I hear what you are saying. No offense taken.
I will be replacing oil pump with Melling M360. New timing chains,tensioners and guides.
No emission testing where I live so no concern there.
I don't expect tuner to fix oil pressure, not even sure it is low oil pressure that is causing my problems, it could well be a leaking tensioner but I can't verify until it is in my hand. Its getting oil pump as I have 200K miles and can't see leaving the old one in there as I will be that close. The Melling M360 is recommended as an upgrade from stock. With high miles it can't hurt any, and the cost isn't that much so cheap insurance I'd say.
With the Phasers locked, I can't see how they could ever make noise again? I'm not expecting any added performance, just a job done and over with. Without risk of more phaser issues.
I've read threads right here in this forum of guys who used the Livernois kit and say their trucks run great and also much quieter than ever before with barely noticeable difference in performance. I am not sure why everyone is so in love with this system. Granted when it works right it provides some benefits but it can be big pain in the butt too. My truck has high miles, and I can't guarantee it will run good with the phasers working. I can't see replacing phasers at $200+ each to find that they could possibly make noise later? These first VVT engines are trouble, some have been in as little as 70K miles. Sludge they say is an issue, my truck has 200K, I am sure it has sludge with good service record or not. I bet if I took it to Ford they would tell me I need a new engine.
Ive dealt with that before on a 2004 company truck. We replaced a Left cam, lifters and phaser and VCT solenoid at Ford. They wanted to replace engine at some outrageous price. Truck ran good after but always made noise at the phaser. That truck was around 150K miles then, with perfect service history. It was the second phaser on driver side. Truck is still running now 2 yrs later ticking away at the phaser, otherwise running good.
My truck will run good too, just without the phaser ticking.
Worst case scenario, if the truck runs that poorly with the lockout and the tune, putting a phaser back in it and removing the tune is not a big deal.

 

Based on my experience in monitoring OBDII signals relating to the VVT System with Torque Pro scanner, the detrimental effects of lockouts all are of the nature that NO-ONE can sense them in drivability. https://www.f150forum.com/f4/final-r...8/#post4670768 Cams are retarded to some degree in a wide majority of time in urban, city, freeway, or highway driving, but under conditions with lighter acceleration.


It's only when the driver demands power - taking off from a red light, entering a freeway, or passing, the PCM drops out of closed loop and advances cams to full advance. You wouldn't notice any difference with or without lockouts as cams are advanced anyway. Pulling a trailer or pulling a boat out of a launch - cams are fully advanced. You wouldn't notice any difference.


AND just about NO ONE can tell the difference in cruse accelerator peddle pressure between 17% or 21%. Or going up a gentle grade at 1500 RPM requiring 40% accelerator instead of 30%. Those are the places where the PCM retards the cams.


You won't ever notice the coolant system is removing more cylinder head temperature unless you check CAT operating temperatures, check mileage over a few tanks, or monitor engine performance / efficiency characteristics with an OBD scanner for Horsepower or Torque or do an emissions test.

 

I am more than pleased with my lockouts. I changed the chains, guides tensioners etc. Knowing that I will not have any future issue is great. Truck sounds good and performs well. There is an SCT tune stacked on the Livernois tune, a Cold air kit and a Sprint Booster (removes all drive by wire delay). My truck out performs my buddies 2013 with the 5.0 (same gears) and maintains a better market value. Our local market understands the phaser issue, and any truck that has the lockout installed has an increased value. Who wants a truck that sounds like a diesel? Not me.


The new motors, use different technology for cam phasing. This was not an accident.
I would like to see a lockout kit installed without the Livernois tune ($$$$$) and just a disconnect of the VCTs and see what would change. Maybe all you would get would be the codes ?

 

I don't see the lockout being the reason yours preforms better. I would say the tune is why you are seeing the preformance increase. And what exactly is your definition of preforming better? Also have you researched CAI for this truck or any vehicle?

 

Here is a guy who has tried it. Seems all he got was P0011 and P0021.


http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/14...installed.html


I've always said that if I was going to lock out the phasers, I would just take a short 1/4" bolt with nut, stick it in one of the chambers (of the OLD Phaser) and back the nut off against the other side nice and tight and leave it at that. The sprockets NEVER wear out any way. Why pay for new Phasers, or $700 to Livernois, or even $100 for an aluminum wedge.
In fact, unless you have other serious issues, all that is needed is to just UNPLUG the VCT Solenoids an leave them. That routes 100% of the available oil supply through the VCT (spool valves) into the advance chambers.


Nothing here should be construed to mean I am in favor of lockouts.

 

Thats promising F150Torqued. I looked at the post you gave us the link to.
I wondered the same thing, if the engine would run ok with just lockouts? I'm sure it must lose some efficiency but it appears to work, at least not destroy the truck!

I am about to tackle my timing chains and had every intention of using Livernois lock kit. The only hangup I have is the cost. $700. I did a little ebay shopping and through anothe forum members thread, I found a supplier that sells the wedges and I bought them. I also bought 2 new phaser bolts. I'm not sure I buy the , can't re-use the bolts idea, but I am replacing them anyway as I don't want to deal with this again, and I don't want any issues during the project. So I have about $45 into the phaser locks/bolts now. I see that some people said they paid $100 for a tune for this situation.I assume they already had a tuner. I don't. So I bought one from MPT for $449 with 3 custom tunes to install after the job is done. So my phaser lock will cost me $500 vs Livernois $700. I have no idea what the difference will be in performance or function. But I will certainly keep posting on what happens after the job so others can decide if this is a route for them.
I am not 100% sure, but I think my trucks problem is the driver side timing chain, guide or tensioner. What little of it could check from the VCT hole in valve cover, it was VERY loose. I have 200K miles, anything is possible, broken guide, leaking tensioner, worn chain? We will know soon! I am replacing it all. And locking those beloved phasers.

Does anyone know if you can replace the oil pump without dropping the oil pan? I wasn't sure if there is room to get the sump bolts off the pump with the pan in place? If I don't find broken stuff or excessive sludge I would rather not bother removing the pan. If I have to then it is what it is.

 

It's been a couple years , but I replaced mine without dropping the pan. If I remember correct there is two bolts holding on the pick up tube. Small wrench lots of patience and holding your tounge just right.

 

It can be done as I replaced mine without removing the pan, reinstalling the bolts were VERY aggravating as you hold the bolt with the ends of your fingers & push the bolt up with a screwdriver & then turn the bolt with your fingers (IF you have large fingers then dont bother).
I was upside down inside the engine compartment for a good bit of time. I dropped the bolt a few times but that flat area of the pan was accessible with a magnet.


.

 

I would say, at 200k, its more than just a possibility its broken guides, tensioners, worn chains. Take a Look at what mine looked like (in the 6th photo), and the engine was running / performing remarkable well. Only chain rattle at startup - and around 1500-1800 in neutral.http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/14...l#post16202872


I believe, IMHO - "it might be possible - but not advisable". It seems like the plastic guides, when they break, get chewed up / mangled pretty damn good. But MANY of the pieces wind up really jammed into the pickup screen. Many of the small pieces of plastic from guides (shown in the above linked photos) were clogging into the P/U screen pretty well. You certainly cannot remove the pickup screen without dropping the pan. And I feel it is very worthwhile insurance to clean everything out of the pan / screen as good as humanly possible.

 

LOL What do you mean when you say you have an SCT tune stacked on top of a Livernoise tune? If you could stack tunes for more horsepower I would have 80 tuners and a thousand horsepower!