Anyone have much experience with the 5.4L gas Ford Engine

Looking at a low mile used 3/4 ton (2005).  I would prefer a 6.0 diesel but the saving of $6000 to $8000 would be a big plus to me.

Just curious what everyone's opinion on it is specifically for pulling.  I don't pull near as many loads as most on here, but I don't want to have a complete dog in front a trailer either.

Thanks in advance.

GLZ said:

Looking at a low mile used 3/4 ton (2005).  I would prefer a 6.0 diesel but the saving of $6000 to $8000 would be a big plus to me.

Just curious what everyone's opinion on it is specifically for pulling.  I don't pull near as many loads as most on here, but I don't want to have a complete dog in front a trailer either.

Thanks in advance.

Click to expand...

Make sure you get the tow package. We moved to a 5.4 liter from a 97 3/4 powerstroke (7.3 liter, I believe) about 5 years ago. I like the gas engine better from a functional standpoing, although you did have more guts with the diesel engine.

In the lower gears I believe it is comparable to the powerstroke. The powerstroke really shined when you were on the highway and went from 50 to 75 mph. It was almost as if there wasn't a load on the truck. The gas engine won't do that, but I don't have any problems with it either. If you have a trailer on every day, loaded to the hilt, and flying down I-44, then you should look at a diesel. Otherwise, I would keep the $6k in my pocket and deal with the gas engine.

I've never owned a 5.4 before but I have driven a few and i dated a girl who had one.

She called me once on the way to my house and said the truck was making "a funny noise" I told her to hold the phone near the engine compartment and after listening for a momment I said "it sounds like it's running with an open cylinder?? like you lost a spark plug or something weird?" She drives the rest of the way to my house and sure enough there is a spark plug launched out of the head and has busted the individual coil that Ford uses on the modualr engines for each cylinder. A quick Google search discovers that this is a very common problem with those engines (the 5.4 and the V10) due to the design of the alluminum heads and only a few threads that actually hold the spark plug in the head. It had to be drilled and tapped for a Heli Coil to fix it as well as a new ignition coil for that cylinder.

This particular truck was about a 2000 model, they may be better in later years but something to watch for.

I would try Googling 5.4 Ford Engine Problems and see what you get.

I had one, not easy on gas, but had a ton of torque right at lower rpm.  Overall torque was 330 and hp was 260.  It would pull a load, but same experience above with highway towing. 


That was an a 1/2 ton though, a 3/4 ton weighs so much more.  My 2000 f250 with the diesel tips the scales at close to 8000.  Obviously lighter with the gas engine, but superduty chassis is pretty heavy.  You might want to look at the v10 if you do a lot of pulling.  The gas mileage will probably be the same pulling, and a little worse around town.

Loved my 2000 5.4 Ford. Wish I had it back. I drove it until it had 388,000 miles. Did absolutely NOTHING to it except brakes (I tend to be hard on brakes!!), A/C recharged, and also had a spark plug blow out, but fixed with previous mentioned fix, and drove it another 150,000. got about 17 mpg. Pulled a 20ft gooseneck loaded with cattle. Won't say it was a rabbit off the of the starting line, but had no trouble pulling.
Why did I trade it? I guess I just "had to have a new one"..... now I wish I hadn't.