5.4 Triton woes

fordtruckin · #1 03-21-2023, 10:16 PM

Well after 215000 miles, I finally blew a sparkplug out of the head. Truck was running fine, started making an odd noise right when I shut it off. Few minutes later I went to move the truck in the driveway and there was a loud pop followed by some black smoke coming from under the hood and a shudder. I quickly shut it off dreading to check as I was fairly certain I knew what it was. Sure enough, the coil on cylinder #2 was not where it was supposed to be. The curious part is that after looking at the plug it appeared there was no damage to the threads and nothing to indicate that the threads in the head were compromised. Having nothing to lose and needing to move the truck out from in front of the garage door, I gently threaded the plug back in by hand feeling it grab. I added a bit of torque and the plug appears to have held fast. Other than the damaged coil, I was able to put the coil back on and the truck fired up and ran fine. Has ANYONE heard of a plug backing out with these Triton engines? It seems too good to be true as I know they're known for blowing plugs.

Desert Eagle · #2 03-21-2023, 10:38 PM

I had a similar experience on my v-10 10 years ago. It spit out a plug, but it threaded back in. The only real issue was the coil was toast. I had the thread helicoiled at the dealership and it was good for many more miles.

58thecat · #3 03-22-2023, 06:22 AM

215 thousand miles ya got your moneys worth.

Hope mine goes that long

Hate buying new trucks, mine is 13 years young and still going strong getting better gas mileage due to the weight loss as in rust.

MyAlberta · #4 03-22-2023, 06:30 AM

I’ve heard of this happening. Sticky and broken plugs another problem. Just replaced mine and a few were sticky.

brass410 · #5 03-22-2023, 06:36 AM

I've seen many here at the shop (side of trans canada hwy) some you can just turn back in some well lets just say the vacation is pretty much over. This seems to occur for a couple of reasons One the plugs where changed DIY (no torque back in) changed on a hot engine (aluminum heads resent that) or fuel quality (extreme heat from from ethanol causes the spark plug to literally melt the threads and out comes the plug) many of these older engines dont have the engineering to allow for the newer ethanol/? blends of fuel we are seeing now. You probably got lucky in that it was loose (noisy exhaust leak) and when you restarted it just poped out no heat damage to threaded part of the head. Just my 2 cents I'm sure more will chime in with both good and bad experience there'd a lot of those 5.4 still out there.

Stinky Buffalo · #6 03-22-2023, 07:21 AM

Thankfully I didn't have that issue with mine - made it to 350K before she packed it in.

Hope you get lots more life out of yours!

fordtruckin · #7 03-22-2023, 08:15 AM

Ironically a buddy has the same year truck and blew a plug out a couple weeks ago. His was over 300000 miles. At least I'm not stuck as I have another truck. This one I was planning to do basic maintenance and sell this spring/summer. Truck looks like hell as the paint is pooched but ran well and has a 6 year old Meyer snow plow.

hogie · #8 03-22-2023, 12:35 PM

Make an aftermarket kit to repair. The threads in head should have been longer. Easy repair. Drill or ream out hole, thread with tap and install insert with JB weld let sit overnight and keep going. Usually see them on 2v, I can't remember doing 3v but I think they have kit for that as well.

KC1 · #9 03-22-2023, 12:53 PM

My 2009 with 5.4l triton has the opposite problem
Can't get the spark plugs out without breaking a few
My mechanic has a special tool for this, so I let him do it
Worth the money
Question What year is yours?

traderal · #10 03-22-2023, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hogie

Make an aftermarket kit to repair. The threads in head should have been longer. Easy repair. Drill or ream out hole, thread with tap and install insert with JB weld let sit overnight and keep going. Usually see them on 2v, I can't remember doing 3v but I think they have kit for that as well.

Don't forget to remove the drill filings from the hole or they will become part of the piston. Another problem with the 5.4 and V10 were the exhaust manifold studs shearing off, replacements are stainless, off course after drilling left behind pieces from the block, which tests the vocabulary of the mechanic. I tried drilling out one of those studs and gave up. The charge to do this is between 100 and 200 per stud. Yay Ford. Of course these motors have many other problems aqndI will never ever buy a V10 or 5.4 again.

walker1 · #11 03-22-2023, 02:48 PM

Come on........ real trucks don't have sparkplugs!!!! That is what the t shirt says!! I now run glowplugs.... I am a snob!!!
I have heard of some horror stories with the 5.4 but both of mine 2001 and 2010 were great. I had a coil issue on the 01 and fixed myself.
My buddy had an 2006 where he cracked a few plugs changing them and did buy that tool ( forget name) and 8 hours later had them done. He also used an extended vocabulary during this job!

Grizzly Adams1 · #12 03-22-2023, 03:44 PM

Another of Fords better ideas.

You have to wonder if the threads are compromised and it will come out again, leaving you stranded somewhere. I went through the bottom half of the plug stuck in the chamber issue, 3200. before it was fixed.

Grizz

Stinky Buffalo · #13 03-22-2023, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walker1

My buddy had an 2006 where he cracked a few plugs changing them and did buy that tool ( forget name)

That would be the Lisle 65600, if I recall correctly...

Thankfully I never had to use it on mine... For the first plug change, I hired it out (in my defense, I was really busy with other stuff! Honest!)

