2004 5.4 3 Valve timing issue
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2004 5.4 3 Valve timing issue
I'm new to this thread but have looked around a lot and have found many people discuss timing issues but not exactly what I've been looking for.
about a week ago i was driving my truck and it was running fine. I went inside for 15 minutes came back out and it died twice before i made it out of the driveway. i scanned it and it was throwing P0345 which is the cam positioning sensor. I replaced that and it did nothing. Meanwhile I found out that if you unplugged the sensor the truck would run (relatively) fine. After doing some more research I concluded it was probably a timing issue. I took it to a local mechanic to have it diagnosed and hopefully fixed and they also said it was a timing issue, but said they don't do timing jobs and this engine because in their experience it is not a permanent fix that its more or less a temporary band-aid and you will soon be back in the same position. I had a hard time believing this so I called another local mechanic to have a second opinion and they said that if it had jumped time they were also going to tell me I needed a new engine. I had read on another tread someone having the exact same problem as me, their timing chain had jumped one tooth forward and they put it back a tooth and claimed it fixed the problem, but there were no follow up posts to say weather that was a long term fix or if they had since had the same issue.
So my question is , is it worth trying to find someone to do the timing job or attempting it myself, I'm a pretty handy guy and generally do all my own automotive repairs but I am by no means a mechanic. ( i know its an expensive and very labor intense job) or would I be better off driving the truck the way it is with the CPS unplugged until the engine finally fails for good. The truck has 160,xxx miles on it and I just had the transmission rebuilt 5,000 miles ago so I would like to fix it and get more out of it if possible but don't want to buy an expensive lottery ticket with low odds if the timing job really is just a temporary fix. Thanks!
about a week ago i was driving my truck and it was running fine. I went inside for 15 minutes came back out and it died twice before i made it out of the driveway. i scanned it and it was throwing P0345 which is the cam positioning sensor. I replaced that and it did nothing. Meanwhile I found out that if you unplugged the sensor the truck would run (relatively) fine. After doing some more research I concluded it was probably a timing issue. I took it to a local mechanic to have it diagnosed and hopefully fixed and they also said it was a timing issue, but said they don't do timing jobs and this engine because in their experience it is not a permanent fix that its more or less a temporary band-aid and you will soon be back in the same position. I had a hard time believing this so I called another local mechanic to have a second opinion and they said that if it had jumped time they were also going to tell me I needed a new engine. I had read on another tread someone having the exact same problem as me, their timing chain had jumped one tooth forward and they put it back a tooth and claimed it fixed the problem, but there were no follow up posts to say weather that was a long term fix or if they had since had the same issue.
So my question is , is it worth trying to find someone to do the timing job or attempting it myself, I'm a pretty handy guy and generally do all my own automotive repairs but I am by no means a mechanic. ( i know its an expensive and very labor intense job) or would I be better off driving the truck the way it is with the CPS unplugged until the engine finally fails for good. The truck has 160,xxx miles on it and I just had the transmission rebuilt 5,000 miles ago so I would like to fix it and get more out of it if possible but don't want to buy an expensive lottery ticket with low odds if the timing job really is just a temporary fix. Thanks!
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Joined: Nov 2017
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From: Washington
Watch some of this guy's videos and you'll probably find an answer. He has been deep in to the problems that your engine can have.
https://www.youtube.com/c/FordTechMa...query=5.4%203v
https://www.youtube.com/c/FordTechMa...ch?query=p0345
https://www.youtube.com/c/FordTechMa...query=5.4%203v
https://www.youtube.com/c/FordTechMa...ch?query=p0345
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@BareBonesXL thanks! I’ve watched a ton of his videos before I made this post and a ton since, I know the timing job can be done my concern is that I tear everything apart to do the timing job just to find some other non repairable damage to other components on the engine. I haven’t found any videos he has made where a truck had already gotten out of time before he did the timing job. Most of the videos I’ve seen are trucks that are on the verge of having an issue but have not actually jumped time quite yet.
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From: Washington
Meanwhile I found out that if you unplugged the sensor the truck would run (relatively) fine.
I had read on another tread someone having the exact same problem as me, their timing chain had jumped one tooth forward and they put it back a tooth and claimed it fixed the problem, but there were no follow up posts to say weather that was a long term fix or if they had since had the same issue.
