Sluggish Acceleration 5.4L
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Sluggish Acceleration 5.4L
I just puchased my first Expy (2000 4x4 EB 5.4L) on Sept 12th, and I've noticed something wierd when accelerating.
If I take off from a stop at 3/4 or full throttle and speed up to 50-60mph, I notice the engine/driveline has a sluggish feeling. Kind of like it missing a few sparks here and there?
Has anyone else experienced or heard of this problem? I have 30 days for satisfaction warranty to return the truck for any problems I find at the dealer I purchased from.
Thanks for the help,
Jeff
If I take off from a stop at 3/4 or full throttle and speed up to 50-60mph, I notice the engine/driveline has a sluggish feeling. Kind of like it missing a few sparks here and there?
Has anyone else experienced or heard of this problem? I have 30 days for satisfaction warranty to return the truck for any problems I find at the dealer I purchased from.
Thanks for the help,
Jeff
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Sluggish Acceleration 5.4L
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 14-Sep-02 AT 11:32 PM (EST)]Take-off, Idling and Cruising all seem normal. Toward higher RPMs it seems like it's having a difficult time, with a slight hesitation.
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Sluggish Acceleration 5.4L
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 16-Sep-02 AT 08:46 PM (EST)]49,900 Miles. 70 degrees outside with probably 50% humidity. Unsure about the gear ratio.
The more I drive and notice it, I think the engine is running fine. It almost feels more hydrauilc. Like slippage in the Transmission or Transfer Case.
This has All wheel drive selection only. Is this the way that automatic 4WD sounds?
The more I drive and notice it, I think the engine is running fine. It almost feels more hydrauilc. Like slippage in the Transmission or Transfer Case.
This has All wheel drive selection only. Is this the way that automatic 4WD sounds?
Logistics Pro
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 3,960
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From: All over Texas
Sluggish Acceleration 5.4L
>49,900 Miles. 70 degrees outside with probably 50% humidity.
>Unsure about the gear ratio. Mileage and temp should be ruled out, but the gear ratio could have something to do with lack of performance.
Expy Gear Ratios (look at tag inside driver door):
19—3.55 NLS
17—3.31 NLS
H9—3.55 LS
H7—3.31 LS
H6—3.73 LS
>
>The more I drive and notice it, I think the engine is
>running fine. It almost feels more hydrauilc. Like slippage
>in the Transmission or Transfer Case. Better take it into a shop.
>
>This has All wheel drive selection only. Is this the way
>that automatic 4WD sounds? It's automatic 4WD and only engages the front wheels when the rear wheels begin to slip. If it is automatically engaging the front wheels, you should hear a series of clicks and clunks. You can always engage and disengage the 4WD manually by turning the switch.
>Unsure about the gear ratio. Mileage and temp should be ruled out, but the gear ratio could have something to do with lack of performance.
Expy Gear Ratios (look at tag inside driver door):
19—3.55 NLS
17—3.31 NLS
H9—3.55 LS
H7—3.31 LS
H6—3.73 LS
>
>The more I drive and notice it, I think the engine is
>running fine. It almost feels more hydrauilc. Like slippage
>in the Transmission or Transfer Case. Better take it into a shop.
>
>This has All wheel drive selection only. Is this the way
>that automatic 4WD sounds? It's automatic 4WD and only engages the front wheels when the rear wheels begin to slip. If it is automatically engaging the front wheels, you should hear a series of clicks and clunks. You can always engage and disengage the 4WD manually by turning the switch.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 111
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From: Austin Tx.
Sluggish Acceleration 5.4L
Your fuel injectors may need cleaning. Check your 0 to 60 times. Maybe it is OK. If your previous vehicle was smaller maybe it just seems slow.
Pete
Pete
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Sluggish Acceleration 5.4L
I know exactly what you are describing. I have a 2000 4X4 XLT with the 4R100 trans. It came with 3.55 gears which I changed to 4.10 with 285X75X16 tires. It feels like the torque converter is just spinning and not transferring the power to the trans. Then all the sudden you can feel it kick in and acceleration picks up. I think it is a combination of the electric trans, lock up torque converter, and programmed shift points being kind of mixed up because of my gear and tire changes. I also installed a Banks transcommand box to firm up the shifts. I noticed this mostly happens when I am crusing about 40 mph and then accelerate hard, and it only seems to last a second or two before you can feel the torque converter start doing its job.
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Joe Kucinski
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Joined: Aug 2002
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From: Jacksonville, FL
Sluggish Acceleration 5.4L
Ford trucks are known to have a soft tranny shift program,
which is prob. contributing to your sense of sluggishness.
My V10 F250 was the same lethargic creature until I reprogrammed
the tranny via the Super Chips tuner - wow, what a difference.
Check the FTE store
here to see what options are available
if you want to go that route (modifying the stock computer
settings, that is). Others on the forum may have some valve/hardware options to help as well. Good luck.
-- Bob
2001 F250 SD CC Lariat,
V-10, 4:30, 6' Bed, 4x4, Auto, K&N FIPK-2, SCMT-tuned
which is prob. contributing to your sense of sluggishness.
My V10 F250 was the same lethargic creature until I reprogrammed
the tranny via the Super Chips tuner - wow, what a difference.
