The Final Repair Guide to 5.4 Cam Phaser Tick/Knock Sound
Texas A&M Aggie
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 7,527
Likes: 1,352
From: Pasadena, TX
The Final Repair Guide to 5.4 Cam Phaser Tick/Knock Sound
Anyone have issues with the valve cover leaking after reinstallation? I used new felpro gaskets and have everything on to the proper torque (as close as I can tell at the rear). The oil leak is by the firewall and when we rev it in the driveway (replaced the radiator as well and needed the engine to get hot to check for leaks of coolant) you can see a stream of oil pour from the rear of the valve cover. I scraped the cylinder head all the way around and got it clean before reinstallation so I'm confused. To the best of my knowledge the gasket didn't come out of the groove in the valve cover, and I have since tightened the rear bolts up pretty tight hoping it would seal it off.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,062
Likes: 50
Anyone have issues with the valve cover leaking after reinstallation? I used new felpro gaskets and have everything on to the proper torque (as close as I can tell at the rear). The oil leak is by the firewall and when we rev it in the driveway (replaced the radiator as well and needed the engine to get hot to check for leaks of coolant) you can see a stream of oil pour from the rear of the valve cover. I scraped the cylinder head all the way around and got it clean before reinstallation so I'm confused. To the best of my knowledge the gasket didn't come out of the groove in the valve cover, and I have since tightened the rear bolts up pretty tight hoping it would seal it off.
Texas A&M Aggie
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 7,527
Likes: 1,352
From: Pasadena, TX
What I believe happened is since I started at the front of the cover and worked backwards tightening bolts it put the back in a bind and wouldn't allow it to properly seal. Pulled it back off, cleaned the cylinder head up some more, then reinstalled it starting in the middle of the valve cover. It's all good now. Engine is running strong and has a slight tick from what I assume to be the valves (normal noise).
Parts replaced:
Phasers
Tensioners
Guides
Chains
Crankshaft Sprocket
Timing Cover Gasket
Crankshaft Gasket
Valve Cover Gaskets
Goodyear Gatorback Serpentine Belt
Radiator
Spark Plugs
Had to replace the radiator because we used too long of bolts putting the shroud back on and punctured the plastic on the radiator... It had bolts that extended a little in the plastic end caps, I lost a couple fan bolts somehow so I used the fan shroud bolts on the fan and grabbed some longer bolts which extended further into the plastic and punctured it. We put in a new radiator, put the original fan shroud bolts in the fan, grabbed the fan bolts and reattached the fan shroud to avoid puncturing the plastic again.
Parts replaced:
Phasers
Tensioners
Guides
Chains
Crankshaft Sprocket
Timing Cover Gasket
Crankshaft Gasket
Valve Cover Gaskets
Goodyear Gatorback Serpentine Belt
Radiator
Spark Plugs
Had to replace the radiator because we used too long of bolts putting the shroud back on and punctured the plastic on the radiator... It had bolts that extended a little in the plastic end caps, I lost a couple fan bolts somehow so I used the fan shroud bolts on the fan and grabbed some longer bolts which extended further into the plastic and punctured it. We put in a new radiator, put the original fan shroud bolts in the fan, grabbed the fan bolts and reattached the fan shroud to avoid puncturing the plastic again.
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 354
Likes: 35
From: USA
2009-5.4
I bought new.
Always Motorcraft oil & filters
I have always done all my maintenance/service work the last 25yrs.
At 8x,xxx miles
March 2014
heard a very small sound difference at top of engine .
Was told I shouldn't be concerned from guy at the ford co.
Started researching online & noticed the 5.4 3v were having issues & so I waited to see.
November 2014
I was turning around in my yard my truck started stumbling & acted like it was going to shut off. I increased the throttle & the stumble stopped. I then noticed that the engine sounded like it was going to throw a rod on the passenger side of the engine/truck. (was told it was likely the chain had slapped the timing cover & was a sign the cam phaser issue)
A couple hours later I hooked to my boat/trailer to relocate it in the yard & noticed that when I slightly increased the throttle against the load the knock sound (almost a preignition "type" rattle sound) was noticeable. (Also noticeable when throttling into the brakes)
The next day when I went to start my truck the engine went into a long start no-start-mode so I turned the key off, 15min later I tried again & the engine started. I couldnt get the noise to recur after start up so I let it idle for roughly 30min before trying to get the noise to recur but still nothing.
I drove it a few miles & the noise was very lite sounding. I let the engine run roughly another 30min & no change in sound.
March2015
90,xxx miles
I drove my truck around town & went home, about 5minutes later I started the truck & it started dieseling so I shut the engine down, pushed the throttle to the floor so to spin the oil pump without starting (neat trick I read somewhere as the engine will not start at WOT).
I released the throttle & let the engine start & then I drove it to town.
A day or 2 later I let the truck warm up some (winter) & then headed towards town. Well something new happened, the engine shut off going down the road at about 50mph. A oil light had lit up (checked oil & was ok) & the engine would not restart. I ended up unhooking the battery & let it sit for a bit before reconnecting & then the engine started up.
(It still has that preignition "type" rattle sound if you listen for it)
The symptoms Ive been seeing have pretty much been showing up basically in cold weather months. Just thought it was interesting.
.
Im in the middle of dissembling my engine now.
I can press the passenger side chain together with the tip of my fingers with some force I can get the chain halfs to contact.
As for my timing cover I see a small spot on the ribbing about 1/2" that the chain had contacted & there was very small pieces of aluminum on the edge of the chain pins.
Driver side chain is tight.
My guides are in intact.
My stock plugs are 1 piece but ford now has treads exposed inside the combustion chambers. I had to work the sparkplug back & forth to clean the exposed treads off before the plugs would fully back out (I can see why the 2-piece sparkplug could cause such havoc)
The very small platinum tip on #8 plug was worn off.
NOTE:
I pulled the spare tire down to check the Fuel pump driver module & my model is all plastic compared to the earlier models. Pics here
https://www.f150forum.com/f4/fuel-pu...52908/index18/
.
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 709
Likes: 60
From: Starkville, MS
Im in the middle of dissembling my engine now.
I can press the passenger side chain together with the tip of my fingers with some force I can get the chain halfs to contact.
As for my timing cover I see a small spot on the ribbing about 1/2" that the chain had contacted & there was very small pieces of aluminum on the edge of the chain pins.
Driver side chain is tight.
My guides are in intact.
My stock plugs are 1 piece but ford now has treads exposed inside the combustion chambers. I had to work the sparkplug back & forth to clean the exposed treads off before the plugs would fully back out (I can see why the 2-piece sparkplug could cause such havoc)
The very small platinum tip on #8 plug was worn off.
NOTE:
I pulled the spare tire down to check the Fuel pump driver module & my model is all plastic compared to the earlier models. Pics here
https://www.f150forum.com/f4/fuel-pu...52908/index18/
.
I can press the passenger side chain together with the tip of my fingers with some force I can get the chain halfs to contact.
As for my timing cover I see a small spot on the ribbing about 1/2" that the chain had contacted & there was very small pieces of aluminum on the edge of the chain pins.
Driver side chain is tight.
My guides are in intact.
My stock plugs are 1 piece but ford now has treads exposed inside the combustion chambers. I had to work the sparkplug back & forth to clean the exposed treads off before the plugs would fully back out (I can see why the 2-piece sparkplug could cause such havoc)
The very small platinum tip on #8 plug was worn off.
NOTE:
I pulled the spare tire down to check the Fuel pump driver module & my model is all plastic compared to the earlier models. Pics here
https://www.f150forum.com/f4/fuel-pu...52908/index18/
.