# If you have a Triton 5.4...please read.



## carolina girl

I have a Ford with a Triton 5.4.....started running really rough the other day. Engine light came on, started bucking and shaking til finally it felt and sounded like it was running on one cylinder. Check engine light went from solid to blinking now. Manual says, if blinking, its misfiring and to take it to dealer. Had truck towed to dealer. At first it threw over 100+ different codes, indicating injector and coil pack failures. Dealer tells me they will replace the problem injectors and coil packs....should be done by that evening. Get a phone call the evening that I need to come up there right away. Service manager tells me, my engine is sludged up, the sludge wiped out my cam phaser on the #1 bank (driver side cylinders). As explained to me, cam phasers advance and retard your timing according to acceleration/decleration and braking for maximum efficiency and emissions. Sorta like VTEC in Honda engines. Anyway, SM takes me back to show me the sludge build up in my valvetrain and whoa nelly, there sure was. In doing research, these cam phaser have been problematic for FORD, but they dodge a bullet in my truck because of the sludge and quickly pawned it completely off on me. With all this said, at the tune of 3000.00 plus, they're gonna replace both cam phasers but send me up the road with no gaurantee if will repair my truck. The only other option they offered was a completely new engine @ 9000.00. My truck has 70,000 miles on it.....was maintained properly and engine oil chaged at the proper intervals with documentation....however, since I went the cheap way and always had Walmart do it, evidentally, they use inferior Pennzoil oil which broke down due to the complexity of the Tritons specific oil needs, and sludged up my engine. Im telling you all this, because you WILL have issues with your cam phasers. In researching online, they start to fail right about 50,000 miles(average) some sooner, some later.....and if they crack open your engine for them to do so, and its sludged up.....you got nothing to fall back on. This engine NEEDS synthetic...HIGH quality oil at all times and needs to be changed EVERY 3000 miles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If your skimping on your oil, like I did.....and you dont have an issue now. Id highly recommend, changing over to a high quality synthetic oil immediately in hopes that it will start cleaning your engine by the time your Triton starts with this issue and it will. Protect you investment, have the dealer change your oil and and let put in what they think it needs as well as a the proper motorcraft filter. 

So, at 70,000 miles, My 5.4 Triton is toast!

P.s., dont try changing your plugs either, let the dealer do it at 180.00. You'll thank me......oh, and there's a customer care recall on the fuel injectors too. They stick open, fill your cylinder with fuel and Hydra-lock your engine. 

Other than that, I love the truck.


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## carolina girl

If your gas engine sounds like a diesel sometimes, or it lacks performance from time to time.....or your engine light comes on and goes of from time to time....your phasers are failing. Loud ticking....you should only hear your injectors when the hood is up.


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## wvlippo

What year truck?


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## carolina girl

Mines an '05. Sorry


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## BrianC

Sorry to hear of all these problems. You certainly don't need it after last year. Does Ford specify a certain brand of oil? Do they specify that it needs to be synthetic? I would think documentation of OLF every 3k should work for warranty issues.


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## Tight Pattern

Got an 05 f150 also, got it used. have had a similar issue at least 3 times. I pull over turn the engine off and then it seems to be alright, thought it was something with the electronics, turn off resets the system ? Not really sure but it has worked . At least I hope


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## MNapier

Sounds like it's time to buy a Chevy.

In all seriousness, that sucks and I hope it somehow works out for you.


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## chesapeake honker

Chris, i have a 03 F350 with the 5.4L..Mine is gas, not Diesel, and i have always used Mobil Fully Synthetic.. Only issue i ever had was, one coil pak went bad. other then that i do regular maintence..guess i should be knockin on wood ?


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## drewsmith

I have an 05 Superduty with the V10. I swear this is a true story. 89k miles the engine suddenly looses power and I have it towed to Bayshore Ford in New Castle DE. Of course it is out of warranty. Purchased four new frucks from them and know a few guys that workthere, but Ford isn't going to do anything. SM tell me the problem is internal to the engine. Like what I ask: cam, crank, rods??? He says he is NOT SURE and that THEY DON'T REALLY WORK ON ENGINES. It will cost me $40.00 an hour to find out the problem, but that it won't matter because THEY DON'T WORK ON ENGINES. Well what else you going to do but bite the bullet and put one in because your choices are tow it home or get the new engine. I hate what car companies are becoming.


