How long can noisy 5.4L run well - 2004 F-150, 183K miles
#16
11-03-2015, 03:45 PM
Lead Driver
#17
11-06-2015, 05:22 AM
I just bought a 2004 F-150 XLT 4WD SuperCrew with 183K miles. I am now the 2nd owner of the truck. The truck is tight, drives great, and dry underneath. I have no complaints. Although I couldn't hear it rattle at the dealer, I can hear it now after putting 200 miles on it. It is noisy at idle (and probably at speed) - it reminds me of a diesel - it rattles. I suspect that it is the cam phasers. The truck runs great, idles and runs smooth, good oil pressure, no check engine light so far. If it weren't for the noise, I would have no concerns about it, but after reading about all of the problems with the 5.4L 3V engines and the cam phasers, I'm wondering what to do. If I knew that it's going to continue to run well and just be noisy, that is fine. If there is going to be some catastrophic, unavoidable failure, then I should do something. My question is: are some 5.4L engines just noisy yet run forever? That's what I'm hoping for, and I hope that I now have one of them.
Does your state mandate at least a 30 day warranty on dealer sales? Some states do even though the sticker said "as is".
I totally get the dilemma of engine noise. There are some very good responses here from guys who are running their trucks with the noise.
I have to wonder if the lack of documented engine failures stems from most owners addressing the problem before failure is eminent.
My supervisor has a 2005 Expedition with 170xxx on the clock and a very distinctive noise at idle. Her hubby decided to pour in a can of seafoam and she coded pretty bad. The took the truck tot he dealer and the diagnosis from the dealer the engine needed replacement.
I advised her to run the seafoam out plus two more tanks of fuel and see what happens. The codes went away but the noise remains, as expected.
My final advise to her was to drive the truck till it will no longer drive. A 10 year old Expy isn't worth the value that a new engine plus labor will cost. So, if she needed an engine, plan to keep the truck for another 10 years to recoup the loss/investment.
The trucks will be around 40-50 years with new engines and transmissions available. Nowadays, an engine / transmission exchange is about 20% of the cost of a higher end model. It's worth it IMHO.
#18
11-06-2015, 07:22 AM
My 5.4 Triton gained a tick.
My wife gained 10 pounds.
I don't have any desire to trade in either one for a new model. They're both still really great.
Also...
vs
Replacement (comparable specs) = $49k
(Much less than 20% -- lends even more support for your argument.)
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