Grizzly Adams1 · #14 03-22-2023, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stinky Buffalo

That would be the Lisle 65600, if I recall correctly...

Thankfully I never had to use it on mine... For the first plug change, I hired it out (in my defense, I was really busy with other stuff! Honest!)

Tool didn't work , or my mechanic was an idiot, ended up with a couple of plugs in the cylinders. 3200. to fix.

Grizz

Stinky Buffalo · #15 03-22-2023, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams1

Tool didn't work , or my mechanic was an idiot, ended up with a couple of plugs in the cylinders. 3200. to fix.

Grizz

I heard that sometimes happens. Unpleasant, to say the least.

hogie · #16 03-22-2023, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KC1

My 2009 with 5.4l triton has the opposite problem
Can't get the spark plugs out without breaking a few
My mechanic has a special tool for this, so I let him do it
Worth the money
Question What year is yours?

Your 2009 truck will have different style of plug, looks like normal plug. They shouldn't break. They made that change late production 2008 models.

barbless · #17 03-22-2023, 06:48 PM

Yup for the most part they design engines so us back yarders cannot work on them unless you have reader codes and an up to date reader. I am no mechanic by no means but have learned a lot over the years from others who were and have shown me to be able to fix certain things. Give me back my 1970's early 80's fun stuff. For the most part easy peasy. Carb's and a choke. Distributor. All know what I mean.

Grizzly Adams1 · #18 03-22-2023, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hogie

Your 2009 truck will have different style of plug, looks like normal plug. They shouldn't break. They made that change late production 2008 models.

Difference being, some genius engineer came to the brilliant conclusion, one piece plugs wouldn't separate.

Grizz

does it ALL outdoors · #19 03-22-2023, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 58thecat

215 thousand miles ya got your moneys worth.

Hope mine goes that long

Hate buying new trucks, mine is 13 years young and still going strong getting better gas mileage due to the weight loss as in rust.

Should have no problem getting twice that, or even more.

I have over 300,000K on my little V6 (4.3 Vortec) and it still starts and runs like a brand new truck.

fordtruckin · #20 03-22-2023, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by does it ALL outdoors

Should have no problem getting twice that, or even more.

I have over 300,000K on my little V6 (4.3 Vortec) and it still starts and runs like a brand new truck.

I’m talking 215000 miles not km on my truck. Last truck I had over 325000 miles when I sold it and it was stillrunning strong. 4.0l ranger. The truck I just blew the plug out has been a dedicated plow truck and firewood truck for the past 6 years. 01 F150. I literally had just finished plowing yesterday when this happened.

lannie · #21 03-23-2023, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fordtruckin

I’m talking 215000 miles not km on my truck. Last truck I had over 325000 miles when I sold it and it was stillrunning strong. 4.0l ranger. The truck I just blew the plug out has been a dedicated plow truck and firewood truck for the past 6 years. 01 F150. I literally had just finished plowing yesterday when this happened.

That Ranger engine is one of the best ford has sold. I think it is manufactured by Mitsubishi.

fordtruckin · #22 04-09-2023, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lannie

That Ranger engine is one of the best ford has sold. I think it is manufactured by Mitsubishi.

Always thought it was Mazda given a lot of the parts under the hood on the engine had Mazda stamps on them. The B2000 and ranger were pretty much the same truck.

Waiting for a new set of plugs and coils to see if I’m SOL or if I lucked out. Have someone interested in buying the truck if I can get it back running right. A mechanic buddy said I’m too nice and should just sell it as is.

roper1 · #23 04-09-2023, 06:25 PM

I had the pop years ago on an '02?? Local Ford mechanic just put an insert in that plug & she ran fine until I sold it.

270person · #24 04-09-2023, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lannie

That Ranger engine is one of the best ford has sold. I think it is manufactured by Mitsubishi.

Pretty low bar set right there. Really, has Ford had a decent engine since the 289 and 302? Have any of the big 3 in NA?

You'd think the North American engineers would learn something from Lexus, Honda et al. They're only rated #1 95% of the time. Seems the NA way prefers built in redundancy.

lannie · #25 04-10-2023, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 270person

Pretty low bar set right there. Really, has Ford had a decent engine since the 289 and 302? Have any of the big 3 in NA?

You'd think the North American engineers would learn something from Lexus, Honda et al. They're only rated #1 95% of the time. Seems the NA way prefers built in redundancy.

Agreed. Ford hasn't had a decent engine since then. My favourite Ford engine is the 300 ci 6 cylinder. 95 % of engine problem threads are ford. Like I said fords best engine is someone else's. I wouldn't touch North American vehicles 1/2 ton and under but above that I need to for pulling a trailer.

quasi · #26 04-11-2023, 04:18 AM

An F150 plow truck? Is that not awfully light duty to plow with.

fordtruckin · #27 04-11-2023, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by quasi

An F150 plow truck? Is that not awfully light duty to plow with.

Contrary to many opinions, you don’t need a 1 ton diesel to use as a work truck. They make half ton plows as well as plows for jeeps and quarter tons etc… most are a Shorter and narrower mold board and lighter gauge steel. Mines a 7.5’ Meyer lot pro ld. For personal use it’s much better than an atv plow. I’ve been using it this way for 6 years and the only components that have flat out broke on the truck was a sway bar link and 1 wheel bearing wore out after 3 years of plowing.