My son just bought his first Truck. It is an 2001 F-150 SuperCrew with 135000 mile on it. It has the 5.4 and is in great shape. The interior looks like new and the body is in great shape. So now is the problem. The check engine soon light came on and the truck started to feel like it is vibrating. Like is is missing, but the tack does not change and no lack of power. I have added a bottle of injector cleaner into it today. Didn't drive it far enough to make a difference. The other problem is that it may be losing oil. If the dealer filled it when they changed the oil. It has lost 1 quart in less than 100 miles. I took it back and the dealer checked it out. It is not burning, leaking from any where nor is there oil in the coolant or water in the oil. So I will keep an eye on this and check it about every 50 miles.

My son started work when he was 15 and he got the loan with out a co-signer. I would hate to see anything go wrong for him. So any help would be great. I don't get any notifactions of the any postings so I have to keep checking back. Something to do with my server. So it may take a day to respond. Thank you in adavance for your help.

Tom

 

Change out all the filters, fuel, air etc. Take the truck to Advance Auto and get them to read the code for you, that will at least point you in the right direction for the CEL, I am willing to bet that the CEL and shudder is related. As far as the oil situation goes, maybe when they changed it a quart was left, and thats assuming that they even changed it. With 135,000 miles on it this engine should still have a lot of life left in it.

 

What is a CEL? I will check at the local Auto parts here. We don't have an Advance Auto. But I think that Checker Auto does the same thing. I think that you are correct on the oil. It was changed, at least it was clean.

Tom

 

CEL = Check engine light

Good luck and get us the codes when you get it checked.

 

Also try replacing the PCV valve. Sometimes they go bad and suck a lot of oil thru the engine.

 

It read a trouble code of "PO305" which appears to be a Cylinder 5 Misfire Detected. It was suggested that we replace the Ignition Coil for that cylinder. It cost $65.99 for each cylinder. The gal at the part store said to buy them from Ford because the ones that they sell are not the best.

Does this sound correct to all of you? Any suggestons as to where to get a quality one? Are they hard to replace? This comes from a guy who didn't even know that the truck didn't have spark plug wires. I do have some knowledge. Of the older vehicles.

Tom

 

Well, that is the front one on the drivers side. One of the easiest to get to. One bolt holds it down.
Read thru the "Read First" thread at the top of this forum and there is a section on plug and coil replacement. It should be quite helpful to ya.

 

Before you spend any money, have the code cleared. It might just go away. Computers are fickle.

 

Cleared the code before we left. It came back on in about 3 miles of driving. Thanks for all your help.

Tom

 

i wonder if the spark plugs have ever been replaced. if you cant find out, i would change all the plugs first, because they need it. then if you have the light, put on the new coil. i bought a coil and it was the plug. later i changed all 8. had 140 miles on original plugs, looked not so good.

 

thats 140,000 miles on the plugs. without lead it the gas, they last ALMOST forever.

 

did the '01 still have problems kickin the plugs out...would someone of put a helea coil in it? Or was that just the '99-'00... I cant remember?

 

That would be 97-02. Mid year 03 they added threads to the heads.