dukedkt442

Slight scratches, the kind you can't see but can just barely feel with the fingernail test, should't pose a problem. Mine has slight wear as described, and after the timing job, Runs like a new truck, powerful and smooth. I'm thinking they'd have to be completely trashed in order to make it idle rough. Dismantle everything for a thorough inspection, but I'm thinking you'll be fine with just doing a timing job. One thing's for certain, if you keep running it with a blown tensioner you'll definitely need a new engine in the future when it eats its chain(s). We have an '11 Expedition at work that did just that, and needed an engine at only 32k miles.

lawntruck

I pulled one cap on the drivers side and it was slight scratches. But was told the other side is usually worse and that with the rough idle was an indicator of the engine being toast. I think from what others have said the timing would only impact the start up issue and not the idle. Idle is driven by the cam damage.

dukedkt442

You're being fed a load of garbage. You have to realize what is going on. Your cam sprockets vary the timing between your piston strokes and your valves, and they are driven by hydraulic oil pressure. Because they aren't getting the appropriate pressure (they are at the end of the oiling circuit), they are not operating as they should, and the vehicle's PCM gets "confused", as it's "orders aren't being followed" to put it simply, which can certainly affect idle. The passenger side is not always the worse side, you can't presume that it is. Scratches in cam towers aren't going to cause the rough idling you've described unless the cams are physically dancing around in their homes, which you'd definitely hear. If the cams are damaged, you can replace them, but I doubt they are.

Your clogged VCT solenoids and and spark plugs in desperate need of replacement are likely much more the cause of your rough idle than slight scratches in your cam caps.

If you want to buy a new engine go for it, it's your money. I'd fix it and take it another 150k miles for a fraction of the price.

lawntruck

I replaced the plugs, thinking that was the cause of the rough idle. I disconnected the solenoids and the idle was good, but lost power. I was thinking to change them but was getting the advice that the scratches were doom and only an engine would cure it.

Eric Kleven

I ended up running Rotella T6 5w-40 for about 10k miles until I could get into the engine to change stuff, it worked quite well and the valvetrain was stable. 10w-30 diesel oil was not quite heavy enough to keep it stable at a hot idle. 5w-20 is a recipe for disaster after the engine has started to fail like this.