Ford Truck Problems

[Colonialgirl]

We just got back last night (Sunday) from a quick weekend trip to Myrtle Beach, SC (540 miles one way) in Ashley's 2008 Ford F-150 with the standard V-350 V-8. Every time the acceleration hit around 2500-2800, it began to stutter, cough, jerk and act up. Easing off the accelerator it would smooth out and you would eventually reach the 70-75 MPH needed for Interstate driving. Even when trying to pass, climb a hill, etc you got the SAME engine failures.
Now Ashley has had the Fuel filter changed, a tune up, new plugs, etc etc ; ALL done by the local Ford Dealership Mechs (I DO NOT trust those people any further than I could spit against a hurricane) . I Strongly suspect is that when they "test drive" you get NO hard acceleration and it never leaves the local streets.
I told Ashley to get the "mechanic"/"idiot that writes up the work request" in the truck as a passenger and DEMONSTRATE the problem.
I ALSO suggested looking up a Garage that specializes in racing, drag racing, performance and have THEM test it and offer suggestions for repairs/correction.
I would appreciate any suggestions from the knowledgeable Ford truck owners or others.

Pamela

 

[Dan in MI]

What engine? (standard V-8 doesn't mean much, it changes weekly....)

Any codes? (check engine light)

Not knowing which engine I'm still going to guess IMRC (intake manifold runner control) or EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) as I type I'm leaning EGR as IMRC would still run ok but may well cause light spark knock.


BTW- The doofus that writes it up rarely knows anyting. If you want the mechanic to ride with you you need have the doofus to get a mechanic. Then he needs to grab the right guy. You don't want the light repair or front end guy for an engine issue. Actually I'd say you want the driveability guy.

 

[Bull Barrel]

If toseplugs were just changed I hope the wrench didn't break a spark plug trying to get the oldones out. This is common on those engines. And if it's broken...$$$$$$$.

 

[GA Cracker]

CG I think it is the coil packs going out. Drive it with overdrive turned off and it probably won't do that. Most likely it did that when you were passing or climbing with it switching in and out of overdrive. A Ford tech told me the truck has to do this 8 separate times before it would show up in code on a computer scan. My truck did it over several months before it scanned the code. The coil packs wear out like spark plugs but you don't have to replace them all at one time. Some will last a lot longer. Around here $20 labor to get it changed and I think less than $40 for the coil pack. Once it codes on the scan the scan should show which one or more need replacing. It could also be a plug wire sparking out somewhere. I am not a mechanic but I know of 3 trucks this happened to. Ford displacement is 351. Chevys or GM are normally 350 cid.

 

[Bull Barrel]

The Ford 5.4 is 330 CI. The GM 5.3 is 325 CI. The 5.6L is 345 CI.

 

[GA Cracker]

Thanks Bull Barrel. Guess I am still in the 70's and 80's.

 

[Colonialgirl]

Well Ashley is at the dealership now and looking at a 2012 Lariat Supercrew Eco-boost v6 , leather seats, running boards, Heated/cooled seats, don't know the other details it was brought by the house (someone forgot their cell phone !) nice maroon color, bed is scratched up, looks clean inside (BUT i KNOW how auto detailing works !! :roll: :roll: :roll: :wink: ) Pricing started at $35+ K and was down to $30k+ last time I talked to Ashley, with what is owed on the 2008 etc supposedly would be up around $33K+ damn dealers are crooks; wish I still had some connections to some used car managers like I did when doing touch-up work for dealerships. I could always find one that would give me the straight arrow NO_FOOLING trade in Value and what a good purchase price would be that was fair to both.

 

[Busterswoodshop]

I am no mechanic but it sounds like a coil to me.
Each spark plug has it's own coil.
For my truck they were right around $120 per coil to fix.

 

[Pat-inCO]

CG if she is going for new (at least to her) look at the Subaru Forester.
I have one that has loads of inside room, rides about like a small pickup,
but gives 28mpg in town and 35mpg on the highway. MSRP starts at 22K
and can go above 25K loaded to the gills.

Brand new and save money? :shock:

 

[graygun]

Yeah...5.4 or a 4.6 V-8...might be a throttle position sensor or equivalent since it occurs only in that rpm range. If she's determined to trade it,she might not care.

 

[RSIno1]

Sounds like they didn't really change the plugs. On the 5.4 they are 2 piece and difficult to change without snapping off the part that protrudes into the head. There have been several service bulletins on the right prcedure to change them. I'd stay away from the eco-boost engines. You can't drive them like the computer does to get the EPA numbers. As a basic 6 it's underpowered once the boost kicks in the mileage goes in the toilet. I got 20+mpg with our 05 super crew with the 5.4. My friend is getting around 14 mpg with his eco-boost V-6.

 

[Jim Puke]

She needs to have the data pulled on the truck(from the computer)...the answer will be there.

 

[Dan in MI]

4.6 and 5.4 have been known to break spark plugs. There are special tools to fix it depeneding upon where they break. (I just read the TSB today) This would throw a misfire code.

Bad coil (individual not a pack) This will throw a misfire or circuit code. There are no plug wires. Most of the coils are easy to swap. A couple take a little extra loosening of stuff to get them out.


Codes come in three varieties - Instant - as soon as the issue shows the code pops. One trip - the code will trip after one OBD trip. Two trip - the code will pop after two OBD trips. Now depeneding on which code some will complete a "trip" sooner than others. There is a sequence and the dignostics must follow that sequence to prevent a false code. For instance you can't check the oxygen sensors before you check for misfire.

Running that poorly should definitely trip a code.

