Motorcraft. What was the original phaser brand you tried?

 

I'm not sure, I got it off the internet. I called my local Ford dealer and the Mechanic told me it didn't matter because it was junk engineering from Ford and a 50/50 chance it would last or I could be fixing again in 2 days. Well, it was 2 days... fml! I did research where they were all manufactured and it was pretty much 3 choices, I apparently made the wrong one but they gave me a full refund. Every one around town wants to sale me doorman'S or a little cheaper oem... I'm getting broke but this is my only ride and an expensive boat anchor...

 

Better reply above, just figuring out how to reply. On rock auto Motorcraft was not an option...

 

hit up the OEMselect store on eBay, he's usually got great prices. That's where I got mine.

 

That is where I got the one I am needing to replace after probably less then 2 hours of run time. Great price minus the $500 tow bill and sending back, plus tear down and re-repair time. Thanks though. I realize these things happen but I prefer to try a new brand I think. So, any thoughts on keep trying with 5.4 or trying 5.0?

 

^what brand of phasers did you use? Aftermarket phasers are known here for premature failure, OEM is the way to go with phasers.

Sorry, already see replies after mine was being typed. As others have said, OEMSelect is a good site for phasers, thats where I got mine about 2 years ago and still no issues.
Good Luck
Tom

 

Okay, let's start at the beginning:


2004 F150 Lariat SCREW had the right cam phaser fail with CE code at 30,000. I had the Dealer replace it for $850, looked like a big job at the time, more than I wanted to tackle. 30,000 later I am replacing the squeaking serpentine pulleys and started the truck up and immediately went to check for problems. The engine was banging so loud that I turned it off. Restarted and it still banged but quieted up and went away. The pulleys got rid of a masking squeak and now I could hear the phaser ticking loudly. I put two and two together and realized the banging was a bad tensioner and that would soon ruin the phaser.


Some shopping and surfing led me here, a fantastic write up, thanks everyone, even though I ONLY read the first 60 pages. Anyway, bought the Ford OEM Cam Phaser kit from OEM Select Parts on Amazon. You can get it $40 cheaper buying direct from them on EBAY.


First, getting the fan bolt off is easy using a chain!
It wasn't my idea, found this on .

Next is the power steering pump. Get some metric (10mm) swivel head ratcheting combo wrenches, will save an hour of time. There are as described 3 bolts. The fourth is just an alignment pin. The bottom bolt is very difficult to get to because it is blocked by the high pressure line to the rack. I had to use a 13mm open end wrench to turn this line at the pump freeing up enough space to get a 10mm swivel head ratchet combo on it, then loosened all 3 bolts. Need to remove the high pressure line tie down at the bottom left of the timing cover and then finish backing out the bottom PS bolt. More to come...

 

Okay, got both of the valve covers off today. Driver's side wasn't bad, got the power steering pump off and the 18mm bolt holding the resevoir brace without trouble. Pulled the pcv line and moved the harnesses.


Passenger side is more difficult. Pulled the battery and box and the PCM and its mount, easy and provides lots more room to work. Completely disconnected the harness that goes to the AC and the oil pan so that I could get the whole harness mess out of the way. Sooner or later the car manufacturers are going to have invent something better than harnesses. Anyway, I didn't touch the AC other than unbolting the accumulater and pushing it back a bit. Left the trans diptube in place. One of the bottom valve cover bolts is easier gotten from the rear of the wheel well.


Both phasers and chains were tight. The cam lobes look fine and everything looks good and clean. The new phasers, even the one that the dealer put in, have clock springs that are thinner than the original.


Going well so far.


Oh yeah, forgot to say that I put in the new water pump. Also found out that the sleeze bags who replaced the windshield busted or lost the passenger side push-pin receptacle. So...they just stuffed a bunch of putty under there and stuck the pin into the putty. It held for about a week.

And again forgot to mention that I filled the spark plug wells with kroil and mayyybee will try to remove the plugs, maybe.

 

Okay, got the new phasers and chains in but I am real uncomfortable with the timing procedure.


Lined up the double links with the phasers and the single link with the crank dot, but the right phaser looks like a different angle than the original.


If the links are properly lined up is there anything else that could cause the timing to be off?

 

No sir. If you have chain marks like you describe (Like the attached drawing) you have nothing ELSE to worry about as for chain timing. Don't let your confidence be shaken. You may have chain slack at spots if you manually rotate the engine, and once you move the engine, the chain marks will NOT ALIGN again for 122 full engine revolutions. So make sure they're RIGHT, and go forward.


GOOD LUCK