My new to me F150

[franksta]

Very nice truck. I've read all kinds of tales of the front rotors being seized onto the hub. People were cutting a pie slice out of the rotor to remove them. Not required for my 2WD. :awe:

What did you think of the spark plug job? Is this the tool? Lisle 65600 at Amazon.com I'm mulling over the idea of a new truck and the new motor (5.0L and Ecoboost) stuff is still too expensive so I'm drawn to the 5.4L trucks.

 

[Raduque]

An older 5.4l, if it still has the OEM two-part plugs, is best done with an impact. Constant torque, as applied by hand, is what stresses and breaks the lousy welds.

Hows it sound while idling, AMC? If it's clattering, you're going to need new phasers.

 

[AMCRambler]

You got the #4 spark plug out and broke 2 others? After I get the #4 out I know it's a cakewalk after that.

It was the two rear most on the drivers side. I couldn't get the impact on that rear one so I had to turn it out by hand. I could feel it binding too but working back and forth did nothing. Still cracked off.

 

[AMCRambler]

Very nice truck. I've read all kinds of tales of the front rotors being seized onto the hub. People were cutting a pie slice out of the rotor to remove them. Not required for my 2WD. :awe:

What did you think of the spark plug job? Is this the tool? Lisle 65600 at Amazon.com I'm mulling over the idea of a new truck and the new motor (5.0L and Ecoboost) stuff is still too expensive so I'm drawn to the 5.4L trucks.

Yep, that's the Lisle tool. Worth every penny when you consider the other option is pulling the heads. Pick that up, plugs and anti-seize to put on the tips of the new ones.

Yeah, new trucks are wicked expensive. If you want anything but a regular cab you're going to pay over $30k. I picked this one up for $17k. A little pricey for an '06 with 75,000 miles on it, but it was a dealer. I'd been looking all over at privately sold trucks for a while to avoid the dealer mark up but everything in the years I was looking for 05-07 full crew cabs we're either over 100k miles or they wanted way too much for them.

This one caught my eye as they had reduced the price recently and advertised it with their specials.

 

[AMCRambler]

An older 5.4l, if it still has the OEM two-part plugs, is best done with an impact. Constant torque, as applied by hand, is what stresses and breaks the lousy welds.

Hows it sound while idling, AMC? If it's clattering, you're going to need new phasers.

Yup. When I start it up after its been sitting for a while its got a bit of a ticking noise. after driving it for about 2 minutes it goes away.

Cam phasers? Is that a pain in the ass to do on the 5.4? I might just take it in to get that done.

 

[franksta]

Yup. When I start it up after its been sitting for a while its got a bit of a ticking noise. after driving it for about 2 minutes it goes away.

Cam phasers? Is that a pain in the ass to do on the 5.4? I might just take it in to get that done.

When I searched for the Lisle tool this video came up in the results.
5.4L Phaser replacement

Looks like a lot of work, mostly getting stuff out of the way so you can get to the actual part. A few special tools required as well.

 

[AMCRambler]

Diff cover swap out. Old one was rusted bad and starting to leak.

Old

Leak

Drained

New Cover

Gasket Sealer

Done

There's no pics of me filling it because that was messy and a PITA. My suction pump wouldn't work so I was pouring it in a funnel with surgical tubing taped on. Drove it tonight and no diff noise or chatter so I didn't eff it up. Seems to be sealed up tight as well.

 

[AMCRambler]

When I searched for the Lisle tool this video came up in the results.
5.4L Phaser replacement

Looks like a lot of work, mostly getting stuff out of the way so you can get to the actual part. A few special tools required as well.

Yeah, looking at that its not worth my investing in the tools. Probably a job you only do once. I did some listening tonight and I gotta say, its really not clattering at all. Just some ticking at warm up. Before I even pulled out of my driveway it quieted right down. My wife's Hyundai makes more noise.

 

[Howard]

Diff cover swap out. Old one was rusted bad and starting to leak.
There's no pics of me filling it because that was messy and a PITA. My suction pump wouldn't work so I was pouring it in a funnel with surgical tubing taped on. Drove it tonight and no diff noise or chatter so I didn't eff it up. Seems to be sealed up tight as well.

Did you follow the instructions of the gasket maker?

 

[fstime]

So you're telling me these trucks only last 6 years in northern climates before they need undercarriage parts replaced?

That is pretty pathetic, I don't see cars rusting after 6 years in similar climates, why are trucks so prone to rust?

 

[iamwiz82]

So you're telling me these trucks only last 6 years in northern climates before they need undercarriage parts replaced?

That is pretty pathetic, I don't see cars rusting after 6 years in similar climates, why are trucks so prone to rust?

You haven't looked. My 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata had it's rocker panels already softened by rust and it had 27,000 miles on it.

 

[Throckmorton]

Diff cover swap out. Old one was rusted bad and starting to leak.

Old

Leak

Drained

New Cover

Gasket Sealer

Done

There's no pics of me filling it because that was messy and a PITA. My suction pump wouldn't work so I was pouring it in a funnel with surgical tubing taped on. Drove it tonight and no diff noise or chatter so I didn't eff it up. Seems to be sealed up tight as well.

Are your fill and drain holes on the housing?

 

[Raduque]

Yeah, looking at that its not worth my investing in the tools. Probably a job you only do once. I did some listening tonight and I gotta say, its really not clattering at all. Just some ticking at warm up. Before I even pulled out of my driveway it quieted right down. My wife's Hyundai makes more noise.

The problem with the phasers is the VCT solenoids get clogged up due to small oil passages. Then the phasers themselves aren't oiled well, they run dry and they break. If your phasers were bad, you'd hear more than a light ticking at idle. It would sound like a diesel, chattering and clattering all over the place.

 

[ViviTheMage]

Holy shit, your truck got rusted out quick ...

I live in Minnesota and generally it isn't THAT bad with rust on vehicles.

 

[AMCRambler]

Well who knows what kind of life it lived before I bought it. Could have been used and abused on dirt and gravel roads most of its life. All the car fax tells you is no accidents and when you buy from a dealer they dont know the history.

Other than the rusty under carriage its in great shape. Im starting think this is a common theme with Ford though. I had a Contour SVT before my GTO. It was a 2000 and in 2007 the gas tank straps rusted through. I drove the car in the winter of course but I used to take it to the car wash frequently with the under sprayer to rinse the salt off. Didnt matter. The coating and paint they put on those cheap parts flake right off and the thin gauge sheet metal rusts quick.

Havent noticed these problems on my GM car yet and its an 05. So I guess Ford is just cutting corners in places we cant see to stay afloat . Look at the older Ford trucks from the late 90s, most of them are rust buckets now. At least Im on top of it. I plan on doing some scraping and rust inhibitor coating underneath on the bad spots as time allows. If Ford was making quality products though I shouldnt have to.

 

[AMCRambler]

Boat haul went great and fishing was awesome!

No problems with boat or the truck so it was a slam dunk.

 

[Pulsar]

Holy shit, your truck got rusted out quick ...

I live in Minnesota and generally it isn't THAT bad with rust on vehicles.

It's not the truck, it's a little 2 dollar piece of crap chinese bit of metal that you really don't even need........

Sorta like most of the old catalytic converter heat covers that rusted and rattled to all hell on just about every car.