RCFX4x4

I bought a 2008 Ford 150 with 3v 5.4 last week. The guy I bought it from let the belt tensioner wear so badly it actually wore through the timing cover. I put a new timing cover on it as well as new chains, guides, tensioners, phasers, oil pump and water pump as well as spark plugs while I was in there. Changed the belt tensioner and the plastic idler pulley. Put new oil in it and purged all the air from the coolant system. Changed the oil again and ran it for 100 miles. I changed the oil out and cut open the filter to see what I was dealing with now. The oil coming out looked very very clean until I put a high powered LED let to it and noticed all the fine glitter in it. Almost like a metallic paint. I'm concerned for my bearings. The cams looks very very good when I had the covers off. The engine runs flawlessly other then a slight shake at idle when cold only. The gauge on the dash shows about half way between the mark after half way and the next, so better then half way.

How accurate are our dash oil pressure gauges? Can the rod bearings and crank bearings on these motors be spun in from the bottom or does the engine need to be pulled for the mains? I bought the truck so cheap that if I need to I can get a long block from ford and still be in it less then if I bought one off a lot but obviously I'd rather save what I have. Pics coming as soon as I get a spare second.

joe mcmillan

The dash oil pressure unit is not a gauge. It is an on/off switch or just another idiot light. If pressure is below (either 5 or 8 PSI) the gauge will register 0. Above that pressure and it will read mid range.
To read the actual pressure you will need t purchase a real gauge and hook it up properly.
As for the glitter in the oil, send an oil sample to Blackstone Labratories. They will analyze and report back as to what the contaminants are by percentages.

techrep

iTrader: (1)

I would just keep changing the oil till the glitter goes away.

grss429

Agreed could just be break in stuff

SCORGE

Glittery oil, must mean your motor is.....Fabulous.

brb....gonna go do man stuff now

RCFX4x4

Haha thanks for the advice. I'm going to put a mechanical gauge on it in a few hours and see what it says. Glittery was literally the only way I could best describe it though. Does anyone know if these crankshaft bearings can be spun in with the pan off?

redfishtd

Maybe that's aluminum from your timing cover . Pull the oil pan and check that out . Did you do your lash adjusters when you were in there. My chain was eating into the cover since I had bad guides .

RCFX4x4

I'm guessing the timing cover shavings ate away the rob bearings at the least. I put a gauge on it yesterday and it had great pressure untill it was nice and hot and then it sat around 20psi or so. I noticed when I put it into gear with my foot on the brake and at a idle, it does have some bottom end knock in it.

I can't find anyone that knows if the crank bearings can be serviced in the chassis or not. It looks doable but I can't really tell. I may end up just getting a reman engine..

PerryB

20 psi hot idle is acceptable. I don't see how the aluminum shavings would get to the bearings. The filter is going to catch them. With everything you've just done to it, I'd drive it a while and see if it actually has a problem or not.

RCFX4x4

I could see if the old filter was overwhelmed. Maybe some got through. I don't know to be honest but after 3 oil changes and still seeing a good amount of 'metallic residue' I have a good feeling the engine isn't healthy. I'm going to drop the pan tomorrow and pull a rod bearing and a main bearing and see what the tale is. I would normally agree that 20psi hot idle is fine for a v8 but ford spec calls her 25psi and I know how picky these motors are on pressure. The engine looked super clean when I had the covers off so I really didn't see this coming. The timing was still actually perfectly fine but I figured since I have the cover off at 100k might as well replace it all. It shut off on me the other day, and when I let it cool I decided to run it back to my shop and it wouldn't rev above 2k or so. Threw a P0022 cam timing over retarded.