoil platinum took the valve covers off and it's really clean. As long as you maintain it shouldn't have problems with this engine
I got to say the 5.4 3v is the best engine i have ever had. Granted its all on the owner. I knew the issues before i bought it at 140k miles. But after 160k miles now i am at 300k with oil changes ever 3k miles as well as regular transmission and differential fluid changes. The only major repair i have had is the AC. I have no cam issues timing chain issues. Runs just as well if not better the day i bought it. Can only blame the owners and being lazy. Agree ford could of designed it better for the lazyer of owners. But taking care of properly or earlier this engine can last damn near 400k+ miles.
What you're describing has been explained to me by more seasoned techs than myself in my youth as "no good deed goes unpunished" I've found this to be extremely true over the past 15 years in the automotive service industry.
I had a guy with the same sludge problem come to me and when I recommended a new engine, he said regardless of price he wanted HIS engine rebuilt. I went though the costs involved, including sending the heads and intake to the machine shop. I $#it you not, this guy said that he wanted his engine rebuilt because he wanted to keep it "numbers matching." He was worried about his rusty old work truck being numbers matching. At the end of the day I graciously helped the cash part from his wallet, with a down payment of course lol. What's the old proverb say? A fool and his money are soon parted
mean while the rest of the truck is rusting and probably wont pass inspection right?? sometimes people cant let go....my girl loves her 2010 altima but i told her when the CVT trans goes..its game over.
@@fargenvonwitbier I had to reread my post because I am like WTF is this guy talking about lol. I must have had another job on my mind because I meant to say "heads and block" lol
Eric Brunhammer honestly when my 4.6 3v finally quits on me, which is gonna be a while since it only had 287,000 miles I’m gonna have that motor rebuilt, I don’t care about the cost I’m gonna have it bored out an inch or two and throw it back in there.
@@P7777-u7r all blue oval boys are in complete denial!!!! Don't let the Chevy Avatar full you I own them all and I fix them all they all break in one way or another ford just brakes more
@@josephtaverna1287 how does the Northstar engine have anything to do with trucks???? to my knowledge it was never used in any truck ever??¿? And furthermore that was predominantly a Cadillac engine.. not a massively used power plant to put in your top selling truck!!!!! Like the 4.6 l and 5.4 l blue oval beauties...
@@josephtaverna1287 last I look this video and the discussion was on trucks ! I guess that's a little difficult for you to understand ?¿¿? We could go back and forth over 4 cylinders and 6 cylinders for every manufacturer I work on them everyday they all have issues!!! the bottom line is the LS GM V8 is the number one selling engine out there because of its reliability power output and reasonable cost!!!!¡!! The only thing that's gone is your ability to manage subject matter!!!!!!
My 5.4 lives here in Alaska. It currently is just under 190 thousand miles and has never had any engine related issue. I run synthetic and change the oil and filter every 5k.
Thanks for the great video ! My F250HD -'09 - 3 valve was bought on the 'real cheap' for $2800 and because it had just had the oil pump and phaser work done at 138,000. I now have nearly 190,000 on it and use it exclusively for towing a trailer. Out of the fleet of a dozen trucks, this is my only 3 valve and would have never owned except it was rust free, maintained well, and it was cheap. My biggest gripe is the horrible fuel mileage as it gets around 9-10 mpg at 70 mph whereas my V10 F350 duallies and the 6.2 F250/F350s will pull easily and run at up to 80 mph with a 14-16 mpg return on fuel. All are geared the same, but some are manuals and some are automatics. All are standard cab trucks and base units except one which is a 4 door with a topper and high level trim. ALL were bought used but with great maint. history. I will not be 'looking' for another after all the problems others have encountered, but hope mine will make it at least until the body rots off of it. We appreciate your candid observations Mr Car Wizard and love your content !
I work for a major Auto Parts chain.( former 26 year mechanic ) I hear constantly about the issues people are having with them 5.4 3v. I recommend using a good engine flush before each oil change and yes i recommend changing oil often.
I see so many 5.4 3 valves running 200000 / 300000 miles on original engines. I just replaced mine with 215,000 because of cam phasers, now if I didn't plan on running the next 3 years towing a 33 ft wildwood RV I'd kept that engine. Don't worry I'll be doing a 3 year TH-cam channel on this starting next spring. 2005 xl f150 the new updated 5.4 motors are getting 300000 miles, thanks to mellings 340/360 oil pump and new oil passage opening.
The only problem with the 5.4 3 valve i have had in expedition is VCT driver side, it had a hole in the screen. 190,000 changed plugs to motor craft and used 15 w-40 oil and check/add once a month.
@@SilverRaven1959 If you NEED to change the oil every 3k miles in order to not destroy your engine, than that's simply a major design flaw. Replacing the spark plugs is neglect? Changing the oil according to the official service intervals is neglect? You can't be serious. The owners worked hard to buy one of these vehicles. Problems and bills like these are devastating and can actually ruin people's lives. Besides, i'd love to hear your definition of "educated".
233,000 miles on my 2006 F150 with no issues. I only changed the spark plugs and coils as needed. Like any engine, if you want it to last just change the oil every 5,000 miles.
Hes absolutely right about tritons. They were junk from the get go. The only engine ive worked on thats a comparable hunk of shit was the gm quad 4 that was in calvaliers and grand ams. Just about every part of the triton was ridiculous that they thought it would last or be reliable. Ford knew all the problems going on and it should have been a forced complete recall and redesign
I've never had an issue with the 5.4 3V. Use 5w30 and change the oil and filter every 3000-3500 miles religiously. I'm on an Expedition FB page and many have over 300k miles and some over 400k miles.
@@josephtaverna1287 Huh pretty sure he's talking about the V8 northstar that came in the caddy's...another one is the 2.7 in the dodge intrepides and chrysler 300''s from ealry 2000s
@@AlwaysBeSmart674 the 2.7 ate the chain gides and then shit them selfs. And let us not forget the whole drive train calls dodge tranys shit the bed as well.
Northstars are just planned obsolesence, they designed it to fail just after the warranty was up. Still loved my caddy, thank god for mechanic friends.
These engines are perfectly fine. They do have timing chain slack after high miles and they do have failures on their phasers. 70-80% of these failures are due to lack of maintenance. The spark plugs were updated in 2008 to a one piece design. Unless you’re a ford dealer tech you don’t know most of these things.
Mickey Thompson I bought my Expedition with 182,000 back in June for cheap. Already put over 5000 no issues. All I did was replace the plugs and coils and runs like a champ.
I bought a 2010 F 150 with a blown engine. I got a new one from Frasier as they had the ISO 9000 and 14000 certifications. I paid the extra bucks to get the high volume oil pump and higher HP. I have been more than pleased with the performance. I am really glad I watched this video as my daughter is shopping for a new truck and I can steer her away from this engine. I will also change my oil more frequently.
esco 95 Yes my terminator is a bitch car, the funny part is I guarantee my wife’s car is a million times better then yours, McDonald’s isn’t a career little boy grow up bum!
The 4.6 isn't much different. The exhaust manifolds still crack. The oil filter adapters still leak. The timing chain tensioners still fall apart, and changing the plugs still a bite-in-the-ass.
wotked at ford for 42 years -- senior master tech-love your videos i watch them - often agree with you on most everything except the 5.4 3 valve engine - i have a 2011 expedition-200k no engine repairs of any kind has always had maintnance done no sludge-by people not changing there oil ///has been a great motor--most people dont maint there engine right you know that as well as i do- i also repaired all of fords trans under warranty for them - i also had a 1993-explorer 4.0 v6 engine i drove it 400k miles- then sold it /it was still running never even replaced a water pump on it -just timing cover gasket - was one of the best motors i ever had-/i also owned a 1994 sc300 lexus- at 175k- every thing started going bad and trans went out -/have a good day - enjoy your videos wish i would have made some on trans repairs and rebuilds / also engine repairs /you dont know it yet but it sucks getting old-every day we wake up we are another day closer to death
Here's how to fix the ticking on start up: Replace the timing chain components. The Ford phasers are good quality and 'likely not worn or damaged' so carefully inspect them. The problem is poor quality timing chain components wearing out due to lack of lubrication. A new or upgraded oil pump is not a bad idea . However most importantly, the thin oil Ford recommends is the culprit. Use 10/30 or diesel 15/40 depending on temperature. Installing timing chain components on the 5.4 is challenging as I've just done one. Yes, this engine needs regular oil changes more frequent than most. Although I 'do not' agree with the Wizard in replacing the engine, I want to thank him for the video and the many points I do agree with.
I know these ohc ford engines are a little on the over-complicated end of the spectrum compared to most push-rod engines, but I also believe regular oil / filter changes could prevent a ton of this heart-ache as well.
