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Old 05-25-2019, 11:07 PM   #1
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We think we'll keep it... but need some advice

After seeing all the great new SMB's at Overland Expo costing north of $140k, we've decided to keep our current van. It's well loved and has no known issues other than having 193,000 miles on it. We're thinking if we put a little money into it we can have improved functionality and hopefully make it last for another 100,000 miles.

I'm hoping to get some advice from the forum on what preventative maintenance I can do to make this high mileage van continue to run reliably and not leave us stranded on some dirt road in the middle of Baja.

Here are the van details:
2005 Ford E-250, 5.4L V8, 2WD, not lifted, RB-50 with propane and solar, 193k miles
We run Mobil 1 synthetic, changed regularly, and deal with problems as they come up (new ball joints this month), but other than have our mechanic check it yearly we haven't done anything else.

Is there such a thing as bulletproofing a 5.4L gasser similar to what people do to the 6.0 diesel?

Finally, I'd like to do a mild lift for improved clearance and to run larger tires. And while I'd love to have 4WD I think our needs would be met for a lot less money if I just switch the differential to a limited slip like the TrueTrac. I'd welcome any thoughts on the wisdom of making these changes on a high mileage van.

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Old 05-26-2019, 12:01 AM   #2
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I would do a weldtec lift with good springs in the back. Having a good suspension setup saves wear and tear on everything because it softens out all the bumps and stuff.

As far as the motor, replace all the rubber parts like belts and hoses. Then start with the other auxiliary parts like alternator and starter and radiator. Plenty of those motors go 300k miles without issue but a dead starter will leave you stranded in the boonies. Many of those things begin to fail with age, but I’m just getting around to replacing them on my 93.
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Old 05-26-2019, 08:34 AM   #3
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My 2001 5.4 has about 180K miles, and I've only had to replace a couple coils, and fuel pumps. I'm thinking along the lines you are too, but haven't started to replace things guessing they may fail. Instead, I carry spares, so that when the day does come that something quits, I can fix it in the field. Since I've experienced so much trouble with fuel pumps, I carry a spare along with the tools and materials needed to drop the tank if needed. I also carry a couple injectors, a fuel pressure gauge, coils, a belt, a tensioner, and more stuff I can't think of at the moment. This is in addition to about 40lbs of tools, bags of hardware, electrical supplies etc. I don't have a starter though, but in an emergency one can usually tap the starter with a hammer to get a few more starts, or worst case, take it apart to stretch the brush springs for a couple more starts. Not the best plan, but it usually works. Fortunately, the 5.4 seems to be a very reliable motor with few known failure points, but I do wonder about all the sensors. When one of those quits, it may be tow truck time without a spare.
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Old 05-26-2019, 11:29 AM   #4
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No bulletproofing needed on a gasser. That's the whole reason to buy one.

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Old 05-26-2019, 12:17 PM   #5
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"Bulletproofing" the Triton motors involves nothing more than following the maintenance schedule.

I carry a spare coil, and fender-mount starter solenoid. I should add a fuel filter to that.

I've though about carrying a belt, but the Triton can limp-home without a belt or coolant for that matter. It'll just go into reduced power mode.

Crankshaft sensor is the only one that will render a no-start/no-run condition. But those don't really fail. It's more like to get wire damage from rodents or debris. I'm pretty sure worst case you could swap in the rear diff speed sensor. If just about any other sensor goes out, it'll throw a code and might cause a limp home condition, but shouldn't keep you from driving.
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Old 05-26-2019, 12:33 PM   #6
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My 2000 5.4 also has 180K. So far, I’ve had to replace two coils, the fuel pump, and the alternator. Right in line with what others have said.
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Old 05-26-2019, 12:48 PM   #7
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The problem with preemptively replacing parts is the replacement might not last any longer than the original.

Reminds me of the 3 rebuilt alternators from Autozone I put on my 1.8T swapped VW Vanagon, where each of them failed. Finally went to a salvage yard and pulled an original alternator off an Audi. It has lasted for years now.

Driving home from Utah one year without a working alternator, I was glad I had Solar.

That VW now has a spare alternator stored in it, which just means the alternator will never go out again...
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Old 05-26-2019, 01:23 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by carringb View Post
"Bulletproofing" the Triton motors involves nothing more than following the maintenance schedule.

I carry a spare coil, and fender-mount starter solenoid. I should add a fuel filter to that.

I've though about carrying a belt, but the Triton can limp-home without a belt or coolant for that matter. It'll just go into reduced power mode.

Crankshaft sensor is the only one that will render a no-start/no-run condition. But those don't really fail. It's more like to get wire damage from rodents or debris. I'm pretty sure worst case you could swap in the rear diff speed sensor. If just about any other sensor goes out, it'll throw a code and might cause a limp home condition, but shouldn't keep you from driving.


This right here is why I would take an econoline to Baja and never a sprinter.
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Old 05-26-2019, 02:07 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shadetreevanman View Post
The problem with preemptively replacing parts is the replacement might not last any longer than the original.
Yeah, I think about that, too. I always try to go for Motorcraft replacement parts when available, even at the higher cost, but I'm sure quality has dropped on those, too, compared to OEM ones from years back.
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Old 05-26-2019, 02:27 PM   #10
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True story - if you're prepared you won't need it.



If I consider the perspective of buying a high mileage vehicle, the things I would want to do are: check compression (or leakdown test) to get a baseline and identify any bad cylinders, pressure test cooling system and check all fluids for any metals or debris at change.



I'm pretty impressed with the array of things that can fail on my older Ferd that I couldn't anticipate, up to and including the oil pressure sensor (though it happened on a Harley I had too). But expecting the water pump, radiator, alternator, air conditioning compressor and other things to fail at some point and be ready for that is a good thing.


Sounds like you have a nice rig so keep enjoying it.
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