BodybyFisher Posted March 12, 2006 Report Share Posted March 12, 2006 My son has a 2000 Expedition and he has been overheating. I joined the Ford Expedition forum and started asking questions. This is a 5.4 liter SOHC (single overhead cam) aluminum head with a cast iron block engine. He has been overheating intermittently for about 2 months. After trying the obvious; thermostat, coolant concentration, trapped air, belts, etc., I told him to take the car and have the coolant checked for combustion gases in the coolant and the test showed that he had combustion gases and indeed something was wrong either a cracked head or a bad head gasket. Bad overheating is never good for aluminum engines and the heads can warp. Doing some research I found out this about the 5.4: 1) the heads were milled wrong at the factory contributing to head gasket problems 2) the engine has problems with head gaskets, and 3) the spark plugs blow out The engine also has a lot of problems with the coils. Initially I was going to do the head gasket for him but once I found out that it was a SOHC engine and it was tricky getting the timing back, combined with my son who is impatient and wants the job done quickly, I acquiesced and told him to get quotes. Ford wanted $1,900, and local shops wanted $1,600 to $1,900 and it could be more if the head was cracked. The reason I bring this up is because of what I have said before, other manufacturers are having engine problems and other manufactures DO have engine problems. I didn't know about the engine problems until I looked but when I looked I found sites like this: http://home.nycap.rr.com/tritonlemon/ He is having it fixed now and he is going to trade it in, Mike http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=466959 http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=440308 Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1 >> 1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/ Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
556393 Posted March 12, 2006 Report Share Posted March 12, 2006 Fix Or Repair Daily Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted March 12, 2006 Report Share Posted March 12, 2006 My son has a 2000 Expedition and he has been overheating. I joined the Ford Expedition forum and started asking questions. This is a 5.4 liter SOHC (single overhead cam) aluminum head with a cast iron block engine. He has been overheating intermittently for about 2 months. After trying the obvious; thermostat, coolant concentration, trapped air, belts, etc., I told him to take the car and have the coolant checked for combustion gases in the coolant and the test showed that he had combustion gases and indeed something was wrong either a cracked head or a bad head gasket. Bad overheating is never good for aluminum engines and the heads can warp. Doing some research I found out this about the 5.4: 1) the heads were milled wrong at the factory contributing to head gasket problems 2) the engine has problems with head gaskets, and 3) the spark plugs blow out The engine also has a lot of problems with the coils. Initially I was going to do the head gasket for him but once I found out that it was a SOHC engine and it was tricky getting the timing back, combined with my son who is impatient and wants the job done quickly, I acquiesced and told him to get quotes. Ford wanted $1,900, and local shops wanted $1,600 to $1,900 and it could be more if the head was cracked. The reason I bring this up is because of what I have said before, other manufacturers are having engine problems and other manufactures DO have engine problems. I didn't know about the engine problems until I looked but when I looked I found sites like this: http://home.nycap.rr.com/tritonlemon/ He is having it fixed now and he is going to trade it in, Mike http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=466959 http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=440308 Once it's fixed, it should be fine - trading it in will most likely result in a loss of the money spent to repair the truck. He might want to drive it for awhile. I understand the reason you wantes someone else to fix it but I know you could have fixed it successfully... Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chazglenn3 Posted March 12, 2006 Report Share Posted March 12, 2006 We had a 1999 Expedition with the bad head. I found it totally by accident when I had the right front wheel off and the fender liner (to tighten a loose antenna). Saw oil leaking from that side. Took it to Ford and they reported the bad head and replaced the head (under an extended warranty). No more problems after that (except fuel prices rising). Wound up trading the Expedition in for a 2002 Explorer with the V-6. Charles Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted March 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2006 KHE QUOTE Once it's fixed, it should be fine - trading it in will most likely result in a loss of the money spent to repair the truck. He might want to drive it for awhile. I understand the reason you wantes someone else to fix it but I know you could have fixed it successfully... Thanks for the vote of confidence, I think I could have also. Unfortunately not to my son's time constraints, I don't mind doing work at my leisure but I do mind doing work with a TIME limit.... So as a result he pays through the nose... Thanks Fix Or