The Final Repair Guide to 5.4 Cam Phaser Tick/Knock Sound
07-27-2014, 09:51 PM
#1541
Found My Problem
I bought my 2008 Screw 5.4 with about 50K miles. The dieseling, rattling sound started and then kept getting louder. Seem to get worse doing trails in Colorado last fall. No CEL but would really rattle backing into the drive while cranking the wheel. Finally at 63K couldn't take it any longer. Since I live in a small town, I ordered all the parts including solenoids from Rock Auto. Had to rent the wrenches to get the fan clutch off from Autozone. Pulled inner fenders to make it easier to reach some bolts. Started pulling the plugs the night before so I could soak them overnight if necessary but they came right out. When I pulled the pulleys I noticed one rough one and one stiff one so I took them to BRC bearing and had them match them up and replaced them all. I also had to purchase a longer T27 screwdriver to get the solenoids off. Found that the solenoids were good, phasers were good, guides were good, chains and sprocket were good, tensioners were shot. Gaskets were like the white rubber bands but about a third as thick. The new tensioners I bought a new improved and more robust looking. Used a little rtv to hold the front cover and valve cover gaskets in place and bolted it back up. Pulled the fuel pump fuse, cranked it over, installed fuse and fired up nice and quiet. My wife loves the new quiet truck.
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DeadCode (07-27-2014)
07-27-2014, 10:09 PM
#1542
Thanks,
Would you mind helping me out here? I've got someone to do the labor for me at $350, he knows his stuff too. Anyways, I'm trying to purchase everything that I need and he told me I do not need new sprockets, but I do need new solenoids and everything else for the timing system...
That being said, I know I need this:
Video Link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Engine-Valve-Cover-Gasket-Set-Fel-Pro-VS-50664-R/141358485302?_trksid=p2050601.c100270.m3465&_trkpa rms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc% 3D20140716145441%26meid%3D8614533671819400057%26pi d%3D100270%26prg%3D20140716145441%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3 D4%26sd%3D181168320228%26clkid%3D86145347951509195 22&_qi=RTM1562570
What's the difference in that and what you linked. Also would you mind telling me just what I will need? I'm a bit overwhelmed with everything.
07-27-2014, 10:17 PM
#1544
I'm selling the truck, and the guy that will do the labor for me told me that he's never replaced the phasers before because they haven't gone bad... It's $250 that I can save myself...
07-27-2014, 10:39 PM
#1545
Well I did pull the connectors and it runs albeit like a baby; CEL, no power and you can tell there is no VCT.
I went ahead and started with the law of diminishing returns: cheapest first
[*]Oil cleansing treatment then change out Full synthetic Mobil1 and Mobile1 filter.[*]Reset the ECM for 20 minutes and reconnected the solenoids.[*]Drove 11.4 miles ending at my driveway. Boom the situation starts again right on que.
I am thinking the clackering might be the timing chain slapping the cover. That would probably indicate a broken tensioner but I don't know. Temp says steady at 194 but it feels like its putting out a lot of heat to me? Torque says the advance is about 25 then drops to like 10 when the sputtering happens. Its like its trying to retard but it cant. If I continue the law then the solenoids are next. Tomorrow night I will pull the solenoids again and try to recreate the "situation" at 11 miles. If I get no sputtering then I will call it the solenoids and start saving.
I might call Ford as well and see if there was a secret recall. As far as I know that is part of the power train which I believe federal law requires 60K on power train. Ford site says my warranty ended at 39K. I don't see how, I always buy the 60K.
It's to bad, I liked this truck.
I went ahead and started with the law of diminishing returns: cheapest first
[*]Oil cleansing treatment then change out Full synthetic Mobil1 and Mobile1 filter.[*]Reset the ECM for 20 minutes and reconnected the solenoids.[*]Drove 11.4 miles ending at my driveway. Boom the situation starts again right on que.
