Last week my F150 started to experience some issues. Started missing & check engine light came on. I got it to a shop ASAP. The mechanic said #7 & #8 were missing badly. He suggested replacing All the Plugs and boots & checks the coils, 7 & 8 plug was fouled. The mechanic said he suspected that a Fuel Injector issue was starting to develop. He suggested that I run some cleaner, I did that. The fuel injector did go bad and by the time I got back to the dealer, I am told that #7 cylinder was vapor locked with a bent rod! Now I am told that they must replace the motor at a cost of $8K!
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Service Rep says he has had NO LUCK rebuilding the 5.4 Triton after a Fuel Injector problem and Vapor lock!
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What I need to is this dealer service rep trying to RIP ME OFF?

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Can this be rebuilt? Any body have a SWAG on cost to rebuld?
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Any info would help.
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THANKS

 

Well for starters a 1996 truck would not have a 5.4 Triton in it, it would have a 5.0 or 5.8 Windsor. Second thing is vapor lock doesn't happen on EFI motors, and even if it did air in the fuel lines(aka vapor lock) won't bend a connecting rod. You can buy a reman windsor V8 for $1500 and swap it inside 12-14 hrs, you do the math.

 

Where do you see 1996? He said 2006 in his post.

A vapor lock will not bend a connecting rod, and like it was mentioned, does not really happen on fuel injected engines. Now, a hydro lock can bend a rod, but you would have to try real hard to get an injector to dump that much fuel that quickly into the motor.

To bend the rod, you would have heard a bang , or the engine would have just about stopped turning at one point. The dealer would have had to remove the engine, and do a partial tear down to verify a bent connecting rod, also, if the engine is still running with a bent rod, then at the minimum, you would just need a new rod and piston, at the most you would need a full bottom end rebuild - still far less then $8000

 

Damn.. Either he changed it or I'm loosing it..

 

Vapor lock incorrect HYDRO Lock is what I was told. Bad Day today, I do think this guy is trying to scam me. I have asked for copy of his diagnostic, I should know some more info on Wednesday. THANKS ALL for the advise.

 

Received this info from a friend. Cust Satisfaction Program 07M08certin 05 modles with 5.4L 3V engins experience fule injector failures. Ford extended their warranty to 11 years / 120, 000 from the warranty start date.

My truck has the same failure codes, P0175, P0300, P0307, P0308, P0316, P0316, P2196, P2198. Build date on my truck 01-05-06!

The diag report from the dealer reports Cyl 7 low compression, suspect injector stuck , hydrolock motor and bent cyl 7 connecting rod.

Delar est cost to replace motor $8603.15.

I called Ford customor service and all they would tell me is that there is NO OPEN Campaigns against my truck.

 

I want to hear from other 2006 5.4 V3 Triton motor owners who have had a fuel injector fail open and cause a hydro lock that has caused sever damage to the motor.

Ford Customer service refuses to provide any assistance to acknowledge the problem. Though they acknowledge this same problem in 05 models!

NO LONGER A FORD FAN! Too bad I really liked the truck until this crap.
Toyota here I come.

 

And then with your Tundra, you'll be looking at broken camshafts, and an interior so nasty and cheap that it would make small children cry.

If your motor is still running, then you can just get by with replacing the rod and piston, perhaps even just the rod if everything else in check.

 

As to your Hydo Lock, are you sure you were not the one that may have caused the failure? See definition below:

Gasoline engines
Small amounts of water introduced into a gasoline engine will upset the air/fuel mixture and cause the engine to choke or stall while larger amounts will cause hydrolock. Depending on the rate water is introduced into the engine this effect can cut power and speed in an engine to a point that when hydrolock actually occurs it does not cause catastrophic engine damage.

Have you been in water, mudding, boating or even somehow introduced water into your fuel system that may have cause you headache?

I would not blame Ford for a problem that may have been caused by something beyond your or even their control.

 

No mud bogging, no puddles, not much rain in Arizona, no creek crossing, no boating. NOT Self induced.

 

I really don't see a stuck injector passing enough gasoline to fill a cylinder enough to cause a hydrolock.. while the motor is running. If the motor was shut off and for some reason the fuel pump was still running then it is possible but that's not normal and I'm sure somebody would notice the puddle of gas under the truck as it emptied the gas tank through the motor. If it can be proved an injector is stuck open then I say simply replace the injector, flush the engine oil, and retest compression. If it comes back within spec then you can rest assured there was no internal engine damage.

 

it has happened before just do a search on here. There is enough fuel and pressure if the injector sticks open to fill the cylinder when the engine is turned off. Most of the time it fills the intake runner then dumps the fuel in at once when the valve opens. You only need about 50 cc to hydro lock the engine. These engines have high compression and adding liquid to the mix never ends well.

 

I have a 2005 that has done the same thing. It's at the dealership now and they are pulling the engine to determine if the fuel injector caused the hydrolock. That recall extended my warranty to 120K so all damage is to be repaired with a new short block. I hope they make it right or I'm done with ford as well.

 

I was shocked to find out, that the 96 chevies, ( Vortec) engines also had that problem. Ussually resulting in bent rods, or broken rods ventilating the blocks. It happens when the injector sticks wide open, and full pressure is put consistantly in to one cylinder ( the one with the faulty injector) as the cylinder comes up, snap, or bend.

With Ford, at a local level, if you try, and get no results, Take it to the BBB. It gets results from people paid to do it right. File a complaint at BBB online. you will hear back in a couple days, from a Ford rep high u.

 

+1 on the BBB. Not Ford problem but I had T-Mobile quickly change their tune with me when I sicked the BBB on them. Made a screwy $600 bill they sent me vaporize.