Had a 2008 F150 dropped "in my lap" by my son who had given up on it... has a 5.4L 3V engine with 136,000 miles... ran bad and had ticking valve lifters... tore apart the engine and the guides for the timing chains were destroyed... installed new timing chain set with combination of Ford and Cloyes parts... new Ford lifters and roller rockers, new Melling High Volume oil pump... now the truck runs smooth and powerful, it's quiet and the oil stays clean between changes (5W/30 only) and it uses not a drop of oil... Like any engine, if you put them together right, they can be great!!
Unfortunately we live in a throw away world fix it if it's broke or don't complain about it being broken Bruce you are the man elbow grease is a great thing
Melling has a revised roller follower "Rocker arm" MR1851 for the 5.4L Assuming the oil was changed :) One of the major failures is the roller follower needle bearings. The roller drops and then the cam is running on the rocker sides. Before you know it it kicks out the follower and usually knocks the valve keeper loose - you know what happens when the valve falls down! The new follower is redesigned to squirt oil on the contact point of the cam and roller and the oil hole is much smaller raising the oil pressure to the phasers. For 12.67$ why not just change out all 24 as soon as you hear ticking or when you have over 125k miles? 304$ for the followers and a set of valve cover gaskets is a lot cheaper than blowing an engine. And they are easy to replace too. Maybe 2 hrs of labor if your slow.
Not neglected, bad design, if the majority of people neglect their engines, how come the 5.4 failed much more than basically every other engine? Bad design, an engine should be designed to be able to be used by the average driver, not an enthusiast who is anal about every little thing.
It not about being anil. I used to work at a private 10 min oil change. "When did you change your oil last sir". Oh you needto change the oil? What the AVERAGE conversation sadly some had no idea what we did just new it was a 3000k survice that if thy missed theyed get the next one and when themanual says life time trans fluid or 16k oil intervals some times it be 30k sence their last change i had one person in our parking lot fill thire own car and i mean fill it to the top of the cams with oil. Cant even count the amount of dry diffs
@@jaredchampagne2752 Exactly just bad quality. My uncle had a F150 where the clutch went out at 30k, he replaced it and the clutch went out again at 60k. I made the mistake of buying a Taurus only to get nickel and dimed by that POS at 40k and yes I did all the maintenance. Lack of maintenance is not a valid explanation for a bad coil pack, iac motor, oil leak, and antifreeze leak all at 40k. So Ryan can just STFU as far as Im concerned especially when the engineers in all their wisdom decided to stick the oil filter right above the starter in an 03 Taurus. So if you ever change the oil, the starter will HAVE to be changed about 3 months later if you are lucky
Hazy an engine should be designed to be user friendly with a fair amount of wiggle room for error or going over maintenance schedules, not be a fragile turd that blows up if you go 50 miles over an oil change, theres a reason why the 5.4 failed much more regularly than every other engine in history.
MasonDoctor and yet the many you “know” probably don’t come close to the amount of owners who had to replace the engine based on the papers he printed.
@@eddieace345 that is the best selling vehicle of all time. So there are millions of that engine. And many more have no issues versed the ones that do. And if you just do normal maintenance, then almost no one has issues. You can find the exact same pages of papers that requires new engine for many, many vehicles. Chevy 6.3 liter number 5 cylinder failure as one of many.
This video pertains to the 3V only!! Not the 4.6, or the 2V, which are decent engines. ONLY the 3V as stated in the video.
So the ones they use in the mustangs are decent? What about the 3V 4.6?
The 2v 5.4 ain't much better. Lifters rattle even when they are new. Spark plugs like to shoot out of the heads for any random reason.
66
I’m glad you stated that! I was about to come down to the comments and say how good my 4.6 3v f150 is!
@@trailspeed7037 I love the 4.6 2v that I have in the Family fleet. Coworker has the 4.6 3v and it is a champ. great motor. Had to of been a Friday before a holiday weekend when Ford made the 5.4L.
I love how calmly angry the wizard gets
He's a serial killer.
He ‘ll be in the next Harry Potter movie
Soft spoken ,no curse words, all class ! If you aren't impressed with this man you are a boy forever ,real gentlemen are just that but push comes to shove these are the dudes getting babies out of house fires ,in the most stressfully situation ,when most people panic and step back from the stress wheel ,these step forward ,I've witnessed it of my dad my grampa and myself ,know your place and get it done!
He has to be calmly angry. If he wasn't, car wizard would have killed Tyler Hoover along time ago!
_He was Force-Choking the shiznit out of the 3-valve design team during this vid._
Your spot on about doing ONLY what is agreed to on paper before the job. People are nuts about stuff.
As an IT guy I concur. Inform them of what you may see, but only DO what is agreed on.
@@PandorasFolly ah I dealt with this for years. And Ive been screamed at for it
Chuck Iringtwice You're*
joseph migliore/that never fails to bring out the grammar nazis. It allows us to know who you are.
“Your kids college fund” ... do your kids a favor and make them pay for their own school. I did and it made me much more careful about wasting my time and blowing money on parties, as well as choosing a degree that pays enough to pay off my loans.
I’m actually on my 5th 5.4 3V , 3rd Expedition.
All have gone over 200,000 miles with no phaser, timing chain, spark plug issues. With over 50 years in the auto repair business, I’m obsessive about maintenance.
Probably not the best Ford engine, for sure. My only complaint is low power
They're best in the F-150. They're not that great in heavier-duty applications.
I had this in my07 Lincoln P U. Idid a timing job and phaser. Easy job. Just line up the timing marks and you are set. I did have to buy small tools to make things easier. Ran perfect.
264,654 miles on my 06... original engine and trans...
How often did you you changed the oil sir, did yiu use 5w30 synthetic? Semi synth? ? Did you use it in highway mainly or heavy city traffic?
@@tomgrams2333how often do you change your oil? Do you use it on highway or heavy traffic? Do you use 5w30 semi or full synthetic sir? Thank you
I love that even Wizard's wife calls him Car Wizard...
Years of training 😂
Man got some skills on multiple levels :D
She must sing "We're off to see the wizard!" whenever she goes to see him :)
Hoovies Garage All thanks to the great Hoovie
That's what's prenuptial agreement for.
I worked at a Ford dealership when this engine came out. One of the older veteran engine mechanics in the shop predicted the 5.4 Triton 3 valve engine to be an absolute disaster. He was correct.
Just install cam phaser lockouts and a melling oil pump and it becomes bulletproof.
Danny O nope still a heaping pile of shit. Spark plugs alone would make you lose your shit. They are prone to repeatedly breaking down esp in harsh conditions considering I run my trucks for mainly swamp logging, getting my guys to and from the job site but on top of that ford makes it a PAIN IN THE ASS to work on anything yourself. Fuck that blue oval and anyone who stands by there pieces of shit.
I had one for 3 years, I replaced the spark plugs and that was it. It had great low end power and preferred to tow with it over the Chevys I drove at work. I drove it for 100000 miles and traded it in for a new vehicle.
@@Tanner-bg2qn that engine is actually easy to work on. Now try doing a water pump on a Cadillac northstar engine.
Danny O don’t ever plan to. I only buy V8’s with the exception of an old 2jz. Got a is300 I’m currently building. I stick to things that are easy/cheap to work on if I can.
"Change Engine" light came on
That's funny as crap, like when the fuel gauge is too low, the "walk" light comes on!
🤣
Too damn funny .
The "Dash-Light" that's common place on Fords.
That's common on ford's it's like their set for a certain amount of miles till the light comes on. It's honestly mind boggling how the F series trucks have been number 1 seller for however many years it's been even tho they are complete garbage and their is countless videos online proving that even the wizards video on 3/4 ton pickups to buy and not to buy proves ford trucks are garbage but people still buy them🤷 I'd rather own a dodge than a ford any day of the week and that's really saying something.
Great video. I currently have a 2007 Expedition and have had the unfortunate honor of changing the cam phasers, timing chain tensioners and guides. Once completed she ran and continues to run like a dream. Your video is spot on! Frequent oil changes is a must for this and many engines. I change mine every 3000 to 4000 miles. What also kills these engines are the short trips to the neighborhood "grocery store" and back. It is crucial for the engine parts to reach optimum operating temperature. Short hops doesn't heat up parts and oil or varnish sits on parts which begins the sludge build up process. So, change oil frequently and drive damn it. DRIVE!!!!
"Do exactly what you are told, nothing more" truer words have never been spoken
Exactly what you learn in the military day one.
These days no good deed goes unpunished!
I'm a Ford guy, and I'm pissed. Pissed at Ford.
Indramatatic -- Don't let it get to you.
I'm a GM guy, and they frequently do equally bad stuff. The Colorado motor comes to mind, but that's not the only one. It's a symptom of the times, and all manufacturers are afflicted by the "Stupid" disease.
Ford disease man got him
Every company makes its mistake, Ford does, GM does, Chrysler does, BMW does, every company makes mistakes
@@scottmarshall6766 You are exactly right. All of this"Ford sucks" and "Chevy sucks" etc... is missing the larger problem.
