My 217,000-mile '04 5.4L 3V has me on the fence - either trade on a 5.3L GM truck or rebuild the current engine/replace the current engine with a remanufactured engine. I've read on this and other forums about problems with rebuilds and reman 5.4L 3V engines, so I need to know: how many trouble-free miles have you put on your rebuilt or reman 5.4L 3V? I'm looking for responses of over 100,000 or 150,000 miles. Any well-maintained, modern gas engine today should go 200,000 miles with little trouble. I've had a 351W, 4.0L inline-six Jeep, and 5.3L Chevy each go over 200,000 trouble-free miles. I know a factory 5.4L 3V will go that far - mine has. I want to know if anyone's rebuilt/reman 5.4L 3V has lasted over 100,000 miles? 150,000 miles? more? Thank you.

 

If a good rebuild or reman is performed, why would it not go 200K ??

 

I think that it should, but I haven't heard of a 5.4L 3V rebuild or reman going 100,000, much less 200,000. That's why I want to hear from folks who've experienced what should happen. I mostly read about how bad reman 5.4L 3V engines are or how someone rebuilt one and it's still not right. I know that they should last 200,000 miles, but based on what I see and don't see, that just doesn't seem to be the case with these engines. Before I invest the time and money into a rebuild or reman, I have to know that it's going to last. If it's a reman from Ford, then it better last 200,000 miles for what one of those costs.

 

Ford remans are rebuilt by AER out of Texas. Other places also sell AER rebuilt engines. All are warrantied for 3 years unlimited miles. If you pay the $5400 for a Ford AER engine, it will be warrantied at the Ford dealer. I paid $3300 for an AER engine through Eagle engine rebuilders. It has a warranty that pays $50/hr. Local dealer rate is $100/hr. So far so good, but I've only put about 3000 miles on the engine. I'd think as the Ford authorized rebuilder, AER should be doing all the Ford designed updates. I'd hope that AER engines make past 100,000 miles at a higher rate than the original production run of the 3V.

 

I'm sad to report that my rebuilt 5.4 only went about 30,000 miles before one of the cam phasers went bad (Dornan). Replaced both of them with Motorcraft parts. $1600 later, all seems good again.

 

the FIRST thing I would do on a rebuild it throw the cam phasers in the TRASH. Put in a good set of tensioners, and lock the cam timing and make it run and last like a 2001-2003 motor.

 

That's bad to hear. I was told that AER uses Ford timing components but did use Dorman a while ago even on Motorcraft engines. It's pretty hard to sort out the truth without pulling a valve cover. At least rebuilts have a 3 year warranty.

I ran my truck with the solenoids unplugged, which runs the same as locked phasers (base cam timing). It definitely took more throttle at part throttle to accelerate. The was especially true when I was pulling a car on a trailer. Perhaps a tuner could gain some or all of this back. I wouldn't touch/void a warranty by messing around under the tins, but to each their own.