I have an 01 F-250 SD that recently cratered its 5.4. I can't quite tell exactly what happened but there are pieces of the plastic timing chain guides throughout the oil system and the guides on the left side are a mess. The crankshaft is broke in three pieces at the rear journal, the rods on those two cylinders are bent and twisted and a piston skirt has been taken out with the crankshaft counterweight like it fired on both rear cylinders at the same time. I haven't taken the heads off but I suspect the block isn't good for anything other than a boat anchor. This engine was a reman with 66K on it.

Other than the blown engine, my truck is pretty much pristine with some nice extras that add practicality and sharpen the appearance, so, I would like to put in an engine that is a little more bullet proofed than the last engine. I'm pretty sure that a high end oil pump is a must and I'm looking for suggestions on the timing chain system. I would also like higher end timing chain guides that are not plastic...

I'm on a fairly tight budget but what that means to me is that spending a little more now may save me doing this again, so I'm looking for suggestions on what upgrades to create a more dependable engine...

Thanks for reading...