Leaking manifold gasket - 5.4L Triton

[5arnolds]

Last year, I had the lower manifold gasket (I'm pretty sure it was referred to as a lower) replaced on my 2005 F150 5.4L SuperCrew. In about October 2013, I started hearing a similar clicking noise, usually when pulling my TT, but even when I wasn't. I had my brother-in-law, a Ford mechanic, look into it. He found that the manifold gasket on the other side (driver's side I believe) has developed a leak...he said it's not enough to not pass inspection, yet.

He said that pulling my TT will certainly put the engine under additional stress, which will expedite the leak in becoming greater, eventually not passing inspection.

I am certainly within my tow weight limits of our Featherweight TT, but do you feel that these manifold leaks support the fact that the 5.4L Triton engine is simply not heavy duty enough to pull the weight that I have in my TT (5500# dry, probably 7500# loaded worst case, TV is rated for 8200#)? I usually put very little in the pickup bed when pulling....we really are minimalists when camping. My only argument against this thought is that I know the F250 and F350 models also use the 5.4L Triton engine, but maybe there are more heavy duty parts built into this particular engine on the HD trucks.

Any information/thoughts on this would be appreciated. If I eventually want to upgrade my truck to an HD for longer hauls (we usually stay within a few hours of our home), I would like to know if the 5.4L in an HD truck is an option for us. I have no plans to upgrade our Featherweight TT (i.e. go heavier) as we absolutly love what we have.

[LiftedAWDAstro]

The problem is probably not the engine being over worked. The problem is the aluminum heads, steel exhaust manifold bolts and cast iron exhaust manifolds (if that's what Ford used on the 5.4). The bolts actually rust and break causing the leak. Had it happen to my Ram 2500 Hemi with the same configuration. They use the same engine in the different class trucks so, no, you will not get an HD version of the engine in an F250.

[Seann45]

Go with quality aftermarket parts and you should (maybe) solve the problem. Remember that Ford, and all manufactures, use cheap parts

[Paulx213]

Are we talking about intake manifolds or exhaust manifold gaskets? Very different in design and seriousness.

[5arnolds]

Originally Posted by Paulx213

Are we talking about intake manifolds or exhaust manifold gaskets? Very different in design and seriousness.

Exhaust manifolds in both cases.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by Seann45

Go with quality aftermarket parts and you should (maybe) solve the problem. Remember that Ford, and all manufactures, use cheap parts

+1

If this happened to me on a truck out of warranty, I most certainly wouldn't put OEM manifolds back on. I would probably use this event as an excuse to re-work with performance exhaust all the way from the block to the tail pipe. Then put some higher flow components on the intake side and let that puppy breathe!