discuss: Ferd 5.4 motah....

[04ctd]

pressure washed the motor (was funk-tac-ular)

got "water intrusion" in 2 coils..... :owned2:
they put in 2 coils & 2 plugs today (why would plugs go bad?)


can i put LSx coils on it? :fial:



service writer said: i needed to do a fuel system clean ($200), and I should put all 8 plugs in it; at 158k miles.

BUT he also said i needed to do the fuel system clean, to clean the deposits off the bottom of the plugs, so they will come out safely & easily.

if so...how did they get the two plugs out today?



if I am going to do 8 plugs, should do i do better quality coils?
if water gets in the OEM coils, are they ghetto?
i got all the receipts on it, and it has been three other coils. (and he did NOT pressure wash it)

service writer said if that is the case, they need to check the ECM for the pulse width of the coil signal (he used a technical term, but I took a nap since then)

but basically, he said some of the ECM's are known to fry coils.

[BigdaddyDupree]

what year is it?

[04ctd]

2005.

[1998ta__1991rs]

Auto lite plugs and nothing but motor craft coils

[AverageJoe]

That truck is going to dollar you to death.

[BigdaddyDupree]

I know champion are one piece, are autolites also? I second motor craft coils.

[MonteC]

First mistake you took it to the dealer.

[MonteC]

Second mistake you pressure washed the motor. Are you going to a car show?

[gearmesh, inc.]

I gave up on Ford since they can't get a diesel right since the 7.3, can't put enough threads in the 2V heads to hold a spark plug for the long haul, and their stupid ass plug design on the 3V heads.

[oldskoolstang]

I gave up on Ford since they can't get a diesel right since the 7.3, can't put enough threads in the 2V heads to hold a spark plug for the long haul, and their stupid ass plug design on the 3V heads.

I feel the exact same way. I'm a chevy truck guy with a couple Ford Mustangs....No Ford truck for me unless it's a 2003 or older F-250 or 350 with the slow 7.3 or unless its a 96 or older....

Why did you pressure wash it? That oil and gime was holding it together.....with the plugs so far down in a hole the water had to go somewhere.....now you are getting to feel why I don't like those motors....

Never use a dealer. Hence all the extra shit he is trying to sell you. He's a salesman....enough said.

[oldskoolstang]

Auto lite plugs and nothing but motor craft coils

I agree 100%

[usmcgunner]

My baby mama has en expedition with that motor. I had to replace two coils on that. Both on the passenger side, and that was a pain. Other than that, it has almost 200k and hasn't given her a lick of trouble.

[oldskoolstang]

Not all of them are bad....but when things start to go wrong, get rid of it. It's not going to stop.

[RoadconeTuning]

hope to god that 4 of them dont break in half and get stuck in the head when you pull them out... those 5.4 3-valve motors are horrible about that.

[DIGGLER]

yea pressure washin' usually is a bad idea unless you really HAVE to do it. can do all kinds of bad stuff like mess up electronics or alternator bearings. i know some guys pressure wash their mower deck after they get done cutting grass.... and replace spindle bearings every year because of it.

[jromeo]

If you go to f150online.com and search , you will find that this is a big issue with these engines.Cleaning the fuel system is one of the ways to free up the plugs. It seems like everybody is breaking at least one off in the block.If you go with the champion one piece, you dont have to think about it. With the two piece plugs you need to break them loose every 20,000 miles. I have 86000 on my 06 F150 and last week ravenel ford wanted$475 too swap plugs and $30 for each plug that breaks in the block when they take the plugs out. The best way to go is to order that special tool that removes the broken plugs for $70 from napa. Buy the $100-115 plugs and do it yourself.

[04ctd]

called the dealer, they wanted $9xx.xx (i was so flabbergasted, i missed a few digits in the price, but it had plenty of digits in it..)
that was fuel injection cleaning (~$237?) and all 8 plugs.

thanks to jRomeo, found this link:

Sparkplug Change for 2004-2008 5.4 3V-Step by Step - F150online Forums (http://www.f150online.com/forums/articles-how-tos/430004-sparkplug-change-2004-2008-5-4-3v-step-step.html)

does anyone have a tool locally I can borrow, just in case?

found these on Zac's recommendation:

Ford 5.4 Triton Autolite HT15 High Thread Spark Plug SET(8 EIGHT (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-5-4-Triton-Autolite-HT15-High-Thread-Spark-Plug-SET-8-EIGHT-fits-SP-507-/171011332031?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item27d111d7bf&vxp=mtr)

Set of 8 GENUINE Motorcraft DG-511 Ignition Coils 3L3Z-12029-BA (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Set-of-8-GENUINE-Motorcraft-DG-511-Ignition-Coils-3L3Z-12029-BA-/200844223404?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2ec33fa3ac&vxp=mtr)


a Lot of guys are running these,

Ebay cheapo's Price: US $87.95 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-IGNITION-COIL-FORD-LINCOLN-MERCURY-4-6L-5-4L-V8-DG511-SET-OF-8-/360445855331?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item53ec3f4663&vxp=mtr)
"ain't nobody go time for dat"

fix it once...fix it right, get on with your life

the plugs are steep at the local parts store...

Autolite Revolution High Thread Spark Plug $12.09 (http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_revolution-high-thread-spark-plug-autolite_20650267-p?navigationPath=L1*14923|L2*15034|L3*16071)

[chrisheltra]

Take the truck and a case of beer to Randy. lol

[oldskoolstang]

qwiksn95 can do them. He has more patience for them than I do. They also have the tool I believe. I can do them as well, but have no desire to.....

I'd give Redline or Randy a call and see what they can work out for you....

[AverageJoe]

I love my Silverado

[oldskoolstang]

I love my Silverado

Yeah, I feel the same way about mine....

[Qwik_Sn95]

I've got a 05 and feel like I live under the hood. More issues then my racecar. I've got the tool to get them out if u break one though. I've never broke one and did pleanty of them. Spray them and let them soak. Zip them out with a 3/8 impact. Works for me.

[04ctd]

spray them and let them soak. Zip them out with a 3/8 impact. Works for me.

thanks for the advice, the more I looked around, the guys who used impacts were having no breakage. some of the forum posts said to work them back & forth (tighten/loosen). maybe the beating of the impact does the same thing?

anyways, i did mine, and it was EASY.....of course, i prayed a whole lot, but it was very easy.


drove it home ~30 minutes from dealer (after injector cleaning).

popped the battery out, layed the PCM in the battery tray, took off the PCM bracket.

popped the coils off, sprayed PB blaster in the holes (used the red straw on the can, and a old drinking straw to spray it in the hole).

let that soak about 30 minutes while got fender covers on, little step stool out.

used a dewalt impact drill, zipped the plugs out. only two plugs were over tight, i cycled the drill from tight to loose a few times, and they came right out.

put the new plugs back in (after talking to Nathan for a while, he told me about Tyler's 5.4 issues.....)

coils showed up this morning, popped them on, good to go!!
it totally runs like a different truck now. it must have been on 7 cylinders, because it's much stonger now.

big thanks to Morey, Nathan, Tyler for help/advice/offers to help!



Summerville Ford was pretty good, David W was my service adviser, didn't charge me for one visit, and gave me deal on injector cleaning.
I think the $9xx plug job included 8 plugs & 8 coils & injector cleaning, after talking to David in person yesterday.

it was ~$425 for plugs & coils off ebay, so $9xx sounds "right" for dealer

and now, i got 4 new coils if anyone needs them :?