Just adding something I see.
In the center photo showing the Cam shaft front of Bank cylinders Lobes.
The Lobes for Intake and Exhaust Cams front cylinder Lobes are showing significant signs of surface wear compared to the view of the next cylinder back.
Maybe the Lash Rollers are faulty.
Good luck.

 

I personally purchased these from the parts counter at a Ford dealership in Redlands California.

 

Well, the original phasers failed closer to 125k or so. and likely were starting to fail LONG before that. However Ford never mentioned to me that the "tick" noise on engine startup was a major problem, even though they had done every service on the truck for the first 5 years I owned it, until it was outside my 100k warranty. Then suddenly they noticed it. Those phasers lasted from March to July, Then another set was put in the truck at 155k, those failed at 176k. So, based on that you are already due!!. if you have the 3.5 ecoboost, Id run something through the block to clean the pathways. Or at least purchase a 35-50 dollar borescope off amazon and peak into the oil pan for yourself.

 

So, you're comment sent me down a rabbit hole. Long story short, Google AI tells me the DoDBW means these are Chinese knockoffs.....half hour later it tells me the DODBW is a real Ford stamp, so I have no idea anymore

 

A few things sound really fishy about this. I can't imagine a Ford dealer selling knockoff parts, especially cam phasers. Maybe if Steve from Apple Ford, who is a vendor on here might chime in, and maybe have some insight to that claim. If you picked those up from the dealer yourself, then gave them to a shop to install, well, no shop would provide any warranty on parts provided to them, which they did just that. And if yours were making the noise (cold start rattle) which you claim you were aware of, but claim the fleet service place never mentioned it to you, it's on you for not asking about it. If mine was making any noise, I would be asking the service place to tell me what and why. And is this Ford Fleet service at an actual dealership? As for the sludge causing the failure, well, now you're telling us the parts you gave to the shop are knockoffs. Everyone on this forum knows only OEM parts will work. As for the sludge buildup on yours, it tells me who ever was doing the maintenance might have charged you for oil changes that MAYBE didn't happen. But I don't see enough in the pictures you posted to show that to be the issue, as even if a piece of sluge had blocked an oil passage to a phaser or VCT valve, a code would have likely set off the CEL to let you know something was wrong. And that would most likely apply to both sets of failed phasers, with the first set maybe not being OEM, I don't know that, I didn't see the parts or if it's an actual Ford dealer. As I am someone who owns an F150, did my research before buying my first used F150 (my Silverado was totaled in a rearend collision, back against the wall to buy something for work as a general contractor and needed something quickly) and as someone with a degree in mechanical engineering, and had both worked for an auto restoration shop specializing in pre WW2 cars, and having built and raced my own cars, I know just a little bit about these, but still turn to this forum for guidance, and to learn about what issues might I face with mine, and to help other members with stuff i learned from owning mine. I can't say I can advise you on what to do. I feel bad you're going through this. As for you saying i'm going to be due for new phasers soon, I don't think so. Mine were changed at 135k, and did have an issue with the first set the shop (which I researched before even talking face to face with the owner) had put in, cost of $3200. I told them ONLY use OEM phasers, but CEL went off after only 25 miles. They gave me the run around about oil pressure issue maybe, said they tore it back down, found nothing, said they redid the phasers a second time, same thing, CEL popped on after just 20 miles, they just cleared the codes, so on a phone call that I recorded telling them it's still not right (Colorado is a one party state, means i don't need permission to record the other person) they assured me they used OEM phasers, that was right after I looked at my reciept, and they used O'Reilly Auto parts phasers. Dropped it back off a few days later, played the recorded message, and showed the reciept with the parts they used, said they'll have it taken care of. Now, mine runs perfect, no CEL and smooth idle. Best part for me is, reciept states 3 month warranty and parts and labor, recorded call states he gave me a 2 year warranty the first time I talked with him face to face. For that, he lost a customer. As for how much longer mine will last? I am meticulous when it comes to vehicle maintenance, owned cars, trucks and motorcycles. My one '82 Kawasaki KZ1100 had 178k, ran like new, my Subaru's racked up 250k plus, and my Silverado could have gone 400k had it not been wrecked. I hear of these 13th generation F150's going 3-400k if well taken care of. It says what my F150 is in my signature.

 

Part of the issue is very few "mechanics" can actually troubleshoot anything anymore. They simply look at the computer, or ChatGPT and get advice. They are glorified parts replacement monkeys.

 

this, as sad as it is to say

 

I didnt read this whole thread but I will respond to this post: Because I have yet to meet a mechanic that will actually look beyond fixing what is glaring in order to get your car out of their shop ASAP. Most mechanics are simply parts changers at this point, not diagnostic techs. Hence, I do all the work on my vehicles that I can.

 

Those look exactly like OEM phasers.

The originals had an exposed spring, the improved parts have a cover over the spring.

 

I edited that post but you were likely replying before that point. They are Ford parts, OEM. So that whole post is irrelevant. But I took many pictures. Showed the shops pictures and my own to numerous mechanics and even Ford techs. All of them say that a shop telling you the cause is "sludge" is just them pushing it on you, and getting you out of their shop. I don't doubt the claim something could have been blocking the solenoids oil feed, but it clearly isn't sludge. Could be particulate from the original phasers, apparently when they fail they do send particulate into the system. Once already inside the timing cover doesn't get filtered. But at this point I have no trust for these people and will be doing further work on this myself.

Which I should have just done from the beginning. I still have my 98 F150 4.2 v6 engine with 270,000 miles on it, and I replaced the timing system in that myself more than a decade ago, runs perfectly.