ItsAndy

2006 Expedition 5.4 3v 200,000+, I know y'all are 150 guys, but it's the same motor and I've learned a ton about it by devouring the forums here over the last two days, so I thought I'd post it here.

Two weeks ago the truck was running rough and so I got the codes pulled and it showed p0022. So I changed the bank 2 VCT solenoid and it got better for about a week. Then it started running rough again and I got p0012 so I changed the bank 1 solenoid. After two days, I was driving the kids to school and it sputtered a bit but I didn't think too much of it until about a mile later, it was missing, shuddering and the CEL went on. I pulled over and got the kids to school and came back and drove it the 1.2 miles home with the CEL flashing and the car in limp mode. I left it for the day and came back in the morning and it started fine, and then after about 30 seconds the CEL started flashing and it started missing a bunch.

I borrowed a bluetooth code puller and pulled the following logged codes:

p0171 system too lean bank 1
p0300 random misfire
p0305 misfire cyl 5
p0307 misfire cyl 7
p0308 misfire cyl 8
p2198 O2 A/F Sensor Signal Biased/Stuck Rich (Bank 2 Sensor 1)
p0012
p0022

I figured that the 0012 and the 0022 were still in there from the VCT solenoids so I reset all the codes and ran the vehicle for a few minutes. After about 30 seconds it started to sputter and miss and I pulled the following codes...


0300 random misfire
0305 misfire cyl 5
0307 misfire cyl 7
0308 misfire cyl 8
2198 O2 A/F Sensor Signal Biased/Stuck Rich (Bank 2 Sensor 1)

Notably, to me anyways, no more p0022 or p0012. Not sure if that's because I actually didn't drive it or if it's just not retarding the timing or whatever.

I've done a ton of research and I'm guessing it's a catastrophic failure of the cam phaser on the drivers side, but I'm not sure since it's no longer throwing p0022. Not sure where to go next. Compression test I guess? When it starts up, it roars to life and *seems* to run fine, but then it kind of craps out after 10-30 seconds or so. I don't want to drive it, but I also don't want to tow it to a mechanic and pay him $400 to tell me that the motor is a boat anchor. I don't have a compression tester and I don't want to spend a whole bunch of money buying tools and swapping parts if I'm eventually going to have to dump a bunch of money in it for a motor.

Here's symptoms.

Runs really rough due to misfires.
Raw Gas smell when idling.
CEL
Above codes.

Here are my thoughts, is there any way to rule out anything in particular?

1. Cam Phaser crapped out and jumped time. Hosed the valves on 5,7 and 8.

2. Wiring issue to COPs. (unlikely I think)

3. 3 COPs crapped out at the exact same time.

4. Bad chain/tensioner/guides on bank 2.

5. ???

It's the weekend, so I really can't bring it to anyone until Monday so I'm trying to rule stuff out.

I can pull the valve cover off and inspect the phaser and chain. That's a pretty big time investment but I'm willing to do it. I think I should probably test compression, but I lack the tool. Same goes for testing oil pressure.

Not sure what I can do next, but I'm open to ideas.

Thanks for having a look.

vintageman

When were the plugs changed out last? Were COP boots changed? Those are the 2 things that I would start with personally. Do you hear any diesel like noise when the engine is running? What weight oil and what oil filter are you using? The reason I ask about the oil is, I got the P0012 code a couple months ago, (2 years after I did my phaser/timing components) and I just changed the VCT solenoids and the oil and filter, cleared the code and hasn't been back since. Im thinking I had some dirt that got caught up around the vct solenoid bodies and after driving it with clean oil, may have flushed that dirty crap away from the solenoid body.
Flashing CEL is not good, raw fuel could be getting dumped in your cats due to the misfire, answer the above questions and we can go from there. Welcome to the site by the way.
Tom

ItsAndy

I just did the plugs last year, about 30,000 miles ago roughly. Got the oil changed after I swapped out the first solenoid. It's 5W20 oil in a Motorcraft filter. When I pulled the old solenoids out that looks pretty clean, not a whole lot of varnish or anything like that. No cam phaser noise that I can detect and no chain slap noise either. At least not any that I can detect. My concern is that that cam phaser failed and took out the three cylinders in that bank.

Edit: COPs were done about 10000 miles ago.

ItsAndy

Update:

Compression test came back normal with all suspect cylinders ~148.

I swapped out the number 6 COP and plug with the #5 and cleared the codes. While it seemed to run a little better, after backing it out of the driveway and back in, CEL on and blinking with codes.

P0300
P0305
P0307
P0308

No O2 code this time, so there's that. Maybe I just didn't let it run enough, but that code is gone.

What next?

mtulett1

i'm watching this the exact thing is going on with mine. i had my neighbor do some testing on mine and there is significantly less voltage going to bank 2 on mine.

ItsAndy

I have 12 to 13 volts going to each coil on my bank 2. It's time to hire a professional. However unlike most of these threads I will come back and post a victory response when I figure out exactly what happened.

ItsAndy

UPDATE: Two bad phasers, bad tensioners and a torn up guide.

Timing kit time. Does anyone recommend the Evergreen kits on ebay or should I stick with straight up Ford parts at 2X the price?

Martian

Better question - given that you know Ford parts are well-lauded for this particular repair, would you want to risk having to do this job twice?

Personally I'd get the Motorcraft parts. I did, actually, back when I did mine.

mtulett1

oh that sucks sorry to hear that.

mtulett1

anyone have a place to get a cam phaser timing kit fairly inexpensive and good quality? thanks