I was told by the service dept at my local delearship that I would have to replace the engine in my 04 F-150 4x4 Lariat. Dealer price $8,160.00 , 2,400.00 and some change of that is labor. Any suggestions on options would be greatly appreciated. Please help!

 

Why are they telling you your engine needs replaced. Why did you take it in for, A little more info.

 

you can get a good longblock on eBay for under $4,000...and sometimes $3,000 if you shop around


any good Mechanic shop should only charge $500-1,000 for install.



and have you checked your junkyards?



$2,400 labor for a motor replacement is pure B.S.

 

I had a tapping, which I was told by AAMCO was the lifters, which they said needed to be replaced. Two days later the tapping stopped and was replaced by an occasional clanking sound. I brought the truck in as a result. They initially told me that it was the cam phasers and then as they got further in to it, they told me that the rocker arm had broken loose and fallen into the head and did extensive damage.

 

I'd find a different mechanic to do the work unless you really want a dealership doing it.....2500 bucks is alot for a swap

 

Just out of curiosity, where are you located?

Darrin

 

When the tapping stopped and clanking began did you notice any difference in the way the engine ran because I would think that if a rocker arm broke off that means that one of the valves are not opening an closing when they should, and i would think that it would cause the engine to missfire or something. And If the rocker arm broke off how did it cause extensive head damage? All that is on the top side of the head is the rockers and the oil flow ports should be smaller that the rocker arm to be able to fall down in. Also i would think that if a rocker arm broke off that you might have had a hole in your valve cover cause the push rod might have got shot up and out with no rocker arm to ride against. Am i right in my thinking every one?

So i would also get another look at it. Especially if it was still running ok when it started clunking cause i would think that if what the dealership is telling you is true then you would have notice driveability issues with the clunk.

Just my 2 cents from years of tearing apart chevy motors.......

 

My buddy had an '04 GMC and the engine went sour. He went around to several mechanics and got prices. Went to a large junkyard and got an engine out of a same year, same engine truck. Engine had only a little over 38k on it. The mechanic he was going to have do the install came back with him and they pulled the engine. Two days later he was driving the truck. No problems. Total price was 1750 for the engine and 1000 for the mechanic to go pull it and install it. Prices you are getting are way out of line.

 

Ahh...chevy years.....the scenario above may be right on a chevy....but here...there are no pushrods...so nothing to go through the valve cover.....and if the chunk of rocker arm that broke was small enough to make it down through the oil ports i could see it happening.....

Also...if it were one of the two intake valves....i could see it still running and not misfiring....

 

Ok, i stand corrected, i didnt know that these engines didnt have pushrods. Im just stuck in the chevy small block mantality cause that all i really work on anymore, thats all we run in our racecar.

 

exactly...the 5.4 3v isn't as cheap as a Chevy motor just yet, but you can certainly find a lower mileage one locally or on the internet


I bet you can get one for easily 1/2 of the quoted price the Dealership is saying. I've used Junkyard motors for many many years on lots of vehicles. They work out great, and the saved $$$ makes it well worth it.

 

How many miles are on the engine. and the damage they said it caused is it to the cylinder head only or did it hurt any pistons. If it only hurt the head I would find me a set of heads off something else and have them gone trough valve job and stem seals and cam phasers and just do a top end on it. Most of the work can be done by you if your mechanicly inclined and save a lot of doe.