I had read on another tread someone having the exact same problem as me, their timing chain had jumped one tooth forward and they put it back a tooth and claimed it fixed the problem, but there were no follow up posts to say weather that was a long term fix or if they had since had the same issue.
When you unplugged the sensor the VCT solenoids probably went to their base positions and quit tryingt to adjust cam timing. The fact that it ran well without sensor input is a clue, and a sign that the timing chain is in the proper position.
I'm not an expert on the 5.4 but there are some basics about all engines that seem to fit. How many miles?
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@BareBonesXL also I’m not claiming that when I unplug the sensor it magically fixes the issue and it runs perfect. But I’d does run well enough to drive with the sensor unplugged.
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Joined: Sep 2011
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From: Victoria BC Canada
I'm new to this thread but have looked around a lot and have found many people discuss timing issues but not exactly what I've been looking for.
about a week ago i was driving my truck and it was running fine. I went inside for 15 minutes came back out and it died twice before i made it out of the driveway. i scanned it and it was throwing P0345 which is the cam positioning sensor. I replaced that and it did nothing. Meanwhile I found out that if you unplugged the sensor the truck would run (relatively) fine. After doing some more research I concluded it was probably a timing issue. I took it to a local mechanic to have it diagnosed and hopefully fixed and they also said it was a timing issue, but said they don't do timing jobs and this engine because in their experience it is not a permanent fix that its more or less a temporary band-aid and you will soon be back in the same position. I had a hard time believing this so I called another local mechanic to have a second opinion and they said that if it had jumped time they were also going to tell me I needed a new engine. I had read on another tread someone having the exact same problem as me, their timing chain had jumped one tooth forward and they put it back a tooth and claimed it fixed the problem, but there were no follow up posts to say weather that was a long term fix or if they had since had the same issue.
So my question is , is it worth trying to find someone to do the timing job or attempting it myself, I'm a pretty handy guy and generally do all my own automotive repairs but I am by no means a mechanic. ( i know its an expensive and very labor intense job) or would I be better off driving the truck the way it is with the CPS unplugged until the engine finally fails for good. The truck has 160,xxx miles on it and I just had the transmission rebuilt 5,000 miles ago so I would like to fix it and get more out of it if possible but don't want to buy an expensive lottery ticket with low odds if the timing job really is just a temporary fix. Thanks!
about a week ago i was driving my truck and it was running fine. I went inside for 15 minutes came back out and it died twice before i made it out of the driveway. i scanned it and it was throwing P0345 which is the cam positioning sensor. I replaced that and it did nothing. Meanwhile I found out that if you unplugged the sensor the truck would run (relatively) fine. After doing some more research I concluded it was probably a timing issue. I took it to a local mechanic to have it diagnosed and hopefully fixed and they also said it was a timing issue, but said they don't do timing jobs and this engine because in their experience it is not a permanent fix that its more or less a temporary band-aid and you will soon be back in the same position. I had a hard time believing this so I called another local mechanic to have a second opinion and they said that if it had jumped time they were also going to tell me I needed a new engine. I had read on another tread someone having the exact same problem as me, their timing chain had jumped one tooth forward and they put it back a tooth and claimed it fixed the problem, but there were no follow up posts to say weather that was a long term fix or if they had since had the same issue.
So my question is , is it worth trying to find someone to do the timing job or attempting it myself, I'm a pretty handy guy and generally do all my own automotive repairs but I am by no means a mechanic. ( i know its an expensive and very labor intense job) or would I be better off driving the truck the way it is with the CPS unplugged until the engine finally fails for good. The truck has 160,xxx miles on it and I just had the transmission rebuilt 5,000 miles ago so I would like to fix it and get more out of it if possible but don't want to buy an expensive lottery ticket with low odds if the timing job really is just a temporary fix. Thanks!
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From: Delta, BC
i’m in the process of ordering these parts to replace on my 2010 f150 5.4 3V with 220k in the spring.
melling 360 hv oil pump
timing chains
steel tensioners
Spark plugs
rockers
lifters
cam phasers
Vct solenoids
and all supporting gaskets and crap.
cost is about $1600 CAD.
I purchased this truck in 2014 with 100k and once in a while I get the rough idle and have to put the truck in neutral and rev it up, but generally when backing up a hill. This is more preventative maintenance.
