bucktim

I have a 2005 F150 XLT with 108K miles on it. Only had it a 1.5 years.


As usual has the normal ticking. One day while driving home ~45mph had a little hesitation. It went away after 5 seconds.
The next day I had a long road trip ~3 hour drive, felt it more, but once I got to cruising speed, everything was fine. On the way back from the trip, same day it was doing it a little worse, half way home the check engine light came on. I was able to make it home, with cruse on didn't really feel any different.


The next morning I start it with out issue, idles fine. Make it about a block and I hear loud banging in the engine. Shut is off, restarted drove back home.


Long story short, hesitation is right away now and if in park, I rev the engine to 2k the let off the gas, you hear banging on the drivers side valve cover/timing chain cover area.


For the last week I have been reading all out the phaser/tic/tensioner issues.


So today I took off the drivers side valve cover, hoping to see a loose chain or bad tensioner or broken guide. But that doesn't seem to be the case. The chain feels tight on the tensioner side. and I don't see a broken guide.


I'm at a loss for what to do next, I was expecting to see damage...


During my testing I also swapped VCT's, and cam sensors. and it still stayed on the drivers side.


When I brought it to autozone to get codes read, (he didn't tell me the code numbers and I wasn't thinking straight to ask) he said bank A cam sensor fault or cam timing positions sensor, that's why I bought one new sensor and tried it.


Any one have any ideas what to do next?

bucktim

Update - I started the engine with the valve cover off, so I could see/hear the chain if that was indeed the issue.


It made the noise when starting but then stopped, not a lot of test time as oil is spraying all over...


But when my buddy turned the truck off, I could see oil and bubbles squirting out of the back of the tensioner and engine block. So it seems as if the tensioner has blown out its seal.


So it looks like im in for a lot of work ahead of me.

lewissa81

Glad you found the issue so quickly. My word of advice would be to replace all the timing components. Otherwise, good luck! Let us know how it goes.

MHOWELL34

Thank me later, buy this, if you dont have the money apply for amazon credit storecard and pay it off in 6 months or sooner no interest like i did.
http://www.amazon.com/storecard
All the Parts
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

-Need 8-10-12-15-18-22mm ratchet wrench's, might be more but its a good start
You definately need a 8mm Ratchet wrench for the valve covers, that is the one that will kill your arms.

-2 Big Vise grips
-Some threadlocker
-High Heat gasket maker.
-You need a power steering pulley puller
-Harmonic balancer puller. You can tap the harmonic balancer back on enough to get the bolt to pull it rest of way when you are done, dont need installer.

If your driver side valve cover is sludged up inside the vents, get a new PCV Valve/Valve cover replacement as well (its a 1 piece design), all part of scheduled maintinance. It has less bolts in new design
http://www.ebay.com/itm/OEM-NEW-2004-2010-Ford-5-4L-3-Valve-LEFT-Valve-Cover-Driver-Side-Head-PCV-Valve-/251468403956?hash=item3a8caf54f4
When you take the timing cover bolts out, put them in some cardboard to keep up with where they go


Trust me on this, also check the passenger side chain guide, probably broken
Attachment 570167
Attachment 570166
Attachment 570169

Get the key on crank to 12 o clock before dissassembly of the chains, etc. Put chain on the sprocket where the timing mark is, use the double marked chain links for easy guidance down below, then put phaser on chain with the marking on the single link, much easier.

Heres this, dont be scared if the timing jumped some to move the cams back with vice grips to make them line up with the crank again, just don't do no full turn or nothing like that. Just make sure the sprocket on the crank is set, put the phaser up to it, get a buddy to pull on the cam while you pop the phaser on, its pretty simple. Just make sure you put it back together the same way you took it off, take pictures! And dont pull the tensioner tabs until you are done putting them in!!


When you get it back together, just pull the left plug out of the pcm, roll it over a few times to build pressure, plug it back up and fire her up!

bucktim

Thanks for the info and pics. I still have to do the pass side valve cover, and pull the harmonic damper. But currently working on power steering pump.


Luckly the top to bolts came out easy, but the 3rd bolt seems to be missing but the bolt only used on 4.2L engine seems to be present? Doesn't make sense...


Time for some foot ball so this will have to wait till tomorrow...
#3 is not there, but #4 is?

MHOWELL34

Its there, if i remember right i had to rip off that plastic clip they put over it, then it was easy. I had all 4 bolts, had to pull the power steering hose out to get to the last one tho. Didnt feel like going a inch at a time. Just when you re install just get some threadlocker and turn left and right a bunch of times until it stops whining.

MHOWELL34

Also that passenger side valve cover pissed me off!!!! Take the bolts out of the AC condensor thing, pull up on it and try to pry it out the way, then take the transmission dip stick and shove it under.... Not ford recommended this way but oh well only way that ****er was coming out LMAO. Lift up on valve cover, Take the VCT out very carefully, or you might break it like i did! Then you can stand off in that bitch get on hand behind it, and man handle that thing and wiggle it out. Those gaskets are tough but mine wanted to fall out so keep an eye on it when putting it back in. Pop that wiring harness out the way much as you can

bucktim

Major progress after the F$#!*&% Packers lost.


I got the power steering pump off, got the passenger valve cover off, I then got the front cover off, Success!


Bad part I was hoping to see something bad, broken. But no.
When I wrench the crankshaft, the chains become loose, one side to the other, is that normal?


Now heres the weird thing, and I hope the reason for my failure.


BOTH phasers say "L" there is NO "R" phaser. I have only had the truck for a 1.5 yr. So I don't know if the guy just replaced a phaser and then sold it asap...


Any ideas? I haven't removed the tensioner yet, I need to crack to proper time position.


Also when I crank so the key is at 11, only one of the phasers L is at the correct top position, the other is 180 off.

lewissa81

Both phasers are the same, so don't worry about it. You probably just have the original ones in there. They have different markings than the revised ones. If you bought new ones now, each phaser would have an L and an R, 180° apart. There is a timing mark opposite the L on the old style, but I forget what it is exactly.

You've already seen an indication of the tensioner gasket failing, so you know you need to replace them. It seems to me that you started the repair at the right time. If the guides are still intact, you won't need to drop the oil pan searching for broken peices. I would still replace everything in there though. You don't know which parts have been weakened. The phasers can fail internally, and still look fine on the outside. The chains and guides are cheap enough to warrant replacing them, instead of having to do this repair again. In my opinion, there's no point in fixing it, if you don't fix it right.

bucktim

Okay phasers are the same, check!
So I got the tensioners off tonight. My first impression was that it looked fine. I was really hoping to see it blown out. I'm starting to get worried I did this all for nothing.


I should have done this from the beginning, but here is a video of the issue, you can hear it at 13 sec and 17.

I plan on buying the amazon ebay kit for all timing stuff and new phasers.
1. Should I do the water pump, also?
2. What about VCT solenoids?