Goose555

Here's a checklist of things L owners should verify to keep their trucks running at their optimal performance? How about a sticky that's a "one stop" thread that will tell what to look for quickly and easy remedies... Let's add anything else needed to make it an easy checklist of the standard things to clean or fix to keep the L's running their best.

I seem to learn everything the hard way - thanks to this site, I've learned a lot and my 04 is running perfectly - usually 355-370 miles (16-17mpg city) until "low fuel" light - (stop and go @ 40-60mph) using 93 premium fuel. Great driveability and strong performance and shifting! Idle is currently smoother than when I purchased with 6 miles on the odometer (not a vibration of my fingers on top of the steering wheel).

For instance - CHECK:

1) Intercooler Pump - After truck warms up, verify coolant is rushing through intercooler reservoir (tank next to top of radiator fan). If not running, the coolant is heating up inside the intake and warming the air going into the engine. To prevent detonation, the PCM (computer) retards the timing and your HP, transmission shifting, gas mileage, and accelleration go to crap. Remedy - replace the pump (easy 20 minute job using 9mm wrench and pliers). After the truck warms up, look at the side of the reservoir to verify the yellow fluid is quickly rushing or bubbling. If it isn't working, hit the intercooler pump (black pump with hoses attached under the front bumper driver's side about 18" under the vehicle and slightly up). If the flow starts up in the reservoir, you need a new pump to prevent detonation in the cylinders on accel.

2) Replace Fuel Filter - Easy job to remove and put new one on yourself. Should replace every other oil change to ensure proper fuel flow - especially at higher RPM (can lean out air/fuel ratio and cause detonation/break a piston rod).

3) Clean Idle Air Control valve - Gets buildup of carbon on the plunger inside valve and can mess up your idle. Takes a 10mm to remove the 2 screws on the passenger side of the upper plenum. Clean with carb cleaner spray and replace (new gasket not required).

4) Inspect/clean/replace Air Filter - Important that the air filter is clean to help the engine breathe.

5) Clean Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor - Best to clean with MAF sensor spray after inspecting air filter since the MAF is betweeen the air filter and intake on the engine. Will remove and oil buildup on the very sensitive MAF thin element. Helps computer determine how much air is being delivered. If you have an oil impregnated air filter, you're more likely to get an oily buildup on your MAF sensor and requires cleaning the MAF more often (heavy draw of air when high boost pulls oil from K&N filter).

6) Clean PCV - Pull the PCV valve up and spray with Carburetor cleaner - shake the PCV and listen for the ball to make noise.

7) Check all fluid levels - Do not over-fill and do not open coolant reservoir when the engine is hot!!

8) Clean throttle Plates - Remove the rubber intake boot from throttle body on top of engine and spray carb cleaner on throttle plates. Open throttle wide (engine off) and shoot inside of throttle body too (just clean the areas that have carbon /oil buildup (not required when using a good oil separator attached to the PCV valve).

9) Clean Intake Boot - Remove intake boot and inspect for oil accumulation in the deep grooves. This indicates oil being pulled into the intake during heavy accelleration. Seems the stock configuration recycles oil in the intake and blows the accumulation from the sump back into the vacuum PCV system and then is drawn back into the intake boot area. If very oily, go with a good oil separator and you shouldn't have the problem anymore (I put in the L&S and haven't drawn a drop into my intake for 12 months now).

10) Change the transmission fluid - Newer transmissions need fluid changed at least every 40-50k miles due to the close tolerance of the sensors, pistons, and other computer controlled devices. Use a premium Ford Mercon fluid (takes 18-19 quarts). Gen 2 transmissions don't need a new filter since they come with a screen pickup, not a normal paper type filter. Best to have it flushed by a machine Ford uses to make sure all of the fluid in the torque converter is replaced too. Ford's transmission flusher pumps new fluid in by way of your transmission coolant lines and they continue flushing until the last of your old brown fluid comes out and looks bright red again with fresh fluid. Then they rehook your lines and your good to go. Costs about $200 or so. Just draining the transmission pan area will only remove 6 qts of the 18 total in your transmission and torque converter.

11) Brake Switch Harness Recall - Make sure you got the recall done so you don't burn your L up overnight while you're sleeping. Quick and free by the Ford or Mercury dealer.

