i sold my v10 2 valve f250 and i am looking at a 2008 f150 xlt 4x4 with a 5.4 3 valve with 112.000 miles nice clean 1 owner truck. a ford tech told me stay away from these motors that they are junk and his shop is replacing 2-4 motors a week with miles anywere from 20,000/80,000. that ford just cant build a 5.4 3 valve that will last. looking for more info from you guys. thaks

 

I have a 04 5.4 3v with 78,000 never had any problems with it.

 

Sounds like your friend is making up stuff, they are great engines. Change your oil regularly and use good quality engine oil. I had an 06 5.4l 3V it was dead consistent in the 1/4 mile. Would tow anything as good as any other pickup I have owned. I put 60k on it in 2 years with no problems at all.

Oh in the past year I replaced one due to negligence, completely sludged up engine.

 

That Ford tech. has lost his mind. The 5.4 and the 4.6 are two of the most reliable motors that Ford has produced. The only real problems I have heard of with the 5.4 are the spark plugs (which really isn't a problem) and the cam phasers. As long as you maintain these engines they'll keep on running!

 

I have more than 20K and less than 80K on mine, but there's a lot of people that are buying trucks with over 100K already. Sounds to me like your mechanic is in the wrong profession or wrong make setting.

There isn't a make that's 100% perfect, so find one make you like and go from there.

 

Simple question--what problem do these engines have that is killing them? Ask your friend the tech and tell us if you would. I do not know of any generic problem that would take out a whole engine.

George

 

Simple answer--Ford does not even offer the 5.4L engine anymore. afaic they wouldn't do that unless it cost them more to service the warranties than they made selling them.

 

Actually, they do continue to offer the 4.6 and 5.4 2 valve engines in the vans.

The pickups have the new 5.0 (and the EcoBoost) which fill the horsepower slot that the 5.4 3V previously filled; Ford is moving toward downsizing and revising its lineup for better EPA numbers.

If you have insight as to why a dealer mechanic would be completely replacing the 5.4 3V engines, please say so. You did not answer my question. "Ford does not offer the 5.4" is not an answer for "what is killing them".

George

 

In addition to what George said about the vans, the 5.4L is still available in the Expedition as well.
It's not a bad motor at all...it's just that when you have as many million of these engines out in the market place as Ford does, your "population" of engines with trouble is bound to increase. It is mechanical afterall, something will fail eventually.

 

I have an 05 with 112,000 on it and its still my daily driver. I've had no issues at all with the motor, it's totally stock and untouched other than oil changes and such general maintenance.

 

What does that have to do with weather it is a good engine or not?

 

If you want a truck that sounds like a diesel but isn't a diesel, then the 5.4 is for you. I have an 04 FX4 with a 5.4, which I bought used with 60 km on it, the motor was noisy then and now I have 200 kms and it's still running strong but still sounds like a diesel at idle. the cam phasors are junk on these engines and the Ford mechanic I saw just told me to turn up the radio or spend 2 bills to replace them. I've found out on these forums that a lot of people have the same noisy 5.4 that I do, some have even gone to the extreme of putting 15w40 diesel oil in them to try and quiet them down ! I've always owned Ford trucks but unless they change their 3 valve technology, it may be my last !

 

slapshot you need to read my write up on the VCT phasers. the main reason they are noisey is lack of proper lubrication over years on neglect etc etc etc. 90% of the problem's with any vehicle is done by the customer/owner however you look at it...

 

I have an '05 150 5.4 3v with a 193,000 miles on it now, it is my daily driver (work truck), it is still going strong and nothing more than maintenance performed on the engine. I guess your ford tech would say I was one of the lucky ones

 

I do the towing for the major Ford dealer down here.
I tow the 6.0L powered vehicles far more often than the 5.4L.