Good point there disgruntledjeeper, The maintenance on the diesel is a little more than the maintence on the gas engines, What I mean is oil changes cost alot more due to they hold more oil, But the pulling power is a big differance but unless you tow or need the extra torque ( All The Time) then it probablly isnt worth it, or if money doesnt matter to you then the choice is simple...

 

Thanx AB328 for the tip which I've read in the "whistle" thread earlier. It doesn't however sound like a bearing in the alternator. Something I replaced four times in my '89 chevy half ton four times! Chevys eat alternators.

I will tell my dealer at my next service. When warm, above 10 15 degrees F., nothing. A bad bearing will always be there and get worse with time.

As for the 3000 to 4000 cost of new cylinder heads for my 4.6 if the plugs bust at 100,000 service, I think it would be cheaper, in the long run, to grab a late model 302/fuelie, 96 or 97, and have a good shop drop it in my '04 F150, and take off down the road with push rods! Overhead cams are for Formula One and lawn mowers. Or, what the hell, get one of new Boss 302s.

I like the size of my standard cab, I like the ride, the hauling capacity is just right and I put 240,000 on my last half ton, so an engine swat would be the coolest thing. The 302 would give me that great sense of permanence. Thanx for the tip again. Later, Dudes.

 

My facination with Diesels has to do with alternative fuels. I have a diesel engine for my car that I will be overhauling and dropping in after I get a house with a garage and I intend to build a biodiesel reactor and make my own fuel from WVO. I know that diesels (especially diesels made for heavy duty applicaions) generally last longer than gas engines. There also is the fuel economy side of the scale. I can get hybrid economy without hybrid complexity with a diesel. Also, no spark plugs to seize in the head or blow out, and lots of low rpm grunt. Diesels cost more right now because they are still a niche market in the US. When it becomes more mainstream, the cost differential will come down. Besides, I don't change vehicles often. Witness my 1996 F-150 that's close to pushing 300,000 miles. You are 100% correct about the cost/benefit ratio for people who may only keep their trucks 3-5 years. However, if you factor in the improved resale value that diesel gives a light truck, you might end up slightly ahead afer 5 years. I also rack up alot of miles every year, so a diesel would benefit me alot more than someone who does 5-10K a year. The reason I said what I said about the diesel engine availability in the F-150 is that I wouldn't want any of the current gasoline engines offered. As a side note, I don't think that the new emissions regs are all that much to worry about. I just wouldn't want to be one of the early model guinea pigs. I'd wait a year if possible.

 

1) You'll unfortunately never get the truck to pass emissions even if it blows clean, because the OBDII scan won't match the alowable vehicle configurations for that year.

2) Overhead cams are great. I love my old pushrod six in my truck, but Overhead cams are better. The problem is that like anything else, if it's poorly designed, it'll be crap. Torque and RPM range for any given displacement is a funcion of the cam profile,regardless of where the cam(s) is/are placed in the engine.

3) Pushrods are still great too, lest you think I don't like them anymore. Just look at he Corvette ZO6's engine for proof of that.

 

Thanx ARGO, the thought of getting so little for so much money momentarily drove me into a politically incorrect thought, that is, going back in time to a simpler time and engine design, one that would increase the underhood space by 40 percent, and with iron heads make replacing plugs, once again, a delight instead of a nightmare.

I think a 302 from the mid nineties might blow as clean as my 4.6, no? If it was FI with a CAT? Or does it have to be stock? Later.

 

With EFI and Cats it would match the numbers. The beurocratic establishment however won't allow it to pass because it is not approved for your model year. Even if you installed the OBDII 302 from a late 90s Explorer, it is no certified for any later model year, therefore it will fail. Even if the emissions gasses were 100% H2O and CO2. Sucks, but it's reality.

 

We keep hearing all the talk about gas engines, The truth to the matter is there is a whole bunch more gas engines out there than there is diesel engines, Damn if I will give my 5.4 up for a diesel, Cause mine is doing fine, Im not going to bash a diesel either, Just keep in mind that theres a lot more gas engines out there than diesel engines and that wont change anytime soon ! thats probablly why we hear more about the bad stuff than we hear about the good stuff,

 

Might be a stupid question but where exactly are the plugs on a 5.4L? Are they in the top of the heads or under the exhaust manifolds? Was at the Autoshow today looking at some F-150's and couldn't see them among the hardware and wiring. Looks like a stinker of a job to get to them (wherever they are hiding).

 

If this is true and I'm not saying its not you'd think the first thing they'd do at a dealership would be to run an upper combustion chamber cleaning on the engines before they pull the plugs.

You can do the same thing with Seafoam by feading it down the air intake or a heavy mix in the fuel tank. At 20k on my 04 F150 I was loosing fuel economy. I ran the truck down till the low fuel warning came on at 50 miles to empty. I dumpped 3 cans of seafoam in the tank and ran the crap out of it for 30 miles. Full power acceleration every time I could as long as I could.

It brought the mileage right back up to where it was new.. I've been using Seafoam in outboard engines for 15yrs and I'll tell you the stuff works wonders on carbon, but the engine has to burn the carbon out running. You can't just dump it down the plug hole and hope some soaks past the plug threads after loosening it a 1/2 turn.

Personally I couldn't give crap about my plugs. They can weld themselves to the heads for all I care. My lease is up in 6k at 36k and I get another one. I think I'm going to try a Sport Trac with a 4.6 in it this time..

It's a catch 22 deal... The plugs are suppose to go a 100k so no dealer should touch them if the engine is running right. But if they take your money for an early plug change and break a few they should cover the problem.. If wait till you have 100k most trucks are out of warranty by then even with the extended warranty.. I wouldn't put 4k into an engine with a 100k on it anyway..

 

My dealier said that if they broke off a plug they would fix it at no extra charge! must be a dealer thing? 300 to 400 to change plugs.. STILL SEAMS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY FOR 8 PLUGS....

 

guys with the o6's......have any of you had any problems? i talked with my buddy who has worked with a large FLM dealer here in s.c., has been a GOOD friend since 1980 even though i get to see him rarely now. with some concern, i asked him about these problems that i have read about the 5.4 sparkplugs and he told me that it was pretty well cleared up. he said there were some problems with the earlier models and it was apin in the @55 but it was much less frequent now if ever he sees this problem. he did say that ford had come out with a tool and a procedure for removal of the plugs but it was easier to just pull the head(s). now, i believe him because as i said, we have been friends for a long time, i owe him nothing and he owes me nothing except a straight honest answer which i feel he has given me. hope this alleviates some concerns out there. mind you, he did not say it NEVER happens, but very unlikely anymore, especially on later models

 

Your friend works for ford he is not going to stick his *** out very far if he hasn't seen much problem just tells me they aren't doing many and ford hasn't changed the heads one bit supposedly they have a newer plug out with more nickel plating to reduce carbon buildup but that is it!!!

 

You are right with the crap they are building now leasing may turn out to be the better option as you will never put any money into a truck of course you will never own anything either, like you said a catch 22!!

 

hey, this guy is as honest as the day is long....no bullsh-tting with him....he has nothing to lose by telling me the truth.....our conversation was between friends...not a bitching @55 whiner

 

OK sounds good to me run your truck to 100K and then take it to his shop and have the plugs changed and let me know how it works out for you????