12) Change your oil and filter - duh. Mobil 1 is good insurance and not that much more than regular oils now (about $23-$26 for a 5 qt container of Mobil 1 full synthetic at your local WM).

13) Check for Loose Bolts - Many have found their aftermarket traction bars or supercharger pulley bolts have loosened over the years. Best to check them and maybe remove them and add a couple of drops of LocTite to the threads before retorquing them to specs.

14) Tire Pressure and Rotation - Suggested 40 lbs in front (due to weight of engine) and 32 lbs in rear (light bed). My Goodyear F1s are wearing evenly over the past 35k miles (not a whole lot of boiling the rears at my age). My original set of F1s wore out along the outside areas first but the middle still had decent tread on them (had to replace early). 40# in the front is supposed to put more even pressure on the whole wide tread (middle included). Suggest rotating them about every 7k miles.


15) Ball joints in front end ??


"Goose"
04 White Lightning (now 61k miles on the odometer)
4# Lower
Back to stock Plugs (44 gap)
L&S Oil Separator
4# SCT "Canned" Program
SCT Livewire
LC-1 Wideband
SCT Livelink Datalogging
Lowered 2" in back (shackles)

Agent 00 L

Add in something about checking bolts on your modifications. The bolts on things like traction bars, pulleys, and other mods can work loose over time. If you gonna do all of that stuff might want to check that too.

__________________
2001 Silver Lightning, Stock Engine Turbo in the works
2000 Black Turbo Lightning RIP.
SCT Pro Racer Tuned, Stock Engine
540 hp/580 tq - 16psi, Pump Gas, Open DP
11.68 @ 120

TerdFergison

Also, don't forget to check your tire pressure. I check mine about once a week for accuracy. Got my tires rotated (fronts to rear) last week and upon leaving Discount tire I dam near spun out due to the higher tire pressure in the rear (old front tires) and the lower pressure tires in the front (old rear tires).

Patrick

I run 32 in all four tires. What is a better choice for the rears?

Goose555

Someone on the forum suggested 40 in front (due to weight of engine) and 32 in rear (light bed). My Goodyear F1s are wearing evenly over the past 25k miles. My original set of F1s wore out along the outside areas first but the middle still had decent tread on it (had to replace early). 40# in the front is supposed to put more even pressure on the whole wide tread (middle included).

I rotate them every 7k miles.

Does anyone have more standard problems to look for when going over 50k miles?

I read something about checking a resistor for fuel pump operation...

And a fuel relay (change it to be safe)?

And fuel pumps / pickup tubes or hoses?

What about these items -

NOTE: I'd rather change a relay before it fails when 75% of all of a critical relay fails around a certain mileage on the truck. Don't want to vent the block due to something I could have easily replaced for $20. I've seen many posts here that are told after the engine blows that they should have checked something earlier.

Goose

TerdFergison

Less tire pressure in the rear = better traction/better hook off the line. The rear is lighter and requires less pressure to get even tread wear vs. the front which is much heavier and the tires require more pressure to get the same even tread wear. 40 PSI fronts and 35PSI rears is what I run.

SLVRLTNG

Good idea there Goose ...Done

you can add to your original post

Kenar

change fuel filter every other oil change is best !!!

sam00lightning

Hey great info. I thought my truck has been a little slow out of the hole and gas mileage has been crap so I just check the intercooler pump and sure enough the thing wasn't running. Tapped it with a wrench and got it moving but it comes and goes. I guess I will just replace it. Now I'm wondering how long I've been driving my truck with a bad pump

Makem Pay

What is the best way to determine if my intercooler pump is running or not?

Goose555

See the first item (Intercooler) on the first posting above. The reservoir is on the passenger side next to the radiator. After the truck warms up, look at the side of the reservoir to verify the yellow fluid is quickly rushing or bubbling. If it isn't working, hit the intercooler pump (black pump with hoses attached under the front bumper driver's side about 18" under the vehicle and slightly up). If the flow starts up in the reservoir, you need a new pump to prevent detonation in the cylinders on accel.


Goose

fordification

One other thing that would be nice is at what mileage are these areas that should be checked. I have 8k miles on mine and won't require some, besides the general maintenance.