2004 FORD EXCURSION

Typical onset: 80,000-150,000 mi

Symptoms: White smoke from exhaust indicating coolant in combustion chambers, Rapid coolant loss with no visible external leaks, Overheating followed by rough running or no-start, Milky oil or oil in coolant indicating head gasket or worse

Fix: EGR cooler cracks internally, dumps coolant into cylinders, hydrolocks engine and destroys pistons/rods/bearings. Requires complete engine rebuild or replacement. 40-60 hours labor for full rebuild with all updated parts (head studs, EGR delete, oil cooler upgrade). Many owners opt for reman long-block swap at 25-35 hours.

Estimated cost: $8,000-15,000

Typical onset: 60,000-120,000 mi

Symptoms: Hard starting or extended cranking especially when cold, Loss of power under load or won't exceed 2000 RPM, Oil in coolant or coolant in oil from cooler rupture, Check engine light with fuel injection codes

Fix: Oil cooler sandwich plate o-rings fail causing cross-contamination; requires oil cooler replacement at 8-10 hours. FICM (fuel injection control module) fails from heat/vibration causing no-start or severe drivability issues, 2-3 hours to replace. Often both done together as preventive.

Estimated cost: $2,500-4,000

Typical onset: 100,000-180,000 mi

Symptoms: Hard cold starts with white smoke and rough idle for first few minutes, Surging at steady cruise or lumpy acceleration, Fuel in crankcase oil causing dilution, Check engine light with contribution/balance codes

Fix: HEUI injectors stick from fuel contamination or internal seal wear. Replacement requires valve cover removal and special tools. 1.5 hours per injector, but typically do all eight at 12-14 hours plus stand pipes/dummy plugs. Many replace with updated/reman units.

Estimated cost: $4,000-6,500

Typical onset: 70,000-130,000 mi

Symptoms: Transmission fluid puddle under vehicle near radiator, Burnt transmission smell or slipping after fluid loss, Pink fluid mixing in coolant if internal cooler fails, Sudden loss of all gears if catastrophic leak

Fix: Steel lines rust through at frame brackets or quick-connect fittings fail. External lines are 2-3 hours to replace. Internal radiator cooler failure (less common) contaminates coolant and transmission, requires radiator replacement and full trans flush/filter, 6-8 hours total.

Estimated cost: $400-1,200

Typical onset: 60,000-100,000 mi

Symptoms: Sudden loud popping noise from engine bay followed by rough running, Misfires on single cylinder with P030X codes, Spark plug blown completely out of head, Loss of compression on affected cylinder

Fix: Two-piece spark plugs break on removal or aluminum head threads strip/eject plug under combustion pressure. Requires Heli-Coil or TimeSert thread repair at 3-4 hours per hole, or head removal for severe damage at 12-16 hours. Preventive: never exceed 27 ft-lb on plugs, replace every 60k.

Estimated cost: $500-2,500

Typical onset: 80,000-150,000 mi

Symptoms: Growling or humming noise that increases with speed, Noise changes with steering input left/right, Wheel play detectable when jacked up, ABS light may illuminate from damaged tone ring

Fix: Super Duty unit bearings fail from weight and road salt. Front requires hub assembly replacement at 2-3 hours per side. Often do both sides simultaneously since failure spreads stress. Rear bearings less common but same symptoms.

Estimated cost: $600-1,000

Typical onset: 70,000-120,000 mi

Symptoms: Clunking over bumps especially when turning, Wandering steering or poor return to center, Visible grease boot tears or play in joints, Tire wear on inside or outside edges

Fix: 8,500+ lb curb weight accelerates wear. Lower ball joints fail first, upper follows. Full front end typically needs both uppers, both lowers, and tie rod ends at 8-12 hours labor. Alignment mandatory after. Towing/off-road doubles wear rate.

Estimated cost: $1,500-2,500