I HAVE A 2003 EXPEDITION 5.4 L THAT JUST STARTED THE ROUGH IDLE, AFTER READING A LOT OF POSTINGS I'M WONDERING WHAT ARE "CATS" I SEE LOTS OF POSTINGS SAYING THAT THE WERE GONE. CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN WHAT CATS ARE?

Hi from Rob,I am a Ford Master Tech at a Canadian Dealership.I own a 2007 F150 with a 5.4.From my experience the 5.4 is a ticking time bomb.We replace a lot of 5.4 under Ford power train warranty.The main cause of the intermittent rough run at idle that most people experience is caused by low oil pressure at idle which in tern prevents the VCT from operating correctly.When I have attended Ford training courses and brought up the obvious issues that the 5.4 has Ford state there is no problems with the oil system on the 5.4.Ford say the main cause is the installation of after market oil filters that break down and block the oil passages. My own experience partially confirms this because I would say that about nine out of ten engines that we replace have after market filters on.I have cut some of these apart and they have indeed broken down and could cause the loss of oil pressure concerns.This does not explain the the problems with the engines that have run Ford filters and had all the correct maintenance performed.Another problem I have seen is the gasket that goes between the engine block and the hydraulic timing chain tensioners blows out and causes a loss of oil pressure to the camshafts.The easiest way to find out if your motor has a concern is to remove the cam cover and remove one of the front camshaft bearing caps and inspect the journal,they are always badly scored and that means your engine is toast.I have heard that a tensioner from another Ford motor can be used that has a steel gasket that does not blow out but I am not sure what the part number is.

Hi there, I had the same problem everyone here is talking about with the idle going low and shaking really bad, then going away once throttle is applied once again. I could force the truck to do it and also return it to smooth running when I wanted to. I went through hell with ford costing me a lot of money, then finally getting the right answers from Canada engines. The oil pressure goes to low at idle, so the cam phasers cannot return if you just feather the engine a little. Replacing cam phasers and VCR solonoids is a temporary fix, will get you about 10k and it will return.... I've been through it all. My truck is an 07, it had major crank end play that was repaired with a bottom end in frame, and it still did it. Do not trust your ford dealer!

Hi there, I had the same problem everyone here is talking about with the idle going low and shaking really bad, then going away once throttle is applied once again. I could force the truck to do it and also return it to smooth running when I wanted to. I went through hell with ford costing me a lot of money, then finally getting the right answers from anada engines. The oil pressure goes to low at idle, so the cam phasers cannot return if you just feather the engine a little. Replacing cam phasers and VCR solonoids is a temporary fix, will get you about 10k and it will return.... I've been through it all. My truck is an 07, it had major crank end play that was repaired with a bottom end in frame, and it still did it. Do not trust your ford dealer!

Having the same problem with my 2004 F-150 5.4 3V.....
Pops up cam codes and at low idle runs like crap but when I idle it up to about 1900 rpm's it runs great no problems. It also runs great when it is cold at idle speed.

solution
 

I have been following this problem for a while now, and I would like to share what success I have had. I used a private place that tunes cars or trucks, and they changed the computer (which Ford can't do) We turned up the idle when it's hot at operating temperature and in gear (D), it must be turned up and over 625 rpm this solves the engine shaking (the engine does this to try and save it's self by pumping more oil where it's needed, the ECM current idle is 500 rpm), but also turn up the idle to 600 rpm when it's in park. The shaking only happens during warm weather and/or pulling a trailer. The oil galleries aren't large enough for this size of engine, and the oil pump isn't strong enough to support this engine. Also run the 5w30 instead of the 5w20. This has solved 3 of my shaking/ticking 5.4 engines, 2004, 2006, and 2007. Good luck!

i have just got my truck out the shop 1600 bucks later both cam phasers, chain, and everything 1600 bucks still knocking.

man them 5.4s, i dont hear much good about them modulars. i should just pull mine and sell it before i even try to start it.

