My truck (2005 5.4) (122,000 miles)sounded off this morning, after driving it about 600 yards, it started running terrible, so I came back home.

codes p0012, p0021 and p0303

would a misfire cause the other 2 codes, or the other way around? It’s running extremely rich.

full Ford timing job done 22,000 miles ago, new plugs 2000 miles ago. No other engine mods besides Edge tuner, setting 2.

I just can’t believe that both VCTs and or both phasers broke at the same time.

I've read a ton of threads, but most seem to be just post timing job.

before I start firing the parts cannon at it, hoping to get some direction.
Thanks

 

Very sorry to hear at only 22k out from a timing job. Makes me hold my breath every time I crank mine up. I'm 55k out - and everything has remained unbelievably perfect - now at 267k. (still smooth as glass and quiet as a mouse with the soft injector sounds).

I believe the P0303 was the result of the over retarded condition on bank 1. Considering the following - Over retarded reduces the amount of intake air and thus the amount of compression pressure. That brings on two conditions that that both can result in misfire codes on that bank. (low compression - and increased inert exhaust gases regurgitated /EGR/ into the process). Also it might NOT be absence of spark misfire. Might be simply that the detonation just didn't produce sufficient kick to accelerate crankshaft rotation speed enough to get above the misfire detection point. But in any case the P0012 and P0303 can be associated.

P0012 and P0022 together certainly will explain rough running with one bank normal and the other four cylinders running on reduced compression. But I don't think its time to conclude that BOTH phasers 'failed'.

Keep in mind - the 'condition' causing them only requires five seconds, and they are sticky after being triggered, even if the 'condition' causing them disappears - for two drive cycles without re-occurrence or manually clearing the codes. This doesn't tell us anything about why they both occurred together, but just might provide another piece to the puzzle as diagnostics proceeds.

Here's wishing you Good luck !!

 

A bit of an update:
cleared codes via Edge, still ran poorly, but then the only codes were random misfires, and specific misfires on 1, 3 and 4. Replaced coil and plug on #3. No change. The plug, for only having a couple thousand miles looked wet as well as inside the cylinder. Stuck injector? Not sure how to tell.

disconnected battery, now p2196 and p0012.

Disconnected VCTs, no change

runs smoothly above 2k in park. Put it in gear and it immediately dies.

lost at this point, I’m not sure if an O2 sensor would make it run that badly.

 

O2 sensor could negatively effect an otherwise good running engine - but in this case, I'm going to say NO.

Trust the PCM (who is the closest to the problem) and address codes it reports and all possible causes / scenarios that might produce THEM. P2196 (Stuck Rich) - will occur when the fuel / air ratio is too rich. When a cam is over retarded (a fact due to P0012) the intake stroke is 'shortened' and much less air is drawn in via the MAF sensor. The PCM will attempt to compensate by reducing injector pulse width (trim) on that bank. If the trim CANNOT be reduced enough to correct the over-rich condition you will get P2196.

Even though a phaser job was done recently (past 22k miles), it unfortunately sounds to me like the Bank 1 phaser is NOT able to 'reliably' send the phaser back to Base timing when the PCM removes all duty cycle pulses from the bank 1 VCT. ---- /// could the bank 1 VCT solenoid be sticking partially open ???. If you rev the engine up to around 1500 (with NO LOAD) - where the oil pressure should be adequate to push the phaser to full advance -, then UNPLUG the bank 1 VCT to prevent it from being actuated. Will it idle smooth then?

Just some thoughts that might help.

 

Thanks, I'll test the VCT today.

Definitely not excited about redoing the timing job, if that's what is wrong. It might be time to move on if that's the case.

I'll see if I can see the phaser with my snake camera, if it's not lined up, I won't have to dig any further.

 

Given the sudden occurrence of the symptom, it sadly seems something mechanically failed - probably not general oil pressure related, though could be a flow issue in that head, or VCT.

If you have Torque Pro on an Android device, my Phaser diagnostics dashboard would provide a great deal of guidance. You can see cam movement, current error, accumulation of error and duty cycle and everything. It would tell you if the phaser fingers are lined up with the timing mark at idle. (If you're not on android, it would be worth picking up a junk android phone - don't even have to be activated as long as BlueTooth works - and put the $5.00 Torque Pro App on it).

 

Given that I have zero patience, I decided to do some cursory investigation. Not a good start, but don’t think this is the smoking gun.

I’m gonna try and take off the valve cover, but I’ll have to do it without drawing down the A/C, no one around here can do it.

 

^^^ THAT - may not be a smoking gun, but it IS a F' ed UP VCT SOLENOID.

I would say it is where your problems BEGAN. Hard to say for sure if it took other things with it. But those little fragments of screen will not pass through some of the smallest passage ways inside of the Phaser, and I would say it could even bind up one of the vanes inside a phaser chamber. No way to know other than trying it. I (for one of many members here) are hoping the piece of VCT screen just went out the bottom of the VCT and into the pan. Good luck.

 

Maybe snake cam your oil pan? See if you can see fragments

 

I did that today before I started taking it apart. No metal in the oil/pan or filter. I'm hoping it's just the phaser and can get away with just taking off the valve covers..

Anyone have a suggestion on getting the bacb lower VC bolt out? The trans dipstick is in the way. I can't remember from the last time I took it off. All the videos show the left side in detail, then just say do the same on the right side ?.

I'll be fighting that one tomorrow and praying I can ease over the AC lines. I had taken them off last time. Hard to believe it's been more than 4 years since I did any of this.