I am thinking the clackering might be the timing chain slapping the cover. That would probably indicate a broken tensioner but I don't know. Temp says steady at 194 but it feels like its putting out a lot of heat to me? Torque says the advance is about 25 then drops to like 10 when the sputtering happens. Its like its trying to retard but it cant. If I continue the law then the solenoids are next. Tomorrow night I will pull the solenoids again and try to recreate the "situation" at 11 miles. If I get no sputtering then I will call it the solenoids and start saving.
I might call
Ford as well and see if there was a secret recall. As far as I know that is part of the power train which I believe federal law requires 60K on power train. Ford site says my warranty ended at 39K. I don't see how, I always buy the 60K.It's to bad, I liked this truck.
07-28-2014, 10:22 AM
#1547
Alright so here's my shopping cart:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/251468513838
http://www.ebay.com/itm/141358485302
http://www.ebay.com/itm/310990576423
http://www.ebay.com/itm/171336558566
Does that look like everything minus the sprockets?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/251468513838
http://www.ebay.com/itm/141358485302
http://www.ebay.com/itm/310990576423
http://www.ebay.com/itm/171336558566
Does that look like everything minus the sprockets?
Last edited by Runner Dude 14; 07-28-2014 at 10:42 AM.
07-28-2014, 05:09 PM
#1548
Junior Member
Before my rant a serious question.
I assume the Cam Phaser controls the Tensioner plunger. Anyone
Well you have a list going. Those tensioners are plastic though.
My question is:
Anyone making this stuff out of metal yet?
Like the pieces that break all the time. Seems logical enough. I'm going to use your list to start my own list so I can start taking bids. Thanks.
I'm stuck driving my beater with a leak in the radiator that holds temp steady without overheating and has more CELs than a xmas tree. The CVJoints are just a wailing and the brakes a squeling. And yet there in my driveway sits a $37K Ford pichup truck that broke from a $2 piece of plastic and costs $1k-$3k to fix. Someones getting the Einstein Award
I assume the Cam Phaser controls the Tensioner plunger. Anyone
My question is:
Anyone making this stuff out of metal yet?
Like the pieces that break all the time. Seems logical enough. I'm going to use your list to start my own list so I can start taking bids. Thanks.
I'm stuck driving my beater with a leak in the radiator that holds temp steady without overheating and has more CELs than a xmas tree. The CVJoints are just a wailing and the brakes a squeling. And yet there in my driveway sits a $37K Ford pichup truck that broke from a $2 piece of plastic and costs $1k-$3k to fix. Someones getting the Einstein Award
07-28-2014, 06:55 PM
#1549
Yea for me!!
Thought I had the dreaded tensioner, cam phaser thing. Well I am am now a frigging expert at replacing the right side exhaust gasket. Actually the manifold was warped and two studs were broken. R&R manifold and studs. She's puuuuuuuuring like a kitten now. 
07-29-2014, 07:29 AM
#1550
I bought my 2008 Screw 5.4 with about 50K miles. The dieseling, rattling sound started and then kept getting louder. Seem to get worse doing trails in Colorado last fall. No CEL but would really rattle backing into the drive while cranking the wheel. Finally at 63K couldn't take it any longer. Since I live in a small town, I ordered all the parts including solenoids from Rock Auto. Had to rent the wrenches to get the fan clutch off from Autozone. Pulled inner fenders to make it easier to reach some bolts. Started pulling the plugs the night before so I could soak them overnight if necessary but they came right out. When I pulled the pulleys I noticed one rough one and one stiff one so I took them to BRC bearing and had them match them up and replaced them all. I also had to purchase a longer T27 screwdriver to get the solenoids off. Found that the solenoids were good, phasers were good, guides were good, chains and sprocket were good, tensioners were shot. Gaskets were like the white rubber bands but about a third as thick. The new tensioners I bought a new improved and more robust looking. Used a little rtv to hold the front cover and valve cover gaskets in place and bolted it back up. Pulled the fuel pump fuse, cranked it over, installed fuse and fired up nice and quiet. My wife loves the new quiet truck.