I want a rwd Ford Fusion wagon.... America should’ve got the Mondeo wagon... shove a Coyote in it, manual transmission, sell it for cheap... would’ve taken off
When you touch stuff you arent paid to do it will always go wrong. Listen to that kids. No good deed goes unpunished is very real.
I have worked at dealership that washed your car after service . Some customers like that ,the wizard has very different clients who own weird cars. Weird cars like RR, Viper, super cars that are not practical. I mean if it was just about getting there go buy a under 50k mile panther platform car for under $5k less than what they probably paid in interest and taxes.
@@GEAUXFRUGAL if your dealership wash the engine bay of my car I will be mad, and sue for that
yes the road to he!! is paved with good intentions...
ain’t that the realest truth
always!
I wouldn't really say it's the engine's fault then, the failure was caused by lack of maintenance. Sludge from no oil changes will kill any engine regardless of how good it is.
Yes, i'm a 2v fan over even the 4v n i've seen ppl using the original engine for over 300k to 500k miles, if ppl are lazy careless idiots who treat their engines like they do their ass, then yes it's gonna be full of shit..lol
Well.. other engines can be best around despite that and still run great ... Yeah sure it's still lack of maintenance but part of an engines reliability is inherently relying on forgiveness as well... That's how people brag about how reliable an engine is... They talk about how much shit they put it through without ever taking care of it cuz it's just that good
It's faulty engineering. An engine should be designed to survive real world use.
Agree
Yes, but in terms of reliability and lifespan, it is very short. It's like someone with an immune system and someone without one. If they got sick it's not their fault, but there are still consequences and one will pay a higher price than the other in terms of health.
I am a true Ford guy. Thank you for your video on Garbage engineering. Bad engineering is BAD no matter who puts it out to the unsuspecting public.
It’s not bad engineering. There are literally millions of these engines and even the 4.6 3V is the same basic architecture. These engines require good maintenance. Look up the oil specs on these overseas and 5W-30 is what it calls for versus the 5W-20 Ford requires in the states for fuel mileage. Far from being the worst engine ever. Since GM’s DOD/AFM system was blowing up engines and Dodge’s Hemi’s were eating cams.
Just change the oil.
Guys. Mechanics like this make an honest living. You don't need a degree. You don't need student debt. Just make an honest living not screwing people like a lot of shit mechanics. Be honest, do good work, and live a great life.
@Masterr Laster: I work in the industry and it's not that bad. I'd say it is the inverse of that.
Jacob Hiller dude I’m a teenager thanks to you now I know what to do in my life. I was cautious about going to college & taking in loans. I love cars & I’m not into college.
@@Bigshiesty1 Good for you man. I'm 28, and I know dozens of people who went to college and are paying off $50,000 loans with whatever service jobs they can scrape up. If you aren't getting a degree for a specific purpose in a well payed field, it's not a good investment.
@@Bigshiesty1 you could get certified as an auto tech in under 6 months and come out with zero debt and a rewarding job, if I could do it all over again I would have instead of wasting time at state and city colleges
@@davidbsac couldnt agree more, its more popluar in our current culture to overstate the negative. I turned wrenches in my youth and am now Tier 2 System Analyst. It was great foundational training for following procedures and there are A LOT of great shop and 3rd party technicians that get a bad name on the actions of a few as usual.
Can't be worse than the 4.7 liter in older Tundras and Sequoias, you got to replace those at 1.1 or 1.2 million miles
I'd be upset not to get over a million miles. They sure don't make them like they used to.
@@Metalsuitman lol
Really? I was hoping for 2 million 😉 👍👍 to my fellow 2uz drivers (I’ve had sequoias and lx470s 15+ years and just picked up a GX (currently have 3 sequoias an lx and now the GX). Unbeatable machines
@@bmwrepaircrew8848 I had 2006 x5 4.4...and f150 2005 5.4. I just bought 2020 GX....I am very happy with it.
It will be the original 4.7, but the 3rd frame.
Nice video Wizard. I've had several of these 5.4's and never had a problem. I always change the oil every 3k miles. I think it pays to baby your car. Oil is cheap compared to repairs. You can't change your oil enough.....clean oil = long life!!
I am impressed that so many people can just drag $6200 bucks out of their pocket to buy a new engine.
Visa card
attached to their truck.
Sarah Watson. Hopefully that's called "middle class" life shouldn't be that hard for anything 10k or under???
Most people have money in the bank. Look around at the cars you see. They may be making car payments, but most that are not base model econo boxes are going to have a few grand within reach. Median income in the US is just shy of $5000 a month.
Someone with a drive out tag on a 2003 Accord likely doesn't have much extra. They are the anomaly.
@channelofstuff
At the median income(56k), tax is about 22%. At 60k a year, it's 25%. Throwing state taxes out because that varies too much state by state. That is also before deductions.
Once you get above about 10-12 an hour a sizeable portion has a small backup. Some make 10an hour and have 20k sitting in the back. Some make 200k and have 500 in the bank.
*hugs 32-year old Ford 5.0*
and iiiiiiiiiii
will always love youuuuu
Good stuff right there, I don't care who you are!
@@feez357 Mine is in an F-150 and it gets nothing but Mobil1 and Costco Gas. My buddy has one he loved back to health in a trashy-lookin' Fox and if you unscrew the oil cap you can hear Yours Forever by Dara MacLean coming out of it. The thing sets off car alarms now!
Very good motor, simple and reliable
Mine was a 68 f100 350 v8. Great car.
Well, the new Coyote is pretty sweet too
5.4 worst engine.
6.0 liter Ford diesel: hold my beer.
Wade Guidry 6.4 Powerstroke: *Boss music plays*
Lolololol facts
Navistar* It was so bad Ford developed their own. The 6.7 is doing fine.
Ryan Martinage quit lying to yourself, radiator failure, turbo failure, and coolant leaks plague the 6.7 PowerStroke
IDK everything around the engine is bad but the engine never seems to give out. At least in my experience.
one good thing for these motors is manning makes high volume oil pumps for it. Definitely helps with keeping those journals clear. I'm 100% with you on oil changes. I always recommend using synthetic oil and changing it ever 5000 miles for these motors.
3,000. I use synthetic, and I notice oil discoloration and increased oil usage at 2,000 miles.
Not to be a jerk but i believe its melling that makes the high volume oil pump for this engine
I have an 06 expedition with this engine in it. It's been a good running truck. I did have to do the tune up where 3 of the plugs broke on me but the remover kit is worth it's wait in gold. I also do my engine oil changes every 3000. After watching your video on best trucks I do feel my next truck will be a Toyota though.
I have a 2005 f 150 with 244,000 miles on it. I got it new and changed the oil every 3000 miles. Still running great.
I own a 2005 F150 5.4 3V Triton engine. I've always used fully synthetic Royal Purple 5W20, then switched over to 5W30. The only thing that I ever changed on the engine was a starter that went out at 190,000 miles. The only next item I ever changed was the VCT Control Solenoids that are exposed from the top of the valve covers.. That's it. Everythiing else internally in the motor is original. Original timing chain, cam phase sensors, you name it. Muffler, tailpipe, catalytic converter...all original. Change your oil people, and you too will get 348,000 miles like I have so far. I'm heading for 400,000 miles on his worst engine. It runs like a top, has a lot of pep, energy, and speed. It's like most motors with 100,000 miles...that good.
Still g2g?
I don't know what you mean, g2g? A year later, I have 363,000 miles on my 2005 F130, and I had to replace the alternator at 362,000 miles, but that's it. Just bought more Royal Purple fully synthetic motor oil and the WIX 10050 oil filter. Will change in a couple days, intervals at 6,000 or 7,000 miles.@@lennoxwelds
That's good to hear. I just inherited a 2009 Lariat from my Dad, 124,000 miles. He took really good care of it (besides all the elm leaves that the mice used to make a nest in the fresh air intake to the HVAC system lol). He changed all fluids very regularly. Drove it like an old lady going to church. I hope to be as fortunate as you have been. I have a 1997 Expedition with a 4.6L, and she's at 280,000 miles. Only minor repairs to her... she runs really well. Had an 02 Sport Trac that made it to 195,000 until my daughter totaled it.
Change your oil, people.
It maybe ford's worst engine but it's still better than some of gm and Chrysler engines
@@lostinmyspace4910awesome bro, I just got one of these 5.4 v3 lariat’s and she’s been great so far, how often have you been changing the oil?
LS-Swap it and watch all the Ford people lose their minds.
Why is this so underrated?
As a Ford guy, I actually second that.
2jz swap
K swap it
Can't loose what we never had
My friend is a Ford mechanic. He says you have to be sure and use Motorcraft oil filters on the 5.4, because if you take it to a lube shop, they'll throw one of those tiny off-brand filters on there, and this is where you get the oil pressure problems.
I would not buy a vehicle which requires a specific brand of oil filters...
