Yes you are correct and we have seen this before.
My comments are you will want to inspect the camshaft journal caps for excessive wear. Drop the oil pan and clean it out along with the oil pump pickup screen. Hopefully the oil filter caught all the glitter, but you may want to pull the vcr housings from the front of the threads and do a thorough cleaning out of f those too as to hopefully prevent any shavings from plugging up your new parts.

 

so I know this is a older post and I am sure someone has asked. If if its repetitive i am sorry for that. My question is does the cams and rollers have to be removed to do this timing chain and guides and phaser job? FordTechMacuLoco videos strongly advise of removing them

 

Nope. You just might need vise grips to hold the cam in position while lining up the chain on the phaser because with all the sam followers in there is a tendency for the cam to roll one way or the other due to valve spring pressure. That's why the procedure has removal of 3 followers on each side at strategic locations to prevent that, but there are other ways.

 

saweet. So I have removed the three followers on each side. The rear one on the drivers side up against the firewall I struggled with because I think I stretched my tool...... operator error. Now I have it all tore apart. So if I understand this right I do not have to take the rest of the followers off now as long I don't move the cam. They have moved aa smidge when I took the phasers off. I have the new oil pump going to replace that tomorrow and just ordered the timing chain/tensioner kit

 

Timing cover rub? Where? I'll show you timing cover rub! (see my photo) <sarc>:

I feel your pain bro! My engine was a far bigger disaster but it survived and purrs like new after the timing gear was replaced and an oil pump upgrade. There's a ton of great advice on this forum. We've all been there and done it. Just remember to do a COMPLETE job an use good parts. Don't fall for the cheap aftermarket crap. You MUST pull your pan and dig out all the crap in there. It's not that difficult unless you're one of the unfortunate ones who has stuck bolts in the axle. Apparently it's more fun to have a prostate exam than take those out. Lol. Luckily mine came out first try.

The timing cover shrapnel is already past your filter so you know it's been pumped through the oil galleys. Not all of it will fall into the pan. There are tiny places it can collect such as up in the heads and cam caps. I ended up making made a special adapter so I could pump oil into the engine while it was apart so I could at least try to get some of the crap out of it. I also replaced the oil pickup tube as it was so clogged with chain tensioners and shrapnel. Your timing cover damage is nothing compared to most. Consider yourself lucky. I would be concerned of your cam caps. Mine was torn to hell and the heads should have been completely replaced, but I couldn't afford them at the time so I had no choice to re-use them. Another Ford blunder by not using bearings up there. Just straight aluminum caps. And NO you just can't get new caps. They are line-bored to each head in case you're wondering.

My pictures are in this thread somewhere (I think) of what a mess mine was, so fear not. There are engines on this forum that far exceed your damage and lived to tell about it.

And don't forget to watch all 4 parts of Maculoco's YouTube videos of the 5.4 timing job. He is the boss of these engines. Follow them like gospel and you won't go wrong. Take your time and do it right.

You got this! Keep us posted!

 

Thank you Stankyjeans for the good words,

Your motor was resuscitated, Great!

I did remove the right side first cam cap and did find some little score in the casting. Not big but it’s there. Lack of lube obviously.

What about the Cloyes parts, any good??

Dan

 

I am interested in the mustang mod on the metal tensioners . They cut the last 4 ridges off so that it will not lock when the high oil pressure is pushing too hard . Still no seal to blow . I now understand why to use the lower pressure 340 pump and not the 360 unless you are racing and tearing down frequently .
I did not have the metal ones during my timing job been 125k since then . Nor was the hv oil pumps out.
If I go back in one more time I will use the metal ones and only replace certain items not the full job . After 252 k you have to do a shortcut job or a full reman . Possibly the rollers and chain maybe guides .
But I still live by an engine flush every other change plus 1 quart marvel M oil .

 

I have a question for those of you who put in a mechanical gauge when doing the timing repair. Do any of you notice a little bit of fluctuation on the gauge at hot idle? my gauge seems to jump just a little bit. I put in a Melling 360 HV when doing the timing repair. Mybe I'm just being paranoid. Thanks for any feedback.

 

Which parts to use has been a huge argument, but most that have done the repair (including Ford Tech Maculoco on YouTube) will recommend OEM parts only especially the phasers and VCT's. Melling is good too as they are pretty much the same as OEM. I would also suggest the steel 'ratcheting' chain tensioners. Apparently Ford did upgrade the plastic ones with better seals, but like many on here, we don't trust them.

I went with the older-style Melling steel tensioners that don't require a gasket. I figure if I can eliminate the gasket - that's one less thing to fail. And PS: If you use the Melling steel tensioners.. DO NOT use the back plates that come with them! They will block the oil flow!! (don't ask me how I know this.. LOL! ).

If you're selling the truck, then you can probably get away with aftermarket parts, but if you intend on keeping it, don't mess around and get OEM Ford from a REPUTABLE parts source such as Ford Parts Giant, Rock Auto, