99' 5.4 knocking
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From: Walterboro, SC
99' 5.4 knocking
My dad was driving his 1999 F-250,5.4 today when it started knocking. He was in town so he stopped by the auto parts place and filled it up with oil. Now this is what i'm scared about: It took 3 quarts to fill it up! What could cause the engine to use this much oil? Will the 5.4 be okay after running that low on oil? He said that the oil guage didn't say low and the engine light didn't come on. This seems kinda strange to me! Thanks for any help. The truck seems to be running fine. Benjamin
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Joined: Oct 2001
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From: Washington State
99' 5.4 knocking
> My dad was driving his 1999 F-250,5.4 today when it started
>knocking. He was in town so he stopped by the auto parts
>place and filled it up with oil. Now this is what i'm scared
>about: It took 3 quarts to fill it up!
When is the last time he checked it?!?! That's almost HALF it's capacity!
>>>What could cause the engine to use this much oil?
A big hole in the oil pan...
. Dude, how long has the oil been in there? ie When is the last time he changed it? If it was last week, then well......
>>Will the 5.4 be okay after running that low on oil?
Time will tell, I guess. The knocking must a been an indication that something was amiss. What kind of oil does he run?
>>He said that the oil gauge didn't say low and the engine light didn't come on. This seems kinda strange to me!
Don't rely on the glorified idiot light to help you. There is only one "gauge" that will tell you the oil level. It's called the dipstick!
>>The truck seems to be running fine.
I'd change it (the oil & filter) then start watching the oil consumption. Check it every chance you get just to play it safe. I'd also cut open that filter an see what's inside.
>knocking. He was in town so he stopped by the auto parts
>place and filled it up with oil. Now this is what i'm scared
>about: It took 3 quarts to fill it up!
When is the last time he checked it?!?! That's almost HALF it's capacity!>>>What could cause the engine to use this much oil?
A big hole in the oil pan...
. Dude, how long has the oil been in there? ie When is the last time he changed it? If it was last week, then well......>>Will the 5.4 be okay after running that low on oil?
Time will tell, I guess. The knocking must a been an indication that something was amiss. What kind of oil does he run?
>>He said that the oil gauge didn't say low and the engine light didn't come on. This seems kinda strange to me!
Don't rely on the glorified idiot light to help you. There is only one "gauge" that will tell you the oil level. It's called the dipstick!
>>The truck seems to be running fine.
I'd change it (the oil & filter) then start watching the oil consumption. Check it every chance you get just to play it safe. I'd also cut open that filter an see what's inside.
Thread Starter
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From: Walterboro, SC
99' 5.4 knocking
He isn't the best person for servicing a vehicle so I don't know how long it has been. I would guess about 8000miles since last time. And I know this is about twice the time. I done told him he needs to change the oil. He takes it to the dealer to get it serviced. So it has whatever they put which I know isn't the best thing to use. Thanks for the help! Benjamin
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From: waterford nj
99' 5.4 knocking
Just to let you know the gauges in a ford and most other vehicles havent been true gauges for years.
The oil pressure "gauge" in the ford truck senses only the presence of oil above or below a certain level and has no ability to read pressure at all. When the oil level drops to an extremely critical level , like almost no oil , the gauge will bottom out. You will never see high and low readings on the gauge.
As monsta said, the only reliable gauge is the dipstick.
as for the 5.4 ive heard stories of oil consumption of up to 1.5 qts. at 3000 miles while others dont use any in 3000 miles.
99 sd v10
97 f350 351
The oil pressure "gauge" in the ford truck senses only the presence of oil above or below a certain level and has no ability to read pressure at all. When the oil level drops to an extremely critical level , like almost no oil , the gauge will bottom out. You will never see high and low readings on the gauge.
As monsta said, the only reliable gauge is the dipstick.
as for the 5.4 ive heard stories of oil consumption of up to 1.5 qts. at 3000 miles while others dont use any in 3000 miles.
99 sd v10
97 f350 351
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From: OK
99' 5.4 knocking
I'm pretty sure the "guage" measures pressure (not oil level). It's just that it only has two positions- NORMAL or LOW... like an idiot light being on or off. When oil pressure is above X psi, the "guage" reads NORMAL. If the pressure drops below X psi, then the "guage" reads LOW. The value of X is supposed to be somewhere around 4 or 5.
Either way, mosta hit it perfectly. You can't completely trust the instrumentation.
Either way, mosta hit it perfectly. You can't completely trust the instrumentation.
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Joined: Feb 2002
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99' 5.4 knocking
THE PROBLEM YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT TO IS A TRAIT OF SOME 5.4L FORD ENGINES.IT IS CAUSED BY A PISTON KNOCK WITHIN A CYLINDER.NOT BECAUSE OF LOW OIL,(ALTHOUGH IT MIGHT NOT HAVE HELPED).IT USUALLY WON'T HURT
ANYTHING,IT'S JUST ANNOYING TO LISTEN TO IT.I HAVE HEARD OF INSTANCES WHERE FORD HAS INSTALLED ANOTHER COMPLETE ENGINE.
I HOPE THIS IS HELPFUL.
ANYTHING,IT'S JUST ANNOYING TO LISTEN TO IT.I HAVE HEARD OF INSTANCES WHERE FORD HAS INSTALLED ANOTHER COMPLETE ENGINE.
I HOPE THIS IS HELPFUL.
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From: Walterboro, SC
99' 5.4 knocking
If the engime needs to be replaced I doubt Ford will do it because the warranty is up. Benjamin
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99' 5.4 knocking
Low oil level shouldn't cause piston knock unless low oil pressure accompanies the low oil level. Are you sure it wasn't valve train noise that would be caused by oil starvation? The 5.4's are probably overhead cam, but they could still get noisy if run low on oil. I had an old 307 chevy in a 68 Impala as my first car. When the valves rattled it was time to add 2 qts of oil.
Tony
Tony
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Thread Starter
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From: Walterboro, SC
99' 5.4 knocking
Well, The knocking started again. This time a very mecanically inclined man he works with heard it. He said it sounded like it was the bottom end. So he has finally decided to take it to the dealer for them to diagnose the problem. This is what I want to know. If the engine needs to be rebuilt, is it better to rebuild it or buy a whole new engine? Anyone know an aproximate cost of doing this? Thanks. Benjamin
Sit. Stay.
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 18,308
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From: Washington State
99' 5.4 knocking
Depending on where the problem really is, it is usually cheaper to buy the short block than to buy a whole new engine or even have the one you got rebuilt.
I know I'd be making some phone calls after the PROPER diagnosis.
I know I'd be making some phone calls after the PROPER diagnosis.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
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From: Walterboro, SC
99' 5.4 knocking
Just thought I would give you an update. They had to put another engine in it. Ford people wouldn't really say what was wrong with it. They put a remanufactured engine back in it. He is waiting on a new dipstick then he can bring it home. Is a re-man. engine as good as the original? Benjamin
