I'm looking to buy a newer F150 from my current 1998 5.4L with 224k miles. Looking at 2006 models up. Does anyone have some quick reference info any sparkplug and / or general engine issues on the 5.4L 2006 and up?

I know on my 98 there was blow outs and on the 2004 there were broken plugs. Anything on the 2006 and up years?

Thanks everyone!!

 

I think you are safe going 06-up. The plugs and cam phasers were fixed by then.

 

Awesome news... what are the recommended plug change intervals on the 06 5.4? I use only motorcraft plugs. In my 98 the factory torque spec is 13 ft/lb but it is now known to torque it to 28 ft/lb with no anti-seize or you are probably going to blow a plug.

 

They went to the new style plug mid-2008.

 

IIRC, they changed over 10/07 in eliminating the 2 piece plug issue.

 

My early 08 F150 has the old style plug and my late 08 Mustang has the new style.

 

What years did the recall injectors in wasn't that for 06' or 05'??? there is a TSB for 05'
Thought I read somewhere that they'd replace injectors for free...leading me to think that there was a recall.

 

There is not a recall on the injectors, but I did receive a letter from Ford telling me that they have extended the warranty on the injectors to 120K miles, but I don't remember for how many years--seven maybe? Ford specifies that if I get a check engine light, and the engine seems to be misfiring, then if I have them inspect it and learn that it is a Fuel Injector that is not shutting off or sticking off, they will replace it for free. THis is actually very clever on their part. Ford has been publicly trying to find ways to get customers into their service stations, noting a decline in customers trusting them for service. They ignore the fact that they are more than 200% overpriced on their parts. So when my engine seemed to be misfiring with no check engine light coming on, I called Ford. The dealership told me that if they check it , and it turns out not to be the injectors, they will charge me for the analysis. So now, whenever a Ford F150 owner's engine starts to misfire, they will all come flooding to Ford service stations, suspecting the letter they received is pointing them to the problem of bad fuel injectors, and not going elsewhere. Brilliant!

 

Anyway, it turned out in my case to be a bad coil, for which they offered to change 8 plugs and 1 injector for $700. With the known problem of plugs breaking off during removal, they told me they'd charge an extra 1/2 hour per broken plug that they have to break free from the engine. INSTEAD OF THE FORD OPTION: I ordered the highly recommended (online forums) BWD (formally Borg Warner) E305 coils from O-Reilly auto parts online at $41.99 a piece, totaling $335 with free shipping. E-bay has 8x Champion 7989 Double Platinum plugs(one piece design reportedly will not break at the neck as Autolite and Motorcraft will) for $109.95, shipping included (paste 8 Champion 7989 Spark Plug set Ford 4.6L 5.4L Triton into E-bay’s search window). That works out to $12.74 each, shipped. I found the LISLE 656000 tool online at $61.60 shipped at AMAZON.COM. While on AMAZON.COM, I ordered their recommended Permatex 77124 Nickel Anti-Seize - 8 oz. brush-top bottle at $17.54 (huge overkill sized bottle--your call), along with their long-neck, swiveling OTC 6900 Ford F-150 Spark Plug Socket for $17.08 (also might be overkill/unnecessary, as I found similar at ADVANCE autoparts store for $12.99 later). Total shipping on the anti-seize and wrench ran $5.61. Finally, I picked up two spray cans of forum-recommended PB BLASTER Penetrating Oil (forum recommended) at ADVANCE Auto Parts for about $5 a 12-oz can, filled up my truck with SHELL high-detergent gas and 2x TEXACO injector cleaner with TECHTRON formal (forum recommended)--about $4.50 per small container. Grand total for 8x plugs, 8x coils, anti-seize, 2x TECHTRON cleaner and re-usable tools ran $565.78.
This design flaw was the best thing that could have happened to dealership service stations. So I should point out the possibly obvious: Ford dealerships have NO motivation to be careful when removing your plugs, or completing any other repairs for that matter. First of all, if they finish a job quickly, they can move on to another. However, should they accidentally and carelessly break a plug, worst case scenario for them? They get an extra couple hundred bucks PER plug to remove the piece they left behind.

 

Thanks for the info. I own both F-150 and F-250 early 2008's. They both have about 34,000 miles on them I'm thinking I need to change the plugs sooner than later. Very scary potential consequences for waiting to change, or changing early. I was planning on selling both vehicles before 100k miles. I guess the right thing is get em out now.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>

 

I can't swear to it, but I think there was a change made 10/07 that fixed the plug issue, so engines built after that date didn't have the separating plugs. I have a 07 5.4, I had my plugs changed at a ASE cert mechanic's shop at 43K. No plug breaks, cost me $200 IIRC including cost of the Champion plugs. That was last spring and it's run great since and I've even picked up a little better highway mpg to boot.

 

This is exactly why I hate dealership. No incentive to work slowly/properly.

Thanks for that info ,I can't decide whether to go Champion or OE. My mechanic says Champion and stop reading internet forums!!! But this is where I learn this stuff!!!

 

My '06 had a misfire and after replacing the fuel filter (no effect) and all the cops (helped out a bunch) but the problem still came and went but not anywhere near as bad. I decided to change all the plugs and injectors. I wish I would have known there was some type of recall. I'm almost don with the replacement and will soon know if the truck runs better.

 

My mechanic friends who work in or run their own shops say the same thing!

I can see their point in that some stuff online doesn't reconcile with their everyday, hands-on experience nor does it trump what they know. We have a few highly experienced and knowledgeable contributors here who seem to know Ford products very veryw well. Even so I'm sure they too would recommend once us semi-amateurs get in over our heads to have someone diagnose it for us.

I've also learned a lot and hope to share just a bit too---its still nice to read even if I never do anything as extensive as some do everyday.

In fact reps to ALL who contribute!!