The hilarious irony: watching this video, 2 Ford ads played
don't run away buy it and pay what they are asking for it :)
Now I know why the 5.4 in my wifes 06 Expedition sounds like a diesel
So does mine, it’s an 04 f150
Why does mine and hers sound like a diesel?
@@grant9047 you need timing jobs buddy
@@dustinpomeroy8817 Yeah, time to buy another truck! LOL
@@grant9047 change the oil pump to a melting oil pump and it will solve all your problems !!
12:10 as Scotty always says: oil is cheap, engines are not
Scotty "cutcorner" Kilmer's whiskey is as cheap as he is.
@@beezertwelvewashingbeard8703 why do you say that? He cuts corners where they make sense to be cut.
@@HillBillyBrown Scotty used to be a little more into cutting corners back in his older videos. But in his newer ones he's been a lot better and logical.
Scotty thinks he knows everything... cause he dose
Rev up your engines! Unless the engine is fucked.
I have a 2009 5.4 3v with 305,000 miles. Never been touched except for meticulous maintenance. This is a farm truck that gets daily hard usage. Take care of them and they will last a long time.
Thank you these engines are good you just need to keep up with oil changes and change spark plugs when you’re supposed to
Nothing more true than this
200,000 miles on mine. It's rattled since 85,000 but still runs strong. Regular oil changes and no problem changing spark plugs twice now. When it dies I'll put a new crate 5.4 3V in.
@@erwinroman4217. How often you change the spark plugs on these?
@@deandrehendry3733 yet there are engines where you can dog out and they still keep ticking. This engine is garbage, throw it on the pile with the caddy northstar and rotaries too. Bring on the hate
I believe fords are a result of an engineer catching a mechanic in bed with his wife.
😂 😆
The design engineer is NOT the guy that will be fixing it.
That's the problem.
Seems legit
Hahaha "I'm not an engine but I'm a hell of a lot more reliable..." love it. Great videos 😎😎
Seeing such a nice, soft spoken man such as the Wizard all riled up over the 5.4 has finally convinced me that the 5.4 isn't worth considering anymore in a used truck.
I've been shopping used trucks and the 5.4 f150 is permanently off my list. Thanks bud!
Keep on Wizarding on!
@DeviouS I doubt that
5.3l Chevy is decent 06 and down. 07+ have active fuel management which can be a hassle. Toyota?
Go Toyota. To hell with Ford.
@@mph5896 but will you end up buying a 6k engine? .. Maybe not.
Hello car wizard👋☺
@@stickyfingerz6678 I personally own a 2007 Tahoe with 198k. Its on the second engine, first was replaced at 90k. I put an oil pump in it at 184k due to lifter noise at idle. If I was not a mechanic I would not own one.
I just did a camshaft on a 2012 5.3l due to a wiped out cam lobe. Book time is 18 hours, parts cost was $700 for wholesale Ac Delco parts. If I had a shop do it, prob $3k repair. If the cam bearings were spanked, prob replace the engine and move on.
Active fuel management lifter failure on the 07+ 5.3l is common. The cylinder heads need to come off to replace and the AFM solenoid should be replaced at the same time. Prob a $1500-2000 repair if you had a shop do that.
I had a 2010 Raptor with a 5.4L Triton 3V and I had no problems with it. I got it with about 5K miles but kept up with the oil changes frequently (about 3K miles) until I sold it with 55K miles. Between watching this and "I do cars" it makes me really appreciate the importance of keeping up with the oil changes in all motors. I work at home now so I don't put many miles on my vehicles so I change the oil every 6 months even if I have not put many miles on it since the last oil change. My thinking is that the gasoline starts breaking down the oil especially with all of the cold starts (dumping more fuel on start up) with all of my short trips.
If I remember correctly 09 they made the oil passages bigger 09 and 10s are pretty bulletproof
"I'm not an engine but I'd be a heck of a lot more reliable than what was in here"
*Air Horns*
try BUYING CHRYSLER DODGE LIKE I WENT THROUGH FOR 20 YRS
CARS ARE KRAP
ENGINES ARE SHIT
FORD TOO
NOW I GOT SUBIE
@@ekop1778 Dodge is kinda known for that though...
@@ekop1778 here in the northeast chrysler/dodge/jeep are also known for rotted frames and bodies
@@TCreatorO i hear ya MY SUBIE WONT START HAD TO JUMPSTART IT WITH MY BATTERY JUMP PACK THE CAR IS 2 YRS OLD NO LIGHTS ARE ON INSIDE OR OUTSIDE - MIGHT BE DEFECT BATTERY?
@@ekop1778 maybe you left an interior light on? or an incorrectly installed aftermarket alarm system?a battery should last you at least 4 years, specially on a brand new car
I worked for Ford as a quality engineer. I stuck it for three years, then I left due to lack of quality :)))
Ford has some die hard customers...3v were just, 6.4 diesels were junk, ford never knew how to fix the 6.0 diesels...I have a 6.8 2v v10, the dipstick is short so I figured they fixed the problem went to the dealer and get a new one...nope they never fixed it
Jonny G BulletProof Diesel really made the 6.0 reliable.
ATX-CVPI the old 7.3 was bulletproof
I believe you were a quality engineer, pity Ford doesn't know product quality.
Like any manufacture, they all have some bad years. The 5.4 3v is a true crap engine. Chevy has the Piston slapping problem, Dodge has had and still does have some ssues and now some 5.7 Toyota Engines are failing. You really have to do your research. I have a buddy of mine who has an F-150 with a 5.4 2v engine with 393K and that engine purrs. You almost can't hear it when it's running. I kid you not. He is the second owner and has taken care of it meticulously by changing the oil every 3-5k miles. I believe the truck will last half a million miles or more.
Few understand the real pressures that are applied to engineers. They are simply the handmaidens of market analysts and bean counters anymore. For example, they were probably instructed by management to standardize on that plug because they could be purchased for 0.2 cents cheaper than a better one. 0.2 cents times 8 is 1.6 cents per engine, a significant additional cost over a 2 million model run.
In my view, engineers usually have none of the authority, and all of the responsibility for what happens. Just ask the engineers at Boeing (Mar. 2019).
Bean counters are constantly fighting engineers. Engineers aren't allowed to make the highest quality products. They have to build to a budget.
So True! :-(
On the other side of the fence, I'm a Volvo semi truck tech and we have a massive problem with clutch actuators on the I-Shift trucks, as well as the covers leaking on the timing plates. Both of these are large jobs, and cost companies well over $10,000 for each unit repaired. The difference between the trucking industry and the automotive industry is the willingness to address and fix the problems. Last week, Volvo had sent in 2 engineers to watch one of our guys replace a timing cover and document the procedure so 1.) They can put out a repair bulletin with procedures to follow, common areas of difficulty, etc.. and 2.) hopefully they can work out a design in the future to fix these problems.
The problem with the covers is the sealing material itself. The plate is a stamped piece of steel with a groove in it for a bead of silicone. That's it. There's no gasket, just a lengthy bead of silicone, and as we all know, barely stands up to the abuse and vibration of a lawn mower, let alone a truck that makes almost 2000 lb/ft of torque.
An engineer's job at a major auto manufacturer is to satisfy a giant compendium of federal regulation, then insure that the machinery will outlast the warranties by no more than six months at minimum manufacturing cost. Decades of testing refinements and advanced computer simulation have made it possible to hone the results to a razor's edge. Because they must play this game so closely, it is inevitable that things like oil passages that pass in ideal testing conditions fail in real world conditions from time to time.
Foreign car manufacturers must satisfy the same "giant compendium of federal regulation", and yet, don't have the same problems. Why?
3:46 I probably said that phrase dozens of times yesterday as I replaced a 5.4 in a 2005 F-150. Not only is the engine garbage but almost everything is difficult to access as well.
Might be a dumb question, but is this the same (supercharged) 5.4 that’s in the Harley Davidson and Lightning?…I came across a mint 2004 Harley today…
@@MattKremer39 I believe they’re the same except for the lower end on the lightning.
@@MattKremer39 don’t believe that guy they are 2 different engines. The one in the Harley is a 4v v8 compared to this 3v v8 in the video.
I changed the spark plugs in one of these engines in a Econoline van. Worst ever! Took me a whole day.
You say its garbage, ill laugh in 04 3v 5.4 with 180k, engine and tranny still strong, only real issue is a bad coil spring (passenger front) otherwise still good as new, also have a 06 3v 5.4 200k engine and Tranny are still strong needs are aq shifting cable, actuator and fuel filter, also have a first off the line ( Jan of 96) 97 f150, with 260k (needs a new torque converter and oil pump) 2v 4.6, I might be ford fan boy but then again the 4.3 vortec in the family owned and well maintained is the only thing that's left me on the road, not to mention how much other vehicles rust out compare to fords
I found it ironic that a Ford ad played during this video.
