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Vent: That one time in Phoenix my timing chain let go on the 101 at rush hour
I was cruising down the 101 in Phoenix last month when my 2003 F-150 started making this grinding noise that got worse as I accelerated. By the time I pulled over the chain had snapped and bent half my valves, leaving me stranded for 4 hours waiting for a tow. Is it smarter to swap in a used motor for $1500 or rebuild the heads on this one?
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logan_young291mo ago
Man, same thing happened to me with my Ram last year... total nightmare.
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grace891mo ago
Depending on your luck finding a used motor, I'd lean towards a junkyard swap over rebuilding the heads because those 5.4L Triton engines have known issues with spark plugs and timing components that add up fast. My buddy went the rebuild route on his Expedition and ended up finding more damage in the bottom end that pushed his costs past $2500 pretty quick. Your mileage may vary, but if you can find a used motor from a reputable yard with some kind of warranty, that's probably the more practical move for a truck that age.
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