anyone own an F150?

[maxwell_smart007]

I've been looking for a truck - found a 2005 F150.

I was just wondering about how voracious the spark plug problem is - is it overblown, or just a headache?

The truck we've looked at has 118,000 km - (75000 mi.es), but only 30,000 (18,000 miles) on the new motor (Ford installed a new motor under warranty in 2010). Not sure how I feel about that, since they used a rebuilt, rather than crate, engine.

So what do you think? Ok deal, or run away? Seems in decent shape - a bit of rust, quoted $800 from the auto body shop to take care of all of it, the right way...

It's a 2005 F150 FX4, asking 13,900, offered it to us for 12,700...(I hate how they do that - just give the final price in the first place!)

 

[Displaced Canadian]

I may be a bad one to ask because I'm a Chevy guy.
I had one and owned it for about a year. It had the 5.4 liter. It is just short of impossible to change the plugs yourself. The dealers in our area recommend you change the plugs every 75000 miles because the chance of breaking one is a lot less. I had the dealership change them and it cost me just under $500. None of them broke and they noted that one of them was able to be removed by hand. The truck had a fuel smell in the cab that went away for about 2 weeks after the plugs were changed and came back. They found that 1 of the plugs was loose. Two weeks later it was doing it again. Two different dealerships looked at it and the issue was never fixed. I traded it in. I looked on a F-150 forum and saw a lot of people talking about fuel smells in the cab with that year of truck.

 

[commercialbuilder]

The last 3 trucks I have owned were Fords, I drive a 2010 now. We had 4 Fords in our construction fleet at all times and only had one issue in 25 years and if I remember correctly it was a 2004. We had to replace the engine in that one but it ran great for 80,000 mile after the change with no more problems. You can get a lemon in any make but for some reason we had a lot less problem out of Fords. I would just get it checked out by an independent mechanic and make my decision from there. Used trucks are extremely high around Tennessee so I do not think the price is out in left field.
Good luck,
Mike

 

[Alzey]

The spark plug issue is not over blown. My dad works at a small garage and the refuse to do the spark plug work due to this issue. If you break a plug, there is a special $500 tool that might get it out. If you can not get the plug out you have to pull the heads. Step one for pulling the heads, is remove cab from truck.

 

[EBorraga]

The spark plug issue is not over blown. My dad works at a small garage and the refuse to do the spark plug work due to this issue. If you break a plug, there is a special $500 tool that might get it out. If you can not get the plug out you have to pull the heads. Step one for pulling the heads, is remove cab from truck.

The special tool kit is under $300.00. I've never had one I couldn't get out with it. You can take the heads out without removing the cab as well. I've changed a few hundred of these plugs. Yes they are a bear, and yes they are expensive. If you do replace them, put Champion plugs back in them, as they are a one piece plug and don't break like the originals.

My only concern on the F-150 would be why a new motor with so little miles. And if a Ford dealer installed it, you can bet it was a long block, which isn't rebuilt.

You'll probably get varying opinions, but if it's in your budget, and the price is right, buy it!

 

[maxwell_smart007]

The spark plug issue is not over blown. My dad works at a small garage and the refuse to do the spark plug work due to this issue. If you break a plug, there is a special $500 tool that might get it out. If you can not get the plug out you have to pull the heads. Step one for pulling the heads, is remove cab from truck.

The special tool kit is under $300.00. I've never had one I couldn't get out with it. You can take the heads out without removing the cab as well. I've changed a few hundred of these plugs. Yes they are a bear, and yes they are expensive. If you do replace them, put Champion plugs back in them, as they are a one piece plug and don't break like the originals.

It was installed by the dealer - they said there was a noise, and they found filings in the oil - so on the last year of warranty, Ford ok'd the new motor...

I wonder if he didn't drive the heck out of this truck, though...
My only concern on the F-150 would be why a new motor with so little miles. And if a Ford dealer installed it, you can bet it was a long block, which isn't rebuilt.

Is a long block better? I'm pretty novice when it comes to Ford trucks!

 

[BKelley]

My F-150 is a 1994 with a 302 ci engine and only 51,000 original miles on it. Only trouble I've had with it is a couple of struck valve lifters and I think that was due to it sitting and not being driven. Also the power window gears stripped out. It has been a good truck and I expect to have it for the rest of my days.

Ben

 

[EBorraga]

The spark plug issue is not over blown. My dad works at a small garage and the refuse to do the spark plug work due to this issue. If you break a plug, there is a special $500 tool that might get it out. If you can not get the plug out you have to pull the heads. Step one for pulling the heads, is remove cab from truck.

The special tool kit is under $300.00. I've never had one I couldn't get out with it. You can take the heads out without removing the cab as well. I've changed a few hundred of these plugs. Yes they are a bear, and yes they are expensive. If you do replace them, put Champion plugs back in them, as they are a one piece plug and don't break like the originals.

It was installed by the dealer - they said there was a noise, and they found filings in the oil - so on the last year of warranty, Ford ok'd the new motor...

I wonder if he didn't drive the heck out of this truck, though...
My only concern on the F-150 would be why a new motor with so little miles. And if a Ford dealer installed it, you can bet it was a long block, which isn't rebuilt.

Is a long block better? I'm pretty novice when it comes to Ford trucks!

Long block is just a term used by us mechanics. A crate motor you just drop in. Hardly any part changing and a whole lot more expensive. A long block is basically everything new, except you have to use the old valve covers, oil pan, timing cover, intake, and a few other parts that slip my mind right now. No difference in my opinion, because all the major internal stuff is brand new.

 

[TellicoTurning]

I have an 2003 F150 I bought just last year... runs great, love the truck, but only paid about $8800 for it... and it had only at litte over 116K miles on it. Only problem I have is someone has popped the door locks out and I've not replaced them yet... the electronic locks work, so hasn't been a big issue YET... New locks will run me about $60 plus the cost of putting them in.... local mechanic that I use says $150... Ford says $350 - includes the locks.

 

[Mr Vic]

My F150 is a '78 with a 460. Only issue I've had is the distance between gas stations, even with the dual tanks. Of course back then they built to last and something the average Joe could work on...Now it's about optimizing OEM service department revenue.

 

[Autonoz]

My son has a 2005 Ford and when it had 96000 I changed the plugs. The plugs are not hard to get to on the driver's side and passenger side is not bad once you remove something on that side, can't remember what it was, but not hard to remove. Heat the truck up before attempting plug removal. I used carb cleaner and pb blaster to soak down in holes before attempting to break them loose. I let it soak for one hour. I then very easily began turning the plug out. once I felt it get tight I turned it back in. I continued this until the plug was out. If you hear screeching that is good. I did all eight with zero problems. I had the tool handy in case I broke one. It is from Lisle and is only 60.00 not 300. I was worried when I did it, but it went fine. Not saying yours will be that easy, but if you are mechanically inclined and use common sense you should be fine. It beats paying the dealership what they are asking. Good luck if you buy it.

 

[EBorraga]

The lisle tool is $60.00, but you may also need the thread repair kit if the thread's come out. It is $259.00. OEM part #24200

 

[Autonoz]

The lisle tool is $60.00, but you may also need the thread repair kit if the thread's come out. It is $259.00. OEM part #24200

The 05 does not have the thread problem. They fixed that in 04. The problem was, there were not enough threads.