The only problem with this statement is that you dont get a pending code most of the time for an intermittent misfire. It has to misfire a preset amount of times for it to even give said "pending" code. Most of us never see that pending code.

 

I come from a long line of ford enthusiasts and also a long line of mechanics. Here are the first things you need to check on your 5.4l.

1. Are you using ford motor craft spark plugs? If not, switch immediately! Don't question it just do it. Especially in your motor/year of truck. Also, make sure the gap is correct.
2. Check the coil's plastic shaft that goes into the head and rests on the top of the spark plug. This shaft is plastic and often gets brittle with time and can crack along the tube section and can cause problems with spark that will not show up in the cpu.
3. Also, when was the last time you changed the fuel filter?
4. Also, check the vacuum lines for cracks.

After you check those things I do not have too much more to recommend. Just so you feel that this information is not misleading, I own a 2003 expedition with a 5.4l v8 and my dad owns a 2000 v8 5.4l f250SD, we also work frequently on ford 6.8l v10's. We've experienced several problems with all these engines and checking those 4 things that I mentioned above will save you a lot of time.

 

Who is "most of us."

As soon as I feel a little miss, or a neighbor or friend does, on their OBDII system, I plug in my Actron 9145 scanner and determine the offending cyclinder. I've done it *many* times over the years .... some of them caused by the plug well filling with water while 4-wheeling with a failing COP boot-sparkplug connection.

The intermittent fault causes a 1-count --- a maturing code on the continuous monitor. If that fault does not recur within 40 warm-up cycles, the monitor memory will be cleared. A recuring fault will mature into a diagnostic trouble code, and activate the MIL.

Thats the way I read it, anyway.

 

I am figuring this is directed to me.

I did just replace the plugs with Autolite platinum plugs. I'm thinking. I gapped them @ .054

One boot on one of the coil packs looked shriveled up, like it had been too hot.

Not changed the fuel filter yet.

Could find no vacuum leaks.

Thanks

 

Ok, whatever.

Guess when people don't hear what they like they have a hissy fit.

I just listed my experiences with this problem and others have run into the same A MULTITUDE OF TIMES. You have had more than two people tell you that they don't always set codes, what part don't you get?

Peace.

 

I'm having a hissy fit? Is that like a brain fart? Or a LSD flashback? Actually I'm scratching head trying to figure out where you are coming from, and I had thought that maybe I was not explaining myself clearly.

You were the only one that said you knew that an intermittent problem will not always throgh a pending code. One of our friends here said they did not get a pending code when they went to Advance, and we have said here that it must be a high end scanner to be able to get pending codes. In my experience just in my local area ... most places do not have a high end scanner. My local Advance used a cheaper scanner that did not pick up pending codes, but then started to use a better one (customer requests?) Both were Actron brand.

Your "MULTITUDE OF TIMES" experience of not getting pending codes is completely different from mine. Why is that? There must be a reason. I was trying to find out why, and not just blow it off. What good is that to anyone here? Maybe I would learn something. "I'll be damned if I'm going to pay a dealer $50-$100 to plug in his scanner to read the misfire counters," you say. I, and others here, told you that you don't have to .... get your hands on a good scanner (prices keep going down .... I think mine may be available at Amazon for $100 now).

I thought maybe that we were having a misunderstanding of terminology, so I stated how the scanner's electonics logic worked with intermittant faults before it throws the MIL, as I understand it.

So... a hissy fit? I don't have 'em. I was just trying to figure out why you can't come up with pending codes. Just trying to make my very, very minor contribution to this forum.

Yea ... peace.
over and out