Hi all:

Relocated to Florida from CT this spring, now my truck is no longer my daily driver, and sits in the garage most of the time. Anyway, coming home after a trip about 60 miles away, the truck every few miles would buck 4 or 5 times. Stopped at a toll booth, stalled. Stopped at a red light, stalled, stopped at a
stop sign, stalled.

no check engine light till I got to my driveway, start the truck, unless I keep foot on gas it revs down to under 1000 RPM and stalls, and now check engine light comes on.

Truck has 123k miles, 5.4 2004 F150 fx4 unfortunately original plugs. Would bad plugs/coils cause this? Truck rwn like a charm this morning, coming home was a different truck. Thanks for your help.

Don't think it is the transmission, I have maintained that with 30k fluid changes, and never missed an oil change either.

Well if it is a tune up I guess it's my fault for waiting, but hey 123k miles and more than 10 years not too bad, as long as my engine isn't shot, which I doubt.

 

First of all, find out what your fault codes are. That will point you in the right direction. Yes, if you have 123K your plugs are shot, but that may be one of those a problem but not the problem situations especially because plugs don't generally get better and worse, they just get worse.

 

well had it towed to local mechanic, replaced the cam sensor, that didn't do it, so now he recommends going to dealer...thinks it it cams, engine light on not throwing any codes. Any ideas? Truck does run, just stalls at low RPMs, if I give it gas sputters,

Does that sound like cams? I need my truck and can't afford a new one. I dont want the dealer to tell me I need a new engine.

 

hope the local mechanic didn't charge you for throwing parts at it..

what were your codes?

i would start by looking into your vacuum.

 

Well I feel for you. I just went thru this helping a friend. I was told the truck runs fine. I drive it and it stalled at every light. had to keep foot on gas. Backfired thru the air cleaner, spitted and stuttered. Ended up needing 8 new spark plugs and boots and the throttle body cleaned. Runs good now. That's were I would start if there are no codes. The spark plugs break off in the head so its a big job compared to what you may be used to. Good Luck. Let us know what happens please.

 

Truck is still at dealer, on Ford software gave code for faulty cam sensor, just as at independent mechanic. That was not the case, then they found a loose wire in the area, reconnected that and that didn't fix anything. So the next step was another code for the cam phasers on passenger side only. Dealer recommended replacing both sides but for almost $3k, but when they got in and looked, said drivers side was perfect and engine where they looked was spotless, so repair to passenger side would be about $1200, they did that today and call me back saying truck still not running right but way better than it was. I was at work and the advisor kept saying the graph is not reading right, what does that mean? He did say since I maintained oil changes, and honestly I did use a motorcraft filter and 5w20 oil on every change, that made a difference. I looked over receipts and I guess I was psycho when I first got truck did oil changes every 2500-3000 for a while, last few years I did around 4000-5000 changes. So right now they still have truck till they can get it running smoothly.

One thing that scared me, for about 4 years when I lived in CT I lived 1 mile from work, lots of short trips, so I thought for sure I would see sludge, guess I was wrong.

 

Update, truck still at dealer since Monday night. They can't figure it out and solicited Ford HQ help for a fix. I went there today, advisor gavevme load of crap stating a tech was coming in today to specifically work on my truck, and I would hearvsomething by 4pm when they close. Of course, no phone call. He showed me a code, I think it was P 135 or P035 I don't remember. How long is too long for them to come to a resolution on this?

 

just wanted to give an update. After extensive poking and prodding and Ford scaners narrowing it down, Ford called me a few days ago, said they believe the timing chain was off. I authorized them to go in and take a look, sure enough, timing chain off by one tooth or so they said. Also said if it was any worse bye bye engine. So, I authorized repair, all of timing chain, tensioners, etc etc. Also replaced Passenger cam phaser which they said was shot, since they were in there, also had them do a tuneup which was never done before with 123k miles, 4 plugs broke. Also did coolant flush, power steering fluid flush, brake fluid flush, oil change. A whole lot of stuff. Got truck back last night, took it on my commute to work about 35 miles, ran like a different truck, hope so for what they did to it and what I paid but way way better than $40k for the new truck I wanted.

when my truck was at the shop, did test drive a Dodge bighorn with the 5.7 Hemi, was nice, salesman said $35k was a good price for that truck with 25k miles on it also test drove a GMC, did not like. Also sat in a 2013 F150 Lariat with 49k miles, dealer where it was wanted $36k for it, really?

I will stick with mine for now...not my daily driver any longer...hope I made the right call on the repair.

Dealer said inside the engine was immaculate, asked me if every filter/oil change was with Motorcraft oil/filter, advised yes, even though he was talking to me, said it does make a difference, said I wouldn't believe what he's seen inside these 5.4 3V engines that weren't maintained correctly, sludge like you wouldn't believe. Said mine didn't even have varnish on any of the interior of the engine.

Oh well, life goes on