What to do? Repair or replace?

[ID Bronco]

I want some opinions on this. I cannot decide what to do.

I have a 2007 F150 crew cab. It has the 5.4 without flex fuel. It has the cam phasar problem and I need to address it somehow before it trashes something.

So here is the deal and my choices. It has 230000 miles on it. The truck was used as a traveling sales rep vehicle. Stock everything and besides a torn seat it is in very nice condition.

1. Have a lock out kit installed on this motor and run it. (every thing else seems great) $1800 ish. That's a lot to put into a high mileage motor.

2. Have the cam phasar replaced. $1800 ish again and might have the problem again. (I'd probably do the lockout instead)

3. Get a used motor with less miles and put the lockout kit in it while it's out. 100K motor with labor approx. $2600-2800 motor, $800 lockout kit, $6-700 labor, $4200-4600 total.

4. Have a remanned motor put in it, still thinking installing the lockout kit in it too since the problem is so common. $3700 motor, $800 lockout kit, $6-700 labor, $5200-5500 total.

I don't want to spend more than I have to obviously. My 17 year old drives this, but I cannot stand unreliability so I need to do something.

What would you do and WHY, I am in an internal dilemma on this one.

Thanks in advance!


Also, I know many of you buy used motors - where have you had the best success?

 

[sixstringsteve]

What's it worth if you were to sell the vehicle outright?

 

[Unimog]

I have no useful advice, but I just learned more about Ford 5.4 strange issues than I ever wanted to know!

 

[bryson]

Sell it (as long as it is running well now you feel confident that the buyer understands the issues) and buy something you won't worry about.

 

[thenag]

Is the cam lock out kit something that could be transferred to another motor? Maybe thinking of "putting $1800 into a high mileage motor" isn't the right way to think of the lockout? Maybe think of it as $1800 to keep the truck reliable and then if in a few years you need a new motor you already have the cam lockout kit? Maybe think of it like a set of wheels or tires or something, something that could be removed from the truck if it were wrecked or something, but you will probably just sell it with the truck.

I hate doing things incrementally so personally I would throw a re-manufactured motor in it if I were planing on keeping it more than a year.

But I had a 2000 Civic that needed a motor and replaced with a brand new Fiesta.... so yeah I am not really the person to ask about that...

Nathan

I have no useful advice, but I just learned more about Ford 5.4 strange issues than I ever wanted to know!

the V-10's didn't get variable cam timing so it is only the 5.4's

 

[ID Bronco]

Thanks for the input. I should have typed more. I am in the truck pretty cheap. So I could sell it as is and get out of it, but Its a nicer truck than I am going to get for my Boy (with his help) so fixing it is a better option for me.

The big question is, should I put the money into the existing motor that seems great otherwise or is that good money after bad?

 

[ID Bronco]

Is the cam lock out kit something that could be transferred to another motor? Maybe thinking of "putting $1800 into a high mileage motor" isn't the right way to think of the lockout? Maybe think of it as $1800 to keep the truck reliable and then if in a few years you need a new motor you already have the cam lockout kit? Maybe think of it like a set of wheels or tires or something, something that could be removed from the truck if it were wrecked or something, but you will probably just sell it with the truck.

I hate doing things incrementally so personally I would throw a re-manufactured motor in it if I were planing on keeping it more than a year.

Yes, the lockout kit could be used on another motor later, but its about $1000 in labor lost. The part is about $800. Thanks

 

[ID Bronco]

What's it worth if you were to sell the vehicle outright?

If I put a new motor in it with what I paid for it I would still come out about even, so it won't turn me upside down either way.