Basic info, 06; 4x4; 5.4; 114,000 miles screw; regular oil changes 5w-40; regular TLC additives ie injector cleaner, prolong, k&n clean and treat.

1. While truck is stationary and at idle the a/c runs hot and refuses to cool, compressor clicks on and off. When I drive it around town it will vary from 50 to 70 degrees coming from vents (not enough to keep cab cool). When I drive it down the highway it will vary to a freezing 30 to 40 degrees (caught a 27 degree temp at one point using my digital thermometer brrr). Any thoughts?...maybe not enough air movement through coils or loose connections?

2. I have a magnaflow cat back system and superchip installed and the truck still seems to bog down. I have heard that cat converters can rob power, but I have no trouble codes popping up. With my digital thermometer I am reading 500 degrees in and 500 degrees out on the drivers side converter and 600 degrees in and 400 degrees out on the passenger side converter. Bad converters?

3. And Finally the ever so awesome ticking noise . The phasers only seem to tick after a long drive home when Im coasting down the hill to the house. Im hoping your going to tell me its the VCT solenoid and not the phasers....

Thanks! Love this Forum! Wife says Ive been on to long gotta go, please help!

 

To your first concern. If you can do an a/c service. You may be low on freon and it will cause the a/c system not to operate properly. Seen a few do so cause the receiver/dryer was beginning to block up so I wouldn't rule that out. I would run 5w30 or go back to running 5w20 cause the newer motors don't seem to act the same. I've been running valvaline durablend 5w20 with no issues. I would try that out first cause the solenoids may be sticking cause of the oil weight. As far as your power concern. Have you replaced the sparks plugs yet or fuel filter. If not I would start there. Been a certified mechanic for 12 years and this is what I have run across through the years. Feel free to message me

 

Freon was checked-good. I had a a/c tech look at it, he thought it might be the compressor. Since I wasnt born yesterday and I know that a/c techs love to replace compressors, Im kinda likeing the dryer idea, Ill look into it.

Ive tried several different oils trying to solve the ticking issue, none really worked. I tried some stuff at the Auto parts store called engine quiet, seemed to do the trick,but still ticks when the engine is revved then left to idle like when I coast down a hill. I will try your 5/20 idea and see if that helps.

Im not a certified mechanic but I have been know to do some shade tree work. Last year I replaced the spark plugs and boots myself (motorcraft only). Replaced fuel filter 10000 miles ago. So do you think my catalytic converters are clogged?

Thanks for all of your advise!!!!!!!!

 

The proper way to find out would to find someone with a scanner that can read the o2 sensors. That would be the best way to
Check. I wouldn't rule them out. Do you hear any kind of noise from them cause if the material inside becomes deteriorated enough to start to brake apart alot of
Times it can lodge itself funny and cause your exact same problem but usually you'll hear a rattle of some sort be at idle of a little off idle. I know for your a/c concern I ran I to alot of cars that have the thermal expansion valve do the same thing and 96% of the time it's the valve. A few have been the receiver dryer because the orifice tube becomes blocked.

 

I wouldn't recommend running an engine flush cause it can actually damage a bearing. I would suggest running the 5w20 just because with the tolerances in newer engines being alot tighter then say the older 351w engines, they can have a tendency to not like heavier weight oils. If that doesn't work then it may be time to replace the Vvt solenoids.

 

No funny noises coming from the cats. I did notice that the o2 sensor is on the cat itself grrrr. If I wanted to get High flow cats would the o2 mount be a problem?

Had another guy say he thought it was the sensors either on the dryer or the high pressure line. Looks like things are leaning toward the dryer...

Thanks!!

 

When you install high flow cats, depend on how you go about it, they either come with the piping after the cat that has the o2 bung already in it or you need to have one welded it. I'm currently making the pipe to do a cat delete with the o2 bung and spacers so it doesn't trip the check engine light but still be able to reinstall my cats if I want to. Best way to see if there is a blockage in your a/c system would be to hook it up to the a/c pressure gauges and watch the high/low pressures. If the one jumps up high when the compressor cycles on then you have a blockage in that side of it