Thinking Chevy Tahoe? Consider Ford Explorer.
Like naaahh bruh lmao
Mine was the NRA, must be the matrix...
Well sure, why not? Ford does make lots of great engines, trucks, and cars. This just wasn’t one of them, lol. I mean even Toyota had the same sludge issue caused by too small oil returns, and long oil change intervals on their 3.3’s.
I had an O’ Reilly ad.
Ford 5,4 Triton is like the eveready bunny, What other engine can give you 250,000 smog-perfect miles on a set of spark plugs?
I know people who had these kind of problems with 5.4 3v. Also with 5.4 and 4.6 2v blowing spark plug out the hole, also 6.0 and 6.4 blowing head gasket and also 4.2 v6 bending valve cause the engine had try to compress coolant because of a bad intake gasket design. They were all mad and disappointed at Ford and guess what, they almost all rebuy a Ford product later in their lives. The F150 is still and always the best seller pick up truck. I guess that good advertising campaign is more important than quality after all ......
Blew a plug out of my 2008 4.6 600 miles from home. Stuck in Knoxville for 3 days. Put in an unguaranteed helicoil and hoped for the best. Traded it in on a Sierra
The 2v engines are pretty good other than the plug issue. If done correctly, the helicoils are pretty reliable.
The 3v is garbage; change my mind. This was Ford’s first attempt with VVT in a V8, and they failed.
The 4.2 is a hit or miss..... I’m at a dealership which used to have a whole fleet of 4.2s. Most of them lasted 250-300+ with no issues, but I had problems with one in my personal truck (long story).
people buy the F150 because it has a nice interior and they're fast when they run.
@@mikeruhberg2210 They should have dropped in the 32v DOHCs. Those are built like tanks(they were based on a WWII ford tank engine believe it or not). They are probably too expensive though for mainstream.
i had a 99 v6 mustang that shot a plug out on me
I'm a Ford guy through and through.......the 3v 5.4 is trash
We had one in an f150 that made it to 270000 miles before it started ticking and we ditched it
I unfortunately own one.
Yeah me too bud, I got an 08 f150 had it since 2012 and its been great, has 150,000miles on her now, done oil changes every 3000miles and it's been fine but gonna sell it soon before it blows up lol, it's been an awesome truck, I've been told I am very lucky lol.
Same. Love my Fords. Only vehicles I've ever owned that haven't left me stranded had a blue oval on them. But 5.4 was trash. Just like the newer focus clutches are trash.
Ford = Fucked Over Rebuilt Dodge
Hey Wiz, great video like always but I do have one point to make, using M1 for over 30 years now, 20K miles between oil changes and 5K miles on a quality Filter (i.e.WIX).. Here's a no BS story for you, had a 22R motor in an '81 Celica that I put 90K miles on, and later gave to my sister in law. Several years later one sunny afternoon she was driving to Atlanta form Birmingham when the motor overheated, steamed up ,etc... Had the car towed to a repair shop where the mechanic discovered a bad thermostat and warpped head. At the time the car had 180K miles and my dear sister in law performed zero maintenance. Funny thing was, when the guy pulled the valve cover, although he expected a ton of gunk, sludge however the rockers, overheard cam were pristine. Post head shave and gasket replaced, he pulled a compression check - the car exceeded MFR specs,. He then asked her who her mechanic was - she said no one but mentioned she got the car from me.
Thank you Mr. Wizard, a true journeyman and gentleman.this man has knowledge and integrity at level that sadly is rare in today's society. Thank you!
I love your videos. I am a a firm believer of preventative maintenance. I have a 2005 Ford F150 with the 5.4 3V engine with now has 62,000
miles on it. I purchased the truck when it had 22,000 miles on it. I immediately changed the spark plugs and took pretty much two days to do it.
I sprayed each cylinder one at a time with DEEP CREEP and let it set for a least two hours before trying to remove the plugs. I used an air impact wrench
but just tickled the trigger back and forth to break it loose. Luckily I didn't break a one and got them all out. Ford told me not to worry about it the truck
only has 22,000 miles you can wait til 100,000 miles before replacing them. After replacing them later on I found out Ford came out with a second revision
plug so I replaced the plugs again at 60,000 miles and just learned that Ford came out with a third revision of the plug. So I will replace them again this spring,
if not before. All of the fuel injectors were cleaned with a new starter has also been done too.
The transmission fluid and the power steering fluids were also changed with the differential all at 60,000. The fuel filter was also changed.
I always change my oil and filter every 3,000 miles so I will not have that slug in the engine that you had there. I just recently changed the VCT solenoids even
though I did not have any code issues, I just thought it was time to do it. I will also replace the belt tentioner, belt and camshaft solenoids, even though I don't have
any code issues there either. Again I am a firm believer of preventative maintenance.
Next up I will replace all of the followers, lash adjusters, timing chain, tentioners, rails, camshaft pharsers with a Melling M360HV extra heavy duty oil pump.
After all of that done the engine should be bullet proof. I am not waiting till the vehicle has 100,000 miles or more on it before these things are taken care,
even though Ford says you don't have to do all of that now. IMHO the truck is now 15 years old, you can't go by mileage.
Just though you should know there are a few of us that really take care of the vehicles we have.
Your videos are outstanding I really enjoy them.
Owner of the mark LT has Porsche’s and bmws and Bentley’s...but also puts autozone 4x4 badges on his Lincoln truck...yikes
I customize all my vehicles with autopart store chrome baby 😊
It's his beater truck.
OCTO Manual94 wizard stated several times that he “wasn’t” the original owner. Perhaps it was done by a previous owner. All I ask for is just a little common sense
Most likely all used BMW's Bentley's Porsches. The 40k a year "rich guy" lol
Lol money doesn't buy good taste
This man is a wealth of knowledge and wisdom. Heed his words. Thank you Wizard.
I dont think he is being rude hes just trying to educate and be honest.
It sounds like he really hates to be seen as the bad guy. Looks like he’s trying to make a public service announcement to warn people about this problem.
I worked at a Ford dealership and the mechanic would say that engine is a piece of crap.
What about the 4.6 3v mustang ?
Bs
Jonathan POS.
Thank you Sir Wizard for doing what you do. Truly, you provide a service, and for the normal people who can’t afford the high end vehicles, and buy used, this is invaluable.
189,000 on my 2010 F-150 just did Phasers, timing chain, timing guides, tensioners, melling high pressure oil pump. All in OEM Parts and labor it was $1187.00. A hair more than a new set of tires. Just had an offer of $14,000 for my rig, might sell it. Don't be afraid of the 5.4, great motor.
If you think these are bad, you're going to LOVE when you start seeing Ecoboost engines on a regular basis.
lol. considering regularly maintained ecoboost engines are seeing 200K without a rebuild. it depends on a lot of things, but ecoboost engines aren't as unreliable as some people want you to believe
I think ecoboost engines need even more tight oil change.
I have a 2010 Flex ecoboost, drop the oil evey 5000km, only pour in 100% synthetic and I tow a lot with it.
Otherwise, awesome engine. Torque of a diesel, power of a gaz and if you drive with your head, it's not harder on gas than anything else. Needs to run on premium tho.
Lol 200k is nothing.
YES the eco-boost motors with there turbo are trash!!
Yeah it's just a matter of time before we all get bombarded with them. They do sell well however. I've brought four f150s back from auction and sold them in less than a month. I do have one that keeps coming back for odds and ends. It's starting to get noisy so I'm already prepared. The odd thing is it's the lowest milage. The owner drives like a idiot but there's not much I can do about besides fix it when it breaks. I'm praying he wrecks it or trades it in on a nice Dodge I have.
i have a 06 f 150 with the 5.4 change oil every 3000 mi truck has 120000 mi on it never had a ounce of promlems.bottom line regular maintmence!!
I had an 2006 FX4-- changed the oil on a regular basis with the ford filter, ran like a top...finally sold it to get my diesel.
Yes mine has 200,000 on it no problems normal oil Changes on any engine makes it last
Bottom line: You are lucky, 120k is no miles at all, there are still Olds 350 diesels from the 80's running around. Those few survivors in no way change the fact the design was trash.
I have a 2004 f250 3v 230000 miles and still ticking
But it’s not if it blows it’s when it blows lol
I. Own. A. F250. With. A 5.4. It. Had. 316000. Miles. On. It. Before. It. Died. It. Starting. To. Fail. At. 160000. Miles. But. I. Just. Let. It. Bang. And. Miss. And kept. Running. It. I. Love. Fords. They. Been. Good. To. Me. In. My. Opinion is when. I. Buy. A. New. Truck. It. Wont. Be. A. Ford
In all honesty there are issues in all the big 3 truck engines. I am not talking about external stuff, but internal major repairs.
Chevy
5.7l great engines, spider injection not the greatest.
