Howdy! Been trying to find a decent forum where people like to discuss problems, hopin this one turns out well : )

Recently I started having a very rough idle, would almost, or would, shut off when in drive and stopped. I had very little power when I hit the gas, the tranny would shudder, the computer popped some bank 1 and 2 O2 codes and I was told it was a vacuum leak. I could hear a pop now and then (was told that was spark knock). Basically just horrible to drive. Oddly, I went to start it after meeting someone and it wouldnt do anything. I re-tightened the negative cable and it started up, drove fine with no problems. It acted like crap again the next morning, but I tightned the cable up and it ran fine once again.

It ran great up until yesterday, bringing my sons present home and about 10 miles from the house, started losing power, wouldn't go, trans shuddering, etc. I try to start it this morning and it took forever, got it running and drove it a mile down the rd and back, I heard a loud pop while doing so, got it back, opened the hood and there was oil around the injector (just the front 2) and the head on the passenger side, leaking all the way down the front of the engine. I got under it to check the dipstick, filter, drain plug, all where dry, it was dripping from the front, I cleaned it and it *looks* to be coming from the top of the oil pan, right under the big pulley in the middle of the engine.

Could this cause all of my problems? Or just another one to add to the list? Thanks for any help!

 

Edit: Sorry, 2001 F150, 5.4 XLT 4x4

 

On any forum we can only make an overall judgment based on what has been posted.
Appears the truck is lacking some common maintenance.
If the motor does not crank nothing else matters at that time.
Very first thing to eliminate the no crank, is to remove and inspect all the battery cables, clean the connectors and battery posts and reassemble with good tight connections to eliminate that problem.
Apparently the charge system and battery health is good if you can long crank the motor.
Next, there are gaskets and seals in the front crank area that would be leaking oil.
In that area is the crank sensor and it's plug connector. The connector may be loose and all oil soaked. If this is the case the motor will not fire under any circumstances.
Bottom line is you have some work to do as opposed to a single quick fix.
To repair oil leaks, it may require taking things apart in that area, and attend the battery cable issues [and any other items] you might have to address if you want ongoing reliability..
The truck is about unusable now so plan for it being down for some time while repairs are being made depending on who is doing the work..
Remember this is all based on your posted conditions as best I can determine, for you
Good luck.

 

As of right now, it will start and run. I'll be out there tomorrow and check the crank sensor and plug and see what it will take from there. Thank you so much for your reply!

 

if you get codes, post the number, not someones interpretation of what it means.

 

As mentioned.....first and foremost take BOTH your battery cables off and clean the posts and the cable connectors. Then if it runs OK you need to chase those codes it threw you. That is very important and starts you in the correct diagnostic route.

 

Why does this cable continually need to be tightened?

 

Ok, just to clear it up, I feel I may have bumbled it all together a bit too much, I appologize. On Christmas eve, about 5 miles from home, the truck started to idle very rough, shut off when in drive and stopped, and had very little pedal response. I got it home and parked it. The next day, it wouldn't start, when I turned the key, I had nothing. So I took the battery cables off, cleaned up everything with a wire brush, even stripped down the Negative cable and re did it. It turned over after doing all of that, but was very hard to get running. I got it running, had the same issues as the previous night, drove it about a half mile down the road and back. Popped the hood and found oil on the front part of the engine, on the passenger side. It was leaking down the front of the engine and onto the ground, I crawled under the truck and from what I could tell, it looked like it was leaking ALOT of oil out of the front / top of the oil pan.

(Not real sure about the Neg. Cable pdqford, I had to cut the original terminal to put the new clamp type on it, when I cut it, the big metal crimped piece stayed on the wire, and I shoved that into the new terminal, and I just don't think it ever really fit right, the bolts would always seem to vibrate a little loose it seemed.)

Thank you again!

 

What you can do also is on the crimped part there is a hole in the middle. Instead of trying to jamb that into the clamp down part of the new end , is take the two small bolts out of the clamp part, toss the top part and then just bolt that crimped end right to one of those holes. Do that first then slide it over the terminal and tighten down the new end. Or just cut that crimped end off and cut back the copper and put that in the clamp. Trying to clamp down that hard crimp with those two little cheapo bolts is hard to get and keep tight......good luck!

 

As Bluegrass stated, we can only go by what was posted:

Soooo, are you saying there are FOUR oil leaks?
One) at the #1 injector.
Two) at the #5 injector.
Three) at the passenger side cylinder head.
Four) front of the oil pan gasket.

Or is there only one leak at the oil pan and that oil is getting blown, maybe by the fan, up on the injectors and the cylinder head?

 

It seems to have been blown up from the pan and landed on top of the engine, sorry for the confusion.

 

check the oil filter / gasket/ mounting block ... tighten pan bolts 1/2 turn if needed.

 

Bottom line is you have to clean the area, run the motor just long enough to see were the oil is coming from then make a decision as to what fix to try on a progression order until the issue is solved.
Don't use water to clean with. Use spray cleaner as much as it takes to clean all areas.
Once this is under control, then look at any other remaining issues.
Good luck.