 

[cadillo]

Sounds like they didn't really change the plugs. On the 5.4 they are 2 piece and difficult to change without snapping off the part that protrudes into the head. There have been several service bulletins on the right prcedure to change them. I'd stay away from the eco-boost engines. You can't drive them like the computer does to get the EPA numbers. As a basic 6 it's underpowered once the boost kicks in the mileage goes in the toilet. I got 20+mpg with our 05 super crew with the 5.4. My friend is getting around 14 mpg with his eco-boost V-6.

The 4.6 litre has the same plugs, at least to the mid point of the 2008, model year. I have an '08 4.6 and a 5.4 '06. They both came with the fragile two piece plugs. Both now have Champions. They can be a bear to get out without breaking.

 

[Don Lovel]

When Ford made the cab over the engine so the cab has to be lifted to work on the engines in Super Duty trucks they lost me. If I cannot even fix a coolant line leak or other minor roadside repair myself, why would I ever own one? And pay the equivalent of a two bedroom ranch style home for it as insult.

 

[radicalrod]

Well someone has to say it.....REAL TRUCKS DON'T HAVE SPARK PLUGS :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: RR

 

[Mobuck]

I leased a new EFF-WAHN-FIT-TAY in 1994. Before the 45K lease was up the head gasket was leaking, the rear brakes were shot and the drums seized to the hubs, it was burning oil, and the u-joints had been replaced twice. That will be the LAST Ford to land here. I've never seen a Ford that came anywhere near the mileage claims(the aforementioned F150 w/300 CI 6 cylinder never got better than 75% of expected MPG). DIY service is impossible for some things( I got volunteered for one of those "jack up the cab" projects).

 

[737tdi]

Well someone has to say it.....REAL TRUCKS DON'T HAVE SPARK PLUGS :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: RR

Neither do properly equipped Volkswagens :shock: .

Karl

 

[wizofwas]

I was going to suggest some ideas but after reading some of the responses, I have absolutely no idea what they are talking about. 2008, it's all Greek to me. Give me some of the old stuff I can work on. Sorry, not much help here.

 

[SAJohn]

I have experienced that problem twice. Once it was a clogged fuel pickup screen inside the fuel tank. The other time it was simply a faulty check valve in the gas cap.

 

[Bull Barrel]

Well someone has to say it.....REAL TRUCKS DON'T HAVE SPARK PLUGS :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: RR

I said this to a guy with that stumperbicker on his F350...

Real trucks have 18 wheels.

 

[mohavesam]

Always request the old parts, especially with spark plugs - you need to ask them to identify each plug's location also. Just like a hundred years ago, each plug tells a story.

 

[radicalrod]

Well someone has to say it.....REAL TRUCKS DON'T HAVE SPARK PLUGS :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: RR

I said this to a guy with that stumperbicker on his F350...

Real trucks have 18 wheels.

Well actually the truck has 10 wheels.....the trailer has 8....RR

 

[radicalrod]

Well someone has to say it.....REAL TRUCKS DON'T HAVE SPARK PLUGS :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: RR

Neither do properly equipped Volkswagens :shock: .

Karl

karl, that is correct....I have one of those too....just turned 211K....never had a bad spark plug....RR

 

[737tdi]

RR: My memory is bad but yes I remember you have a TDI as well. I am at about 260,000 miles and still running strong. Except, it is stuck in 4th gear right now. Wife was driving it a few days ago and it would not come out of fourth. I have it sitting in my shop but haven't had a chance to work on it yet. Shifter moves but no joy on getting it out of fourth. I am hoping it is just a disconnected shifter linkage but we will see this weekend. I did the clutch last year so I know that is fine. I'll pull the belly pan this weekend and hope that it isn't a fork. I hate working on transmissions :evil: . I am good at it but it is one of my least favorite mech. jobs.

Diesels rock until they quit!!!

Karl

 

[Arokcrwlr]

I have a 2014 F150 EcoBoost and it tows my loaded trailer effortlessly (~10k lbs). It has gobs of power and if you tune it, it really wakes up and mileage will also improve. It is true that if you stay in boost that mileage goes down the toilet, but if driven with mileage in mind you can get around 20 mpg. I get around 17 without trying too hard. It's a great motor, especially if you tow making most of its power by 2000 rpm.

For the prices being mentioned for the used 2012, I would seriously try to find a leftover 2014. People are getting amazing deals on them right now. You should be able to buy new for not much more than the numbers being mentioned.

 

[rugerjunkie]

Pamela,
Do you hear a sound that you could compare to an older vehicle backfiring through the carbeurator? It sounds a lot like a problem I had in an f-150. The air bybass valve on the throttle body had a sticky plunger and a bad solenoid and was always "hunting" for the correct position. It caused it to sputter,jerk,pop,etc. It was an easy fix once I figured out the problem. The cause was from me being on jobsites constantly with the heavy equipment kicking up dust. The air bypass was full of that dust and it was caked on inside the throttle body not allowing the bybass plunger to regulate air flow around the butterfly in the throttle body. Might be worth a look.

As for the other comments...DIESELS ROCK! My 7.3 F-250 gets 17-20 mpg depending on how fast im driving wether im pulling something or not. Glad to hear I am doing as good as the new eco boost models! And I just turned 100,000 on it so it should be around for a looong time.

Jeff

 

[Dan in MI]

Jeff,

I believe that model is new enough that it doesn't a bypass. ETC (electronic throttle control) replaced throttle bodies with bypass valves

 

[rugerjunkie]

Jeff,

I believe that model is new enough that it doesn't a bypass. ETC (electronic throttle control) replaced throttle bodies with bypass valves

That may be. Mine was a 2003 that had that issue. It regulated idle control for example when the ac kicked on at idle. Newer ones still have to have a comparable set up i'd think.

 

[Dan in MI]

Nope, new ones have a motor controlling the throttle. About 5* open for idle. More as idle needs change, along with normal driving control. (I know both systems well)