I'll admit it was definitely a learning experience! Hopefully someone can use this information and save some troubleshooting time. Fortunately I had the leisure of having an extra vehicle around so I didn't have to rush or pay whatever proce the dealer would have charged. My own experiences and those of others on this board with Ford Service Depts have literally scared me and my wallet into DIY . I don't believe that the mechanics are incompetent (well most aren't) but I think the engines are so complex now which makes diagnostics extremely challenging and time consuming. Unfortunately - we have to pay for the time in most cases, especially when the first fix doesn't work. I'm glad I took the 6 year extended warranty on my '08 Supercrew - and my experiences with the '04 Supercrew will come in handy when that warranty expires !!!

Once again - thanks to all who responded for the help and support . . . .