5.3l Chevy 99-06 were terrific engines
5.3l 07+, Active fuel management lifter failures, camshaft failures
6.0l relatively great engine, I have seen a few no oil pressure issues due to sticking oil pressure regulator
5.3l 15+, to soon to tell. Added direct injection.
Dodge
4.7L, Not to powerful of an engine. Dropped valve seats, broken exhaust manifold bolts, warped heads. I actually like these engines, nut not powerful enough to tow with.
5.7l Hemi, 03-08 Dropped valve seats, lifter noise. 09+ Lifter noise, bad camshafts
Ford
5.4l 3v Yeah, they are junky.
4.6l 2v, prob the best engine Ford ever made. Weak for towing.
5.4l 2v. Blows out spark plugs, but great engine, exhaust studs.
3.5l no personal experience
6.2l no personal experience
5.0l, 5.8l, Who cares, they are old as sh**
6.8l 2v V10, great engines, exhaust manifold studs
Imports, Not sure. I don't wrench on them.
On the 5.4l 3v. Yes, that sludged one should have been replaced. I have repaired them with success if the cam caps aren't wiped out. Use OEM Ford parts for timing components, Using a high volume/high pressure aftermarket oil pump is key. Also the 09+ 3v have a different spark plug, super easy to get out.
Isn't there also a 4.6 3 valve from ford? Hows that one?
@@johnp4073 There is a 4.6l 3v, I have no experience with them.
m ph thank you for being respectful with your words and not hating like a triggered 12 year old
@@99thpeanut59 Those were good engines along with the 5.2l magnum. They were a bit of gas pigs
@@jackrich8399 Ha, not sure how to respond to that. I like to see both sides of a conversation. No need to bash other peoples point of views.
Dear Car Wizard and Family, it doesn’t matter if you are an engineer or not , you are the man who repairs day in and day out the cars which are produced, so normally engineers should flock to you for advice on how to build better cars. But as it seems the car industry is not at all interested in this or in its customers who keep the car corporations alive. Reminds me of the song of ABBA : „Money, Money, Money always funny in the Rich Man‘s World. God bless you All car Wizard for your excellent and heartfelt job.
My dad had an F-150 with this motor. I was sad when he sold it because I really liked the truck and got to drive it often. Now I can see he dodged a bullet because he was not good about getting his oil changed!
Which is sad because the old 351 could get 1 oil change a year and be good forever
if you change your oil it's fine, there are still tons of 3Vs on the road with 200, 300k miles on them and the owners don't even know of this issue because they change their oil. My dad has a 5.3 in a silverado with 200k+, you hear all the time about the AFM eating cams, his is fine cause he changes his oil TOO much at 3k miles. He has a 2000 silverado that was my grandad's, everyone says the 4l60 is trash but his has 325k miles on it on the original trans because of servicing. These are all anecdotes but these problems are overstated and created by poor maintenance a lot of the time.
@@Terminxman Ford publishes a "severe service" maintenance schedule. It is no secret and in the manual. Many people are driving severe service and don't know it. They should be using the more frequent intervals.
Ugh, those 2-piece spark plugs were a nightmare when I was a service writer. Nothing like telling people right off the bat that their tune up was gonna run $1000.
Carl Levine $1000 seems cheap for these junk motors.
@@brianhilligoss It was during the recession, so we were hard up for work
I've only broken two.......after all these engines I've serviced.
@ I never broke one yet... But I read the TSB Service Bulletins and never got in a hurry....
@@CarlLevine some dealers really worked customers....oh you have a bad coil we suggest changing the plug too due to the misfire. Oh look it broke off 😂 yeah we going have to charge more labor.
Have two of these engines in the family. Dad's '04 is well over 100k now, it's needed a leaf blown out of the MAF and a fuel tank pressure sensor in that time, never leaves the driveway without a trailer behind it. My personal '06 is pushing 160k, valve covers have never been off, it's quiet as can be. The secret to our success? Change the oil on time! It's really that simple!
We have an '06 (or '08?I forget now) with the same engine. It's at about 160-170k. Did have one spark plug eject, belt tensioner pulley failed, and brake pump that had an issue. Basically, external components on the engine except for the spark plug.
Unfortunately the truck is starting rust and peel paint by the wheel wells ... but then again we're in the rust belt.
Replace the engine.
The issue is not a badly designed Ford motor it’s as you stated a customer neglecting regular oil
Changes. I’ve seen many 5.4 3v go well over 300,000 miles and I speak from experience as I also work in the trade.
Purchased mine used. Spark plugs and COP replaced on a few cylinders. Needed PCM reflash at 196,000. Runs good. But must agree... NEED TO DO REGULAR OIL CHANGES.
Good oil filter and oil changed regularly the 5.4 can go 250k and more.
Use Motorcraft oil due to the screens in the vct solenoids. 5-20 if you replace the oil pump switch to 5-30 the pump Mellings 340-or 360 hv.
Dave Roberts
I’ve heard that the 5-20 is used only in the states for emissions and world wide they use at least 5-30 and they don’t get the same cam phaser tick because of this. I’ve used 5-40 synthetic and mine runs great
@@roninkraut6873 The OEM oil pump on the 5.4 04'-10' had a problem with poor volume delivery. Mellings per Ford on the 3 valve 340 hv (hi vol). Now the vct solinoids are touchy and those screens break or clog end up with the cam phaser issue. I got the 5-30 if switching the o.p. Spoke with Cam Mellings on the 5-30
You are right
You gotta watch using high volume oil pumps. If the oil passages aren't up to snuff, all you're going to do is pump all the oil into the top end where it will sit and not drain back creating a breeding ground for sludge. I use Shell Rotella T6 5W40 in all my cars and have been for years and my engines are clean as a whistle and I have zero issues. Of course, I also change my oil on time.
Maintenance definitely plays a major role.... I've owned 2 3v 5.4's without an issue. I drove both trucks well into the high 100k range. They were both fantastic engines, but I maintained them properly
A 100k? Hahahahaha, thats not enough to be considered broken in.
@@409novaman the high 100k range... 170+
As a matter of fact the only vehicle that I've owned that I have any issue with was a 2000 5.3 Silverado... Had a rear diff failure at 35k and a worn out cam at 85k.... I drove an 04 ram 130k and then sold it to my best friend who drove it to 185k without any issue what so ever ..... I also had an 01 f150 that my father in law drives to this day at over 200k that has only had the transmission replaced and that was after sitting for 2 years
gulfcoaster210 318 v8 in a Dodge van 387,000 when I sold it and still running great. Crown Vic 485,000 and not burning any oil when I bought another one. Only have 96,000 on my present Crown Vic and it's not broken in yet. None of them had any engine work done except normal maintenance. Maybe I'm lucky?
@@409novaman that's pretty crazy for a crown Vick.... Most 2 valve modular fords burn oil pretty much from new. I've never been around a 2v modular that didn't burn at least half a quart between oil changes.... They r great engines and last forever but damn they go through oil. I used to have to top my 2v 5.4 off once a month or so because it loose half a quart per 1000 mikes
I freaking love this guy! I could just listen to him talk about cars all day.
Have a 2005 fx4 5.4 with 233k. Oil changes every 4500 miles and use the heavier motorcraft oil. It's a 20 mpg highway truck and runs great with bolt ons. I did have a roller follower.fail at 195k miles but fixed it immediately. People need to pay attention to issues and not just run until detonation.
Also the 08 and up 5.4 has a standard spark plug. If you follow the actual procedure from Ford the plugs don't break. What i do is once it's up to operating temp i crack them a quarter turn then soak them with carb cleaner and let them sit haven't broke a plug yet.
Hot! good way to take out the threads in the heads
I just take them out with a 1/2 Impact... Probably one broken out of every 3 trucks. Push the creamic down with 1/4 long extension, pull out the tip with lisle tool, and fire it up to blow out the carbon and put the new plug in. Easy as pie.
I liked the Wizard's attitude about cleaning a customer's car. I took my car to a body shop after a front-end collision. When I went to pick it up, he said he needed to show me something. All the paint was peeled off of the rear bumper. I was like WTF the front end was damaged in an accident, not the rear! The ass had pressure-washed the whole car which peeled the paint off the rear bumper, and then he refused to do anything to fix the damage he had done. Needless to say I will never go back to that shop and I bad-mouthed him all over town.
if he made a mistake no biggie. But pawning off the mistake and blaming the customer for it then charge him for their mistake. Yea the bad-mouthing is warranted
An observation: The amount a sludge built up in that engine indicates that the oil may have never been changed or hardly ever. That's about the worst I've seen in many years of tear downs.
Not always. Those Chrysler 2.7's built up sludge even if you did 3K oil changes religiously. Defective ass engine.
Hardly ever changing the oil or using the cheap oil that comes with the $19.99 oil change at Jiffy Lube.
Using Regular "Dino" oil instead of Synthetic and then not changing it. NO need to change Syn oil at 3500 miles!
