Has anyone had a problem with these? My fuel mileage almost cut in half (and already sucks). Alo has anyone had trouble with there steering ,I think my rack is gone.

2004 FX4

Mudguy

 

I'm assuming you have the 5.4. How many miles on your truck? What is your m.p.g then and now? I had 90,000 miles on my 05 4x4 scab, the phasers always knocked after truck was warm. Truck always got good service, and always got 14/15 town and 16/17.5 on the freeway. All stock except Magnaflow catback.

 

Do a search on this site, there is a great deal of info. This affected mostly the 2004-5 5.4L trucks. Not cheap to fix. Had mine done under warranty @ 12K miles on my '04.

 

Regarding steering, I have 95K on my 04 and have not had any steering issues. What makes you think your rack is gone? Might want to start a different thread with steering in the title.

 

I have an 04 with the 5.4 and i had alot of noise under the hood, and they ended up replacing the cam phaser, thank god for extended warranty... but i never noticed any difference in mileage after they put it in, the most i have ever got before and after they replaced it is like 12-13 city and 14-15 on the highway,

 

I had been told my cam phasers were bad then i was told the heads were bad so I was already 2 grand into this and found out I needed 6000.00 more worth of work for the heads. I know i was being bent over but I never seem to be creative enough to find that leg to stand on. I asked about a rebuilt engine and it was just a bit more. Called another ford dealership and it was about 1200 less for a rebuilt, had the truck towed and a new engine put in. Now I am being told if I dont keep my receipts of the oil changes and something goes wrong my 75,000 mile warranty wont be honored. I am afraid of having my "truck" in conditions that a corrolla could handle and be denied my warranty. Pretty scary to think that they just are looking for that small reason to void my warranty. Pretty soon this 28,000 truck will be a 56,000 dollar truck if I don't baby the hell out of it. UGH!

 

How many miles on your truck? What was wrong with your heads?

 

So the mechanic told me I ran my truck without oil. I said if it burnt up the oil then maybe so but I would have had a bad oil sensor as I am always above 1/2. He then told me you can't go by the sensor. So I then said does that mean I need to get fuel at 1/2 a tank because I am really out. He had no answer. I just hate the smart *** idiots that seem to have a comeback for everything, argh!

 

Still don't know how many miles you had on that engine. Not busting your chops, but if I understand your post you either ran the truck with no oil or worn out oil. In either case serious engine wear is inevitable and costly.

 

the oil gauge isnt a "level" gauge... it monitors pressure..... that being said, you could still be getting good pressure to your sending unit, but that doesnt mean that you have adequate flow everywhere else.

 

i had 72,000 miles change oil myself, everytime but this time. I had rough idle that considerably worsened after getting oil changed. Funny that I didn't treat my Ranger or toyota any differently and never had 6,000 dollars plus of work. Bust my chops but why have gauges if they are full of shixt? Do I need a degree to understand the gauges? Last time I checked it just showed an oil spout not a pressurized lit icon. Still don't understand how just over 1/2 full of oil gauge and a over 1/2 full of gas gauge is any different. I should try putting one quart in and see if it reads as just over 1/2. Maybe thats a good way of getting you back in the shop for a new model. Apple follows that path with all their broken ipods but hey who cares we can just blow another 300 for that new revised model that just came out.


I have learned a couple of things. Gauges mean jack shixt, they are for looks. Ford dealers, all but one I have encountered are rip off artists. Thank god I found one. They only have a warranty to try to find ways to escape from it. Good thing I try to recoup my losses by hoarding ford stock at such a low price!

Just trying to share my experience, sorry if that eats at the die hard ford owners sole. I feel bad for anyone that gets jacked around like me. I speak up so hopefully others can be creative enough to avoid such troubles.

 

And for running without oil, thats very easy to say as a mechanic. Not sure where my oil went but I paid money for it. This was the one time I had someone else change my oil and never again. I can't trust anyone to get any job right. I am being forced to live my life realizing that the roller coaster car I am in is being held together by the cheapest cotter pin money can buy. Very few care about their job or their integrity. Unfortunate world we live in today. Funny how those that do a job right are treated with amazment and those that do it wrong are considered the norm. Enough of this soap box crap. Blame me for no oil, blame me for driving a ford, blame me for replying to a question on here after all it was an easy out for the mechanic. Just like its easy to blame a dead pilot when a plane crashes. Nice when you don't have a leg to stand on and a job you have to drive to.

 

Hey guy tried to post earlier but it did not take???? Any way I was just trying to get the whole story. Work ethic is a thing of the past. That is another topic. Any way I was just trying to get the whole story of what happened to your truck. If I am reading your post right I would have a very serious talk with the establishment that last changed your oil. Good Luck.

 

Don't mind me, I get a little fired up at times. I just hope you don't have to go through what I did. I love the truck minus the engine fiasco!