DutchFL

Now today I picked up the test report from Ford, it says:

Performed manual oil pressure test. 25PSI at hot Idle. Suggest removing valve covers and checking cam caps and possibly proceeding with cam phaser job. Removed right side valve cover and #2 and #3 cam caps. Found scoring on caps and cam and delimitation on cam lobes due to oil starvation. Recc replacement of long block.

2 days ago the expert report said:

The oil pressure is 25psi, which is within manufacturer specifications. The inspector watched at the technician removed the right bank valve cover and observed there was a layer if varnish that has started to form carbon in spots, but no sludge was visible on the head or valve train components. Numbers 2 and 3 cam caps for the right camshaft were removed. The cam caps and journals were severely scored but showed no heat discoloration or pulled metal like there should have been present if this engine sustained damage from operation with inadequate lubrication present. There was no evidence verified or presented during this inspection to indicate the scored cam journals and caps were caused by or in any way related to the oil change service or the short term leak.

WIF-150

How long have you owned the truck before you took it in to tires plus? Cam phaser issues are a problem in the 5.4. The 5.4 will tick all the time, injectors are loud, cam phaser problems can be heard while listening in the wheel well when the engine is warmed up, or if your in a drive thru, its easy to hear sounds like a diesel. Still odd timing if they ran it out of oil. Even if it was only 60 seconds if the drain plug was open the oil was just running right out, so it could have caused some damage.

Toshbar

I still don't understand how oil got all over the top of the engine if it came out of the drain hole, which is the lowest point of the engine.

vintageman

I have to say that I think it was the oil filter that was left off, not the drain plug. Who puts oil in an engine before putting the drain plug in, thats just stupid because the oil would flow out even with the engine off. I have seen oil shoot out the top of the filler neck when the cap was not put back on, but sounds like filter to me. Good luck OP, let us know how it goes.

DutchFL

Sorry guys, couldn't reply yesterday but back online!

Thanks for all replies!

I have owned the truck 4 months, so I am not well aware of the history other then the paperwork I have seen, but I bought this car in excellent condition.

I really don't know why oil residu was on the top of the engine. i do not have the slightest idea. The only thing I witnessed, if it comes to the top, is that they cleaned it for almost 30 minutes.

And no the drain plug wasn't on there, when they started the car it did flush out of the bottom pretty heavily. Or could the oil filter give the same result? Bye the way, do not ask about their knowledge. As you can read in the first post, it was a disaster. This guys didn't have a clue.

I also did see somebody commenting that it's not necessarily the whole engine that needs to be replaced. What is another option? For now I have to get this thing running and in the meantime I'll have to fight this. I, off course, am looking for the best way to fix this without draining my wallet if possible.

dyeguy1212

iTrader: (1)

They're telling you that the whole engine needs t be replaced because its easier.

If they're telling you that the camshaft damage is not due to lack of oil, then there is no reason to believe any other part of the engine is damaged. You should be pulling that cylinder head, replacing with new or remanufactured, and while you're in there, replacing the cam phasers, VCT solenoids, timing chains/guides, and tensioners.

I literally JUST completed this job. I think it's booked at 12 hours labor. Parts ran me somewhere about 1500 bucks (reman head).

Or you can drop 5k on a new engine, and another ungodly amount in labor.

dyeguy1212

iTrader: (1)

With all of that being said, it sounds more to me like the oil filter was missing. That would allow them to fill the truck with oil, and it wouldn't all just leak right out. When they started the truck, oil starts to pump and it shoots out of the block.

With no oil filter, there's no oil pressure. I'm not convinced this event didn't cause your problems. The lack of heat-related damage just means it wasn't run long enough to build up heat. Doesn't mean it didn't cause damage.


If the shop in question isn't willing to say this could have caused the damage, tell that moron to pull his truck up on the ramps and you're doing the same thing to it. Check mate.

DutchFL

That's funny, I asked them that question already ;-)
Wanna elaborate on the answer? You know the answer already ;-)

I just picked up the car: Ford is very clear, I told them what the experts report says. He says they are wrong and that they only use that excuse to avoid paying for it.

I noticed the "check engine" light isn't on anymore and it drives okay: for now I guess.

Driving home I noticed a lot of white smoke coming from under the hood.
They wanna double check that tomorrow: it could be residu left on the engine but since I did see drops of oil laying on the street after parking it at home, they want to double check.