2013 Ford F-150 - P0300 and Shuddering Under Load

Question

I'm getting a bad shuddering feeling whenever I'm merging onto the highway or trying to pass someone. It feels like the whole truck is shaking. If I stay light on the throttle, it's fine, but as soon as the boost builds, it starts missing.

I've got a P0300 random misfire and sometimes it'll throw a specific code for cylinder 4 or 6. I've heard these engines are picky about spark plugs but I replaced them not that long ago. It almost feels like a fuel delivery issue, but the high-pressure pump seems to be holding steady according to my OBD reader.

ScannerSandy · Accepted Answer

✅ Confirmed fix: The problem was moisture accumulation in the Charge Air Cooler (CAC). Under steady-state cruising, condensation was pooling at the bottom of the intercooler. When I stepped on it, the boost pushed that water/oil mix into the engine, causing a spark blowout and misfire.

I installed the updated shield from the Ford TSB and drilled a 1/16" weep hole in the lowest point of the intercooler end tank. I know it sounds crazy to drill a hole in the intake tract, but it's a common 'Ecoboost' fix. All the oily water drained out, and the shudder is 100% gone.

SuspSpecSal · Answer

You need to check your spark plug gap. Even if they are new, the EcoBoost is notorious for blowing out the spark if the gap is too wide. Set them to exactly 0.030. Also, check your intercooler for 'gunk' accumulation. Condensation builds up in the bottom of the CAC and gets sucked into the intake under hard acceleration, causing that exact shudder.

2013 Ford F-150 - P0300 and Shuddering Under Load

Suggest a repair