RSPauls

Back in August 2018 I started my 2009 4x4 5.4 with 115K and it ran rough. Drove it 3 miles stopped it. let it sit for 10 minutes and started it up again and it ran fine. The engine light came on so next day took it to my mechanic and both left and right cam phaser thru a code. Sorry ... I can't remember the code #. He told me its weird for both to go bad at the same time. The truck was running fine when I took it in. No ticks. No knocking. Running smooth. Mechanic said to run it for awhile to see if codes would lite up again. So we are now in march 2018 with 8000 more miles on the truck. I took it on a 2000 mile trip. Last time I changed oil I decided to to go with 5 - 30. The Truck Runs SMOOTH. No Ticks. Nothing .......

Question1 - Any Ideas what happened and why its fine now????????
Question2 - What percentage of these engines DON'T have trouble with the cam phasers? Ya hear a lot of bad. Or Is it like the old 5.4 spitting plugs? Some did ... some didn't. My 97 went 210K before I sold it with no issues.

Thanks

DarrinT04

the 5.4's by this time had improved cam phasers over the previous generation. same with spark plugs

moparado

Since both phasers acted up at the same time with CELs, its probable it could of been a PCM hiccup or a glitch of another kind.
After 8k miles later and all is still fine, i wouldn't worry about it at least until it happens again...then report back.

BeaverLakeF150

5W30 not good. . . so the story goes . .

I am in the process of replacing a 5.4L in my '06 KR mostly just because its high mileage (200K with extensive towing) and when you add up timing job plus plugs plus other maintenance its about half the cost of just dropping a genuine ford remanufactured engine in and after the timing job you still have a high mileage engine. I don't have time at this point in my life to do anything more than oil changes and I take long towing trips that I need something I can trust. Also nice to have the 3 year 100k warranty on the engine swap.

In anycase, just yesterday in a conversation with the owner of the shop doing my engine swap, 5W30 is a huge no no in the 5.4 because the tolerances in the valve train are just too tight and the oiling holes are too small. Your top end may not rattle but it also will not get enough lubrication and over time it will make things much worse than the 5W20. Seems to know his stuff, I've only ever run 5w20 and never had a problem. The conversation shifted to all of the spark plugs he's had to fish out of the 5.4s and 4.6s over the years. . . etc.

RSPauls

Thanks Kenneth. The 5-20 vs 5-30 is an ongoing debate. I'll look into is some more and maybe go back.