Put a cam position sensor on bank 2 so far no shake

OTE=Steve_Uzi;12316094]Yup I got a good price for sure.. I only paid $25,200 brand new and the sticker was $34,500!

I still paid too much to drive it for the 6 years I owned it... I spent $1000 at a local mechanic in Feb 2012 to replace a Catalytic converter, Fuel Pump Module. Then an additional $1500 from Mar-June 2012 replacing 3 coil packs, 3 injectors, 2 Cam Phasers, Entire Timing chain set, 2 VCT solenoids, 2 Cam positioning sensors and 8 Plugs... If a Ford stealership would have done the work it would have cost me over $5000 and the end result would have been the same... Junk Engine!

Honestly I do realize I am in the 5-10% of Ford Owners who have had crap luck.. but still it sure is enough of a bad taste to NEVER own another Ford product again![/QUOTE]

now I have to disagree im a single mother with 4 kids and I own a Ford f250 SuperDuty v8 5.4l that I bought from my brother for $2000 and he couldn't figure out what was wrong with it either I took it to ford they told me to change the o2 censor I needed to change a fuel filter coil pk the oil transmission fluid plugs change a cat that it was clogged and all kinds of other stuff I decided to take it to a couple of the mechanics single mom 4 kids cant afford it nor can I afford another vehicle. so I decided to take things into my own hands and I started the cheapest way i changed the plugs $10 next coil pks so i called to price dem I realized i couldn't offord dem $90 I didn't have $720 to do that. so then I decided that I needed to cheap out and just change The boots and springs and left the old coil pks on there now ive only gotten $60 into it. and already run almost like brand new then It still seemed like it wasn't getting gas plus the dash was still out so I decided to go to the cluster fuse panel I changed number 24 10amp fuse and now its running like brand new and I did it all on my ownthe gas and now everything seems you ain't perfect and we got this truck in 2000 it just takes time and patience it doesn't always take a lot of money but good luck everybody

Crissyfl, have you continued to change your oil with the 15-40 and if so how has that been on the engine? Did it continue to solve the problem?

Hi Pressure Oil Pump?
 

My 06 5.4 rattles and knocks and when the engine is hot it gives the hard idle. I've replaced the cam phasers, solenoids, tensioners, cam phasers, timing chains, and even changed the oil with AMSOIL 15-40 as I read some cases where this worked.

Well it is still giving the same issues. After reading the several posts and speaking with others I am pretty sure that I have an oil pressure issue. Has anyone tried a high flow oil pump to supply the added pressure and has this worked?

2007
 

I just bought a 2007 f150 with the 5.4. It seems to be doing the same thing. Mine runs fine except when I slow move, like at a light or a drive thru. Then I get the rattle clank and vibration. I might be lucky as I took it to the dealer for warranty work and they could not reproduce it but it's logged as an issue. It seems though to happen worse in pa and wv more than at home here in ohio. I did just put a new fuel filter in, which seemed to fix it for awhile and the plugs are all new.

Speaking from experience, I would start looking at getting rid of your truck. What I think the issue is, is bad oil pressure. What will possibly end up happening to your truck is over time as your timing chains, cam phasers and tensioners go without proper oil pressure they will break and go out which is thousands to repair. This will still not fix the oil pressure. The oil pressure is most likely due to worn out bearings. Your oil pump does not produce pressure, it only regulates flow. Oil pressure is produced through the "tight spots" and when they are worn your engine is toast. What happens is when the oil heats up through driving it, it loses viscosity. When you first start your engine in the morning when the oil is cold I'm sure it sounds good. I would take your truck back to whatever dealer you bought it from ASAP and get something else (not a Ford).

I have been at my truck with these problems for a year with multi thousands of dollars put into the engine a little at a time and still same issue. I am no mechanic but by now, and after all my research and repairs, I can pretty much tell you what's going on. I will never own another Ford. If I was you I would look at trading it in now before you get more miles or it gets worse. Just my two cents.

Why is no one contacting a lawyer, this has to be a fairly common issue and ripe for a class action lawsuit.

I know multiple people with well over 200k on these motor without even a burp. Weird