Check the FTE store
here to see what options are availableif you want to go that route (modifying the stock computer
settings, that is). Others on the forum may have some valve/hardware options to help as well. Good luck.
-- Bob
2001 F250 SD CC Lariat,
V-10, 4:30, 6' Bed, 4x4, Auto, K&N FIPK-2, SCMT-tuned
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 28
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From: Raleigh USA
Sluggish Acceleration 5.4L
Interesting....I just bought a used 2000 Expy EB with the 5.4L/4R100 with 51K miles and I am experiencing the exact same symptoms as the other 2-3 folks above...In fact, I was searching this forum for that very reason.
My engine idles fine, and I'm getting 12-13 avg MPG around town (with a light foot), but it does feel like it is slightly mis-firing when I am accelerating in a hurry - especially when I am going up an incline of any degree and working the engine harder - in fact, I can hear a slight difference in the engine noise (it sounds like the "purr" of the engine is not quite as smooth as it should sound). When I am driving easy and letting the tranny do the work, it seems to be OK. If I am trying to give it some "go", I then notice a lack of "smoothness" in the engine, but it does kick in.
I feel it is the fuel system that needs cleaning/flushing (as someone above recommended), so that was my first plan of attack.
If anyone gets this fixed, please post the results!!
KHaga in NC
- 2000 Expedition EB, 5.4L/4R100, 4x4
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My engine idles fine, and I'm getting 12-13 avg MPG around town (with a light foot), but it does feel like it is slightly mis-firing when I am accelerating in a hurry - especially when I am going up an incline of any degree and working the engine harder - in fact, I can hear a slight difference in the engine noise (it sounds like the "purr" of the engine is not quite as smooth as it should sound). When I am driving easy and letting the tranny do the work, it seems to be OK. If I am trying to give it some "go", I then notice a lack of "smoothness" in the engine, but it does kick in.
I feel it is the fuel system that needs cleaning/flushing (as someone above recommended), so that was my first plan of attack.
If anyone gets this fixed, please post the results!!
KHaga in NC
- 2000 Expedition EB, 5.4L/4R100, 4x4
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
New User
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1
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Interesting....I just bought a used 2000 Expy EB with the 5.4L/4R100 with 51K miles and I am experiencing the exact same symptoms as the other 2-3 folks above...In fact, I was searching this forum for that very reason.
My engine idles fine, and I'm getting 12-13 avg MPG around town (with a light foot), but it does feel like it is slightly mis-firing when I am accelerating in a hurry - especially when I am going up an incline of any degree and working the engine harder - in fact, I can hear a slight difference in the engine noise (it sounds like the "purr" of the engine is not quite as smooth as it should sound). When I am driving easy and letting the tranny do the work, it seems to be OK. If I am trying to give it some "go", I then notice a lack of "smoothness" in the engine, but it does kick in.
I feel it is the fuel system that needs cleaning/flushing (as someone above recommended), so that was my first plan of attack.
If anyone gets this fixed, please post the results!!
KHaga in NC
- 2000 Expedition EB, 5.4L/4R100, 4x4
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My engine idles fine, and I'm getting 12-13 avg MPG around town (with a light foot), but it does feel like it is slightly mis-firing when I am accelerating in a hurry - especially when I am going up an incline of any degree and working the engine harder - in fact, I can hear a slight difference in the engine noise (it sounds like the "purr" of the engine is not quite as smooth as it should sound). When I am driving easy and letting the tranny do the work, it seems to be OK. If I am trying to give it some "go", I then notice a lack of "smoothness" in the engine, but it does kick in.
I feel it is the fuel system that needs cleaning/flushing (as someone above recommended), so that was my first plan of attack.
If anyone gets this fixed, please post the results!!
KHaga in NC
- 2000 Expedition EB, 5.4L/4R100, 4x4
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
New User
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 1
Likes: 1
good day. I was searching for a similar problem over the last few days. Fixed my issue!!! Here's the info..
2003 expy 198,000mi 5.4
Drove OK at low speed but had extremely poor acceleration when giving gas. Really poor up hill and the tranny would shift erratically and the RPM's would stay high going uphill. Also, the pedal had a slight catch in it when starting out once in a while. Initially afraid it might be clogged cats!
The fix. I replaced the TPS (throttle position sensor). 32.00 bucks. However, it had no effect initially.!!! Then I remembered that I probably needed to reset the ECM so .... disconnect the battery for 5 minutes (when the engine is cold). Then start it and let it warm up in the driveway. DO NOT DRIVE until it is warm and has had time to go through the ECM recalibration! After that, it drove like new!
Hope this helps someone with similar problem!
Mark M
Murrieta, Ca
2003 expy 198,000mi 5.4
Drove OK at low speed but had extremely poor acceleration when giving gas. Really poor up hill and the tranny would shift erratically and the RPM's would stay high going uphill. Also, the pedal had a slight catch in it when starting out once in a while. Initially afraid it might be clogged cats!
The fix. I replaced the TPS (throttle position sensor). 32.00 bucks. However, it had no effect initially.!!! Then I remembered that I probably needed to reset the ECM so .... disconnect the battery for 5 minutes (when the engine is cold). Then start it and let it warm up in the driveway. DO NOT DRIVE until it is warm and has had time to go through the ECM recalibration! After that, it drove like new!
Hope this helps someone with similar problem!
Mark M
Murrieta, Ca
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