Then you're greener than me. I've seen far worse. I'd say this example is just Jiffy Lube oil changes at over 5k miles each time. Some engines make sludge no matter what. Especially the Dodge 2.7.
Seen way worse. But yah fuckin disgraceful obvious neglect.
193,000 miles on '07 F150. Change oil every 3,000, changed spark plugs at 100,000 myself, nothing broke. I did by the Lisle tool just in case. The camshaft phasors have been ticking lightly since 85,000. Love the truck, when the engine goes I'll replace it with a Jasper and motor on.
I agree with the 3 valve engines. But the 2 valve 4.6 and 5.4 are solid.
The 5.4 4v especially. Forged bottom end!
@@jkinerk Yeah and 97 2 valves had the forged crank as well! I have one sitting in my garage rn!
I have the 4v 5.4 in my Nav and love it. Only the 3v 5.4 had cam phasers, the 4.6 & the V-10 didnt have the phasers so those 3v engines were fine.
@@BrownBomber92181 The 4v engines are good too i havent had too many of them come through the shop, never had any issue with my cobra either knock on wood. Hope i didnt jinx myself lol.
@@cobrasvt347 well that's good to hear haha. When I worked at a ford dealer years ago I didnt recall issues with that engine either
Over got over 225000 miles on my 06 ford f150 and still running strong when I bought it it had 125000 miles
Similar story here. Bought my '06 f150 at 108,000 miles and now it has 214,000. Runs like new. The key is good maintenance
@@bigbadboof6284 243xxx on mine, 09 5.4 3v just do full synthetic oil changes every 7500miles. Alot of hauling and towing too. Only problem now is the drivers side exhaust manifold cracked and got a tick but will be swapping in a set of shorty headers soon.
@@texaseliteperformance4471 I change the the oil every 5-6,000 miles with full synthetic as well. Maybe I should consider waiting until 7,500 miles as well to save money.
@@bigbadboof6284 yup i do full synthetic penzoil platinum took the valve covers off and it's really clean. As long as you maintain it shouldn't have problems with this engine
@@texaseliteperformance4471 - agree. Work on a ton of these, and they are far from the worst engines on the road.
I got to say the 5.4 3v is the best engine i have ever had. Granted its all on the owner. I knew the issues before i bought it at 140k miles.
But after 160k miles now i am at 300k with oil changes ever 3k miles as well as regular transmission and differential fluid changes.
The only major repair i have had is the AC. I have no cam issues timing chain issues. Runs just as well if not better the day i bought it.
Can only blame the owners and being lazy. Agree ford could of designed it better for the lazyer of owners.
But taking care of properly or earlier this engine can last damn near 400k+ miles.
What you're describing has been explained to me by more seasoned techs than myself in my youth as "no good deed goes unpunished" I've found this to be extremely true over the past 15 years in the automotive service industry.
I had a guy with the same sludge problem come to me and when I recommended a new engine, he said regardless of price he wanted HIS engine rebuilt. I went though the costs involved, including sending the heads and intake to the machine shop. I $#it you not, this guy said that he wanted his engine rebuilt because he wanted to keep it "numbers matching." He was worried about his rusty old work truck being numbers matching. At the end of the day I graciously helped the cash part from his wallet, with a down payment of course lol.
What's the old proverb say? A fool and his money are soon parted
mean while the rest of the truck is rusting and probably wont pass inspection right?? sometimes people cant let go....my girl loves her 2010 altima but i told her when the CVT trans goes..its game over.
Maybe,he knows more than you realize.
You sent the plastic intake manifold to the machine shop? Lol
@@fargenvonwitbier I had to reread my post because I am like WTF is this guy talking about lol. I must have had another job on my mind because I meant to say "heads and block" lol
Eric Brunhammer honestly when my 4.6 3v finally quits on me, which is gonna be a while since it only had 287,000 miles I’m gonna have that motor rebuilt, I don’t care about the cost I’m gonna have it bored out an inch or two and throw it back in there.
Wizzard: "im probably gonna piss off a lot of ford guys with this video..."
Ford guys: "yeah hes right those engines are trash"
Me: 😂😂😂
Thats the difference between a lot of ford fans and fans of other brands is ford fans will admit ford has done some stuff wrong
@@josephtaverna1287 you forgot found on road dead
@@P7777-u7r all blue oval boys are in complete denial!!!! Don't let the Chevy Avatar full you I own them all and I fix them all they all break in one way or another ford just brakes more
@@josephtaverna1287 how does the Northstar engine have anything to do with trucks???? to my knowledge it was never used in any truck ever??¿? And furthermore that was predominantly a Cadillac engine.. not a massively used power plant to put in your top selling truck!!!!! Like the 4.6 l and 5.4 l blue oval beauties...
@@josephtaverna1287 last I look this video and the discussion was on trucks ! I guess that's a little difficult for you to understand ?¿¿? We could go back and forth over 4 cylinders and 6 cylinders for every manufacturer I work on them everyday they all have issues!!! the bottom line is the LS GM V8 is the number one selling engine out there because of its reliability power output and reasonable cost!!!!¡!! The only thing that's gone is your ability to manage subject matter!!!!!!
My 5.4 lives here in Alaska. It currently is just under 190 thousand miles and has never had any engine related issue. I run synthetic and change the oil and filter every 5k.
Thanks for the great video ! My F250HD -'09 - 3 valve was bought on the 'real cheap' for $2800 and because it had just had the oil pump and phaser work done at 138,000. I now have nearly 190,000 on it and use it exclusively for towing a trailer. Out of the fleet of a dozen trucks, this is my only 3 valve and would have never owned except it was rust free, maintained well, and it was cheap. My biggest gripe is the horrible fuel mileage as it gets around 9-10 mpg at 70 mph whereas my V10 F350 duallies and the 6.2 F250/F350s will pull easily and run at up to 80 mph with a 14-16 mpg return on fuel. All are geared the same, but some are manuals and some are automatics. All are standard cab trucks and base units except one which is a 4 door with a topper and high level trim. ALL were bought used but with great maint. history. I will not be 'looking' for another after all the problems others have encountered, but hope mine will make it at least until the body rots off of it. We appreciate your candid observations Mr Car Wizard and love your content !
I work for a major Auto Parts chain.( former 26 year mechanic ) I hear constantly about the issues people are having with them 5.4 3v. I recommend using a good engine flush before each oil change and yes i recommend changing oil often.
Weeeezard you're such a good teacher its incredibly calming to listen to you and easy to understand. awesome. gonna watch many more vids now hehe
I see so many 5.4 3 valves running 200000 / 300000 miles on original engines. I just replaced mine with 215,000 because of cam phasers, now if I didn't plan on running the next 3 years towing a 33 ft wildwood RV I'd kept that engine. Don't worry I'll be doing a 3 year TH-cam channel on this starting next spring. 2005 xl f150 the new updated 5.4 motors are getting 300000 miles, thanks to mellings 340/360 oil pump and new oil passage opening.
I am at 375,000 on 2007 F-150. Planning on rebuilding at 400,000.
The only problem with the 5.4 3 valve i have had in expedition is VCT driver side, it had a hole in the screen. 190,000 changed plugs to motor craft and used 15 w-40 oil and check/add once a month.
Hates the engine but it damn sure puts food on the table! Love the no BS channel!
No he is uneducated and just hates it...obvious by his comment that neglect was the cause!
@@SilverRaven1959 If you NEED to change the oil every 3k miles in order to not destroy your engine, than that's simply a major design flaw.
Replacing the spark plugs is neglect? Changing the oil according to the official service intervals is neglect? You can't be serious.
The owners worked hard to buy one of these vehicles. Problems and bills like these are devastating and can actually ruin people's lives.
Besides, i'd love to hear your definition of "educated".
The old saying applies here..."it may be shit to you, but bread and butter for me " ! Lol
233,000 miles on my 2006 F150 with no issues. I only changed the spark plugs and coils as needed. Like any engine, if you want it to last just change the oil every 5,000 miles.
Same here on a 2009 Lariat 243,000 miles synthetic oil changes every 5,000 miles runs like a champ!
You can see the pure hatred on the Wizard's eyes when he talks about that engine
I was always that way with Honda.
It's a POS I've owned it before
Hes absolutely right about tritons. They were junk from the get go. The only engine ive worked on thats a comparable hunk of shit was the gm quad 4 that was in calvaliers and grand ams. Just about every part of the triton was ridiculous that they thought it would last or be reliable. Ford knew all the problems going on and it should have been a forced complete recall and redesign
I've never had an issue with the 5.4 3V. Use 5w30 and change the oil and filter every 3000-3500 miles religiously. I'm on an Expedition FB page and many have over 300k miles and some over 400k miles.
those spark plugs are an absolute engineering joke!
See my remarks above.
You mean the threads for the plugs was a fuckup. You obviously are a parrot.
When you see DENTS inside the hood, you know it is another quality product from the worn oval...
You should make a video addressing the Northstar motor
@@josephtaverna1287 Huh pretty sure he's talking about the V8 northstar that came in the caddy's...another one is the 2.7 in the dodge intrepides and chrysler 300''s from ealry 2000s
@@AlwaysBeSmart674 the 2.7 ate the chain gides and then shit them selfs. And let us not forget the whole drive train calls dodge tranys shit the bed as well.
Northstars are just planned obsolesence, they designed it to fail just after the warranty was up. Still loved my caddy, thank god for mechanic friends.
its a shame because those northstars had balls for the time...always tempted to pick one up cheap but always a gamble.
@@josephtaverna1287 or the quad 4 from late 80s early 90s..head gaskets blowing all the time.
I had a 2007 F150 with 3-valve motor. I put 66,000 on it. Sold to my nephew. He has it up to 110,000. No issues.
At only 110k I should certainly hope so!
These engines are perfectly fine. They do have timing chain slack after high miles and they do have failures on their phasers. 70-80% of these failures are due to lack of maintenance. The spark plugs were updated in 2008 to a one piece design. Unless you’re a ford dealer tech you don’t know most of these things.
Mickey Thompson I bought my Expedition with 182,000 back in June for cheap. Already put over 5000 no issues. All I did was replace the plugs and coils and runs like a champ.
@@halopersin do you know if F-150 2009 has the one piece spark plugs?
I'll go with the wizards advice!! He's been there!! But maintance is the key!! Best oil and filters!!
I bought a 2010 F 150 with a blown engine. I got a new one from Frasier as they had the ISO 9000 and 14000 certifications. I paid the extra bucks to get the high volume oil pump and higher HP. I have been more than pleased with the performance.
I am really glad I watched this video as my daughter is shopping for a new truck and I can steer her away from this engine. I will also change my oil more frequently.
God was with me. I avoided the 5.4L. Got the 5.0
It's still trash lol Ford is a pos
esco 95 So Are you but your owner will love you one day
@@everyonewasstealingmynamea919 😂😂😂😂😂 this coming from someone who drives a bitch car. I hope ur husband loves u very much
Like god is worried about your choice in trucks
esco 95 Yes my terminator is a bitch car, the funny part is I guarantee my wife’s car is a million times better then yours, McDonald’s isn’t a career little boy grow up bum!
"...do what the customer asks and nothing more..." You sir are a true professional. I apply that same policy to all my I.T. work.
I had the 4.6. I had buyers remorse and tried to trade it up to a 5.4 but the dealer wouldn't give me a reasonable price so I passed. Thank goodness.
tingokuman lol yeapp 😂😂🤣🤣
The 4.6 is a great engine why the remorse
tingokuman I got the 4.6 love it
The 4.6 isn't much different. The exhaust manifolds still crack. The oil filter adapters still leak. The timing chain tensioners still fall apart, and changing the plugs still a bite-in-the-ass.
weelgunny what car are you thinking about that has 4.6 in all of the longitudinal platforms none of that is a issue
wotked at ford for 42 years -- senior master tech-love your videos i watch them - often agree with you on most everything except the 5.4 3 valve engine - i have a 2011 expedition-200k no engine repairs of any kind has always had maintnance done no sludge-by people not changing there oil ///has been a great motor--most people dont maint there engine right you know that as well as i do- i also repaired all of fords trans under warranty for them - i also had a 1993-explorer 4.0 v6 engine i drove it 400k miles- then sold it /it was still running never even replaced a water pump on it -just timing cover gasket - was one of the best motors i ever had-/i also owned a 1994 sc300 lexus- at 175k- every thing started going bad and trans went out -/have a good day - enjoy your videos wish i would have made some on trans repairs and rebuilds / also engine repairs /you dont know it yet but it sucks getting old-every day we wake up we are another day closer to death
Yes I’ve done 5 and we use jasper engines. Replace the engine.
6k and you've done it how many times?'🤔 You mean the best engine ever 💰💰
is it 6200 of work plus the engine. Not sure...
When the Viper started, the TH-cam subtitles said (applause)! Hell yes.
Here's how to fix the ticking on start up: Replace the timing chain components. The Ford phasers are good quality and 'likely not worn or damaged' so carefully inspect them. The problem is poor quality timing chain components wearing out due to lack of lubrication. A new or upgraded oil pump is not a bad idea . However most importantly, the thin oil Ford recommends is the culprit. Use 10/30 or diesel 15/40 depending on temperature. Installing timing chain components on the 5.4 is challenging as I've just done one. Yes, this engine needs regular oil changes more frequent than most. Although I 'do not' agree with the Wizard in replacing the engine, I want to thank him for the video and the many points I do agree with.
I know these ohc ford engines are a little on the over-complicated end of the spectrum compared to most push-rod engines, but I also believe regular oil / filter changes could prevent a ton of this heart-ache as well.
Had a 2008 F150 dropped "in my lap" by my son who had given up on it... has a 5.4L 3V engine with 136,000 miles... ran bad and had ticking valve lifters... tore apart the engine and the guides for the timing chains were destroyed... installed new timing chain set with combination of Ford and Cloyes parts... new Ford lifters and roller rockers, new Melling High Volume oil pump... now the truck runs smooth and powerful, it's quiet and the oil stays clean between changes (5W/30 only) and it uses not a drop of oil... Like any engine, if you put them together right, they can be great!!
Great info!
Unfortunately we live in a throw away world fix it if it's broke or don't complain about it being broken Bruce you are the man elbow grease is a great thing
213k and still going strong on mine. Also the plug issue has been fixed.
You sure are what they call Lucky it doesn't take away from the fact the 5.4 is still garbage.
@@broomhwauser3380 guess the whole state of Illinois is lucky because I can find hundreds for sale locally that have 180k plus for sale.
Melling has a revised roller follower
"Rocker arm" MR1851 for the 5.4L
Assuming the oil was changed :)
One of the major failures is the roller follower needle bearings. The roller drops and then the cam is running on the rocker sides. Before you know it it kicks out the follower and usually knocks the valve keeper loose - you know what happens when the valve falls down!
The new follower is redesigned to squirt oil on the contact point of the cam and roller and the oil hole is much smaller raising the oil pressure to the phasers. For 12.67$ why not just change out all 24 as soon as you hear ticking or when you have over 125k miles?
304$ for the followers and a set of valve cover gaskets is a lot cheaper than blowing an engine. And they are easy to replace too.
Maybe 2 hrs of labor if your slow.
*In loving memory of the neglected engines that are replaced*
Not neglected, bad design, if the majority of people neglect their engines, how come the 5.4 failed much more than basically every other engine? Bad design, an engine should be designed to be able to be used by the average driver, not an enthusiast who is anal about every little thing.
It not about being anil. I used to work at a private 10 min oil change. "When did you change your oil last sir". Oh you needto change the oil? What the AVERAGE conversation sadly some had no idea what we did just new it was a 3000k survice that if thy missed theyed get the next one and when themanual says life time trans fluid or 16k oil intervals some times it be 30k sence their last change i had one person in our parking lot fill thire own car and i mean fill it to the top of the cams with oil. Cant even count the amount of dry diffs
@@jaredchampagne2752 Exactly just bad quality. My uncle had a F150 where the clutch went out at 30k, he replaced it and the clutch went out again at 60k. I made the mistake of buying a Taurus only to get nickel and dimed by that POS at 40k and yes I did all the maintenance. Lack of maintenance is not a valid explanation for a bad coil pack, iac motor, oil leak, and antifreeze leak all at 40k. So Ryan can just STFU as far as Im concerned especially when the engineers in all their wisdom decided to stick the oil filter right above the starter in an 03 Taurus. So if you ever change the oil, the starter will HAVE to be changed about 3 months later if you are lucky
Worst ever if you’re clueless and don’t do oil changes or regular maintenance
Hazy an engine should be designed to be user friendly with a fair amount of wiggle room for error or going over maintenance schedules, not be a fragile turd that blows up if you go 50 miles over an oil change, theres a reason why the 5.4 failed much more regularly than every other engine in history.
Jared Champagne “Wiggle Room” 15k intervals
And yet I know many, many 5.4 3v owners that have over 300,000 miles on there trucks with no issues.
MasonDoctor and yet the many you “know” probably don’t come close to the amount of owners who had to replace the engine based on the papers he printed.
@@eddieace345 that is the best selling vehicle of all time. So there are millions of that engine. And many more have no issues versed the ones that do. And if you just do normal maintenance, then almost no one has issues. You can find the exact same pages of papers that requires new engine for many, many vehicles. Chevy 6.3 liter number 5 cylinder failure as one of many.
I like the 2v 5.4 better I have 2 expeditions ... I can live with having to over torque the spark plugs vs 6200 for a new engine
2006 5.4L 3v...200k nothing but oil and belts and pulleys 2x. Some people are either towing max load all day or don't change their oil.