Sooooo I made a stupid mistake. BTW I have horrible luck with vehicles new or used. I trusted a dealership and now I am paying for it. I bought an 07 F-150 with a triton a few months back. Yes it was high mileage so I took someone with me. I was only able to drive it for 12 miles. After a couple of days I heard a sound that piqued my interest. Apparently I bought the phaser issue. Mississippi law does NOT protect the consumer, therefore I can't take this truck back. Plan B, onto fixing my mistake.

I took the truck to the local dealership to find the extent of my issue only to find out the entire passenger side head needs to be replaced including the cam and cam bearings. The oil looks like it had never been replaced (you could literally pick it up like a rock). The timing chain is messed up. The phasers and phase sensors are shot. Apparently there is a substance you can put in motors called honey that can make a lot of issues disappear for a short period.

I know this is a common issue. I have tried to have a couple of different shops do a complete rebuild. Noone is willing to touch the engine because its a 5.4. SO I guess I may have to do it myself. I'm military and my time isn't my own. It may take a bit of time is my only issue (I hope). Now down to the question. I have $4000 coming back from taxes. Would a rebuild be a good idea or should I hope for the best with a junk yard replacement?

 

I'm sorry to hear about this. I would evaluate how much I had in it and whether to cut your losses and move on or be in it for the long haul and do whatever has to happen. Gotta be some motors out there and or see if the dealer will let you trade or get out somehow. Might take some cash but minimize the pain

 

Thanks for the reply. Funny enough I wish I would have stuck with my I6. I figured that it was a good idea to upgrade when mine spun a bearing at 34 years old.

Unfortunately I still owe 6k on it and can't afford a higher payment. Needless to say, the original dealer (wasn't ford) and I aren't on good terms. Junk yard seems to be the best option so far.

 

There are other options to a junk yard motor. Here are a few I found on a quick google search.
Rebuilt engines online from PowerSource

5.4 2004-2009 FORD SOHC CAM 3-VALVE TRITON LONG BLOCK ENGINE - Advanced Engine Exchange

Ford 5.4 Liter 3 Valve Remanufactured Engines | Ford 5.4L 3v

Buy 2007 Ford F-150 Parts | FordParts.com

They all come with warranties. You should contact them and see which one is best for your needs. They may even be able to recommend and installer in your area.
If you choose to go this route you would be putting basically a zero time engine in your truck and if you take care of it, it will give you many good years of service. With a junk yard engine you are just inheriting someone else's problems.
It might be more cost upfront but in the long run you will be better off.

 

What do you think of doing a swap to like a 2v or 4v?

 

Best to stick with the OEM type motor. You run into computer troubles when you make changes like that. Sure, you can bring the ECM over, but year-to-year, and engine type changes in the harness will keep your truck parked.

 

So sorry to read of this.

First things first, go to base legal and see if they can assist you. I'd highly doubt it but it's worth a try. In some areas, local businesses don't like to ruffle the military's tail feathers.

Assuming these efforts will fail, I'd recommend an engine exchange.

 

A little ahead of you on this. I talked to base and I'm trying to add them to the black list. I also made complaint with the BBB.

 

I would be willing to get the wiring harness and ECM as well if I went this route. My concerns are 1. mounting: will it mount easily without having to fabricate anything considering they are both 5.4's? Holes should line up if the block is the same. 2. Transmission: Will the transmission line up being it would be slightly older? 3. Drive shaft : If the transmission doesn't line up exactly and I need another slightly newer/older will I need a new shaft? 4. Space: Being that they are both 5.4's would it fit in the bay?

 

Why go through all that hassle? As I posted before you can get a rebuilt and just slide it in. Also if you are going to swap it yourself you can do it at the base hobby shop. (I know the Air Force has them but don't know what branch you are in.) Some of the suppliers I posted will even pay shipping both ways.

 

Swapping different wiring harnesses and different engines end up costing you more money. swap the same engine and leave it stock. If you get a reman, at least you will get a warranty. > Check the warranty< >>>sometimes for the warranty to be in effect, you have to have a mechanic install it<<<<.... Since you are in the military, you need something reliable to make sure you can be at the base on time.

 

Here's a horrible idea of a question. What do you think of buying a new complete head, solenoid, and new phasers to get me through until I can trade it?

 

That's probably not a good idea. You noted that the engine oil was like a rock. That stuff is everywhere in your engine and you will never get it all out. So you put a new head on the engine. Every other part of the engine is still full of junk. Maybe the next thing to go will be the other head. Those oil passages in the heads are pretty small and it doesn't take much to plug them up. Lord knows what else will pack up next. Your best bet is a reman just like the engine you have. Less problems and hassle.

Also, while your at it change the transmission fluid and filter, flush the brake system and cooling system. Odds are if the previous owner neglected oil changes they neglected everything else.

Wishing you good luck on getting it fixed.

 

With a new head $1000.00, solenoids $150.00, phasers $450.00, head bolts (can't reuse old ones) $150.00, phaser bolts (again can't reuse old ones), camshaft rt. side $350.00, timing components $300.00, oil pump $150.00, assorted gaskets to complete the job $350.00, labor (if you take it to someone and have it done) $2000.00. These are ballpark numbers but fairly close, so, $2900.00 in parts, that's the cost of a remanufactured motor. I personally would spend the money on a reman that has a warranty and drive it till the wheels fall off.

 

You have a good point. To be honest, I didn't know oil could become hard like that so I think it would be in my best interest to get a new one.



Thanks for the math flyguy108. I wasn't thinking of a bit of that. I was about to make a stupid mistake. Luckily I got some extra money back this year.