Repair Daily or Found On the Road Dead Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1 >> 1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/ Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted March 12, 2006 Report Share Posted March 12, 2006 KHE QUOTE Once it's fixed, it should be fine - trading it in will most likely result in a loss of the money spent to repair the truck. He might want to drive it for awhile. I understand the reason you wantes someone else to fix it but I know you could have fixed it successfully... Thanks for the vote of confidence, I think I could have also. Unfortunately not to my son's time constraints, I don't mind doing work at my leisure but I do mind doing work with a TIME limit.... So as a result he pays through the nose... Thanks Fix Or Repair Daily or Found On the Road Dead I understand fully - he pays for convienence or in this case time... I think Ford builds good cars too but I can't resist the saying below... F'er Only Runs Downhill Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted March 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2006 Good one, Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1 >> 1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/ Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chazglenn3 Posted March 13, 2006 Report Share Posted March 13, 2006 What about First On Race Day Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeal1892 Posted March 13, 2006 Report Share Posted March 13, 2006 hey mike, we have seen several of the tritons com into the shop with that type of problem. my dad has an expedtion and its always got something wrong with it. michael s:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted March 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2006 What about First On Race Day In the pits? hey mike, we have seen several of the tritons com into the shop with that type of problem. my dad has an expedtion and its always got something wrong with it. michael s:) Thanks Mike, the coils seem to be a weakness and lots of people are complaining about spark plugs blowing out taking the threads with them... Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1 >> 1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/ Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
556393 Posted March 13, 2006 Report Share Posted March 13, 2006 Found On Redneck Driveway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chazglenn3 Posted March 13, 2006 Report Share Posted March 13, 2006 Found On Redneck Driveway Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeal1892 Posted March 13, 2006 Report Share Posted March 13, 2006 What about First On Race Day In the pits? hey mike, we have seen several of the tritons com into the shop with that type of problem. my dad has an expedtion and its always got something wrong with it. michael s:) Thanks Mike, the coils seem to be a weakness and lots of people are complaining about spark plugs blowing out taking the threads with them... yes, my ads replaced those coastly coil packs many times. a freind of mine just bought a lincoln ls and his had them and he thought he'd be better off than me with the suspension, good luck ! LOL michael S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackc Posted March 13, 2006 Report Share Posted March 13, 2006 F'in Old Rebuilt Dodge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeb Posted March 13, 2006 Report Share Posted March 13, 2006 my neighbor is a ford nut. he had a 2004 navigator and put 120k miles on in 18 months. at about 25k, they changed the oil at the dealer and forgot to add oil and ran the Nav dry. interesting. so he got a 2006 Nav as a replacment (business lease). he bought his wife a matching Nav. around christmas. and his 17yr old son just bought a new stang GT conv. oh and the other 2 sons drive a 95 explorer and 98 explorer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted March 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2006 Sounds like he has had a good experience also Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1 >> 1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/ Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonA Posted March 13, 2006 Report Share Posted March 13, 2006 We've always had wonderful luck with Fords. Mom had a '92 Crown Vic (first year for the 4.6L modular) and it was a great engine. The only thing she had done to it in the 110k miles she owned it was a set of plug wires. It started sucking oil through the valve guides later in its life, which was a relatively common problem on the earlier engines I think. I believe they improved the valve guide seals in the 1994-1995 era. Jason(2001 STS, White Diamond) "When you turn your car on...does it return the favor?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAUL T Posted March 13, 2006 Report Share Posted March 13, 2006 Had a 78 Pinto and traded it with 132,000 no problem miles. Have a 88 F150 4X4 with a 300-6 with 168,000 miles that needs a clutch, still runs good and uses no oil, Also a 96 F250 4X4 Crewcab with a 460 with 101,000 carefree, oil leak/use free miles. The only problem I have with Fords is that you can not pass up many gas stations. The 88 averages 12-15MPG and the 96 gets 10MPG. I always thought they could have done better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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