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## BuzzTheDecoys

I only run Amesoil in mine. Costs more but allows me to run it longer before changing it. I'm sorry to hear that Chris, same truck with the plow ?


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## carolina girl

drewsmith said:


> I have an 05 Superduty with the V10. I swear this is a true story. 89k miles the engine suddenly looses power and I have it towed to Bayshore Ford in New Castle DE. Of course it is out of warranty. Purchased four new frucks from them and know a few guys that workthere, but Ford isn't going to do anything. SM tell me the problem is internal to the engine. Like what I ask: cam, crank, rods??? He says he is NOT SURE and that THEY DON'T REALLY WORK ON ENGINES. It will cost me $40.00 an hour to find out the problem, but that it won't matter because THEY DON'T WORK ON ENGINES. Well what else you going to do but bite the bullet and put one in because your choices are tow it home or get the new engine. I hate what car companies are becoming.



Drew,
Im 99.9 % sure, its your Cam Phasers. They stick either advanced or retarded, leaving one of your cylinder valves open at all times, no compression. Google cam phaser for Triton V10, I am sure your not the only one with this issue.


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## quack head

I have a 04 f150 5.4.

The only thing i have that you described is the slight ticking when hood is closed. I asked my mechanic who also has one and he said it was normal and every one he has worked on was like that. Man i hope he is right. Iv used mobil 1 synthetic since it came off the lot. No problems yet. knock on wood.
Hope you get your truck fixed and dont have to put a new engin in it.


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## drahthaarducker

Damn Chris, that just sucks.
Sorry to hear that.
I did the same thing years ago , but mine was a beat up old ford ranger.


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## carolina girl

Thanks guys. No big deal....like the skiff, I'll get it fixed. Just a truck and just money. 

You have to look at the tragedy in Tucson, to put it all in prospective.


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## The Other David

The take home message for me?

I have already had one lousy Ford truck. Ford will not get another sale from me.


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## Keith McGowan

The Other David said:


> The take home message for me?
> 
> I have already had one lousy Ford truck. Ford will not get another sale from me.



I would push a ford everywhere I went before I would buy anything from Government Motors


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## carolina girl

They're all jammed packed with recalls and gremlins. Dont matter what manufacturer or what model. These are a few of the Tritons, and I hope my issues help someone else out.


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## The Other David

Guess that narrows it down to Dodge, Toyota, and who else?


Keith McGowan said:


> I would push a ford everywhere I went before I would buy anything from Government Motors


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## MNapier

Keith McGowan said:


> I would push a ford everywhere I went before I would buy anything from Government Motors



Yet you still put money in the banks, right?


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## jeffrey.bean

I have an 03 f 150 with 5.4, 95,000, just had a coil pack go bad, other than that, no issues knock on wood


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## purlin12

Should of bought a chevy.

Found
On 
Road
Dead

or

F*#k
On
Race
Day


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## Keith McGowan

MNapier said:


> Yet you still put money in the banks, right?



nope....cash only and bury that out back


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## MNapier

Keith McGowan said:


> nope....cash only and bury that out back



 

I knew you were going to say that.


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## Keith McGowan

MNapier said:


> I knew you were going to say that.



Cant trust any industry that would give your brother Jerry a job


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## jkryspin

Keith McGowan said:


> Cant trust any industry that would give your brother Jerry a job



...can't say I blame you!


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## duckbutler

Answer: Toyota! The newer bigger Tundras look very nice. I have a Land Curiser w/170k on it not enginge probs so far..


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## MNapier

duckbutler said:


> Answer: Toyota!



I just can't believe it would ever get to this point.


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## Montauker

Hardcorecaller12 said:


> Should of bought a chevy.
> 
> Found
> On
> Road
> Dead
> 
> or
> 
> F*#k
> On
> Race
> Day



Oh how the times have changed young Skywalker!



Hardcorecaller12 said:


> I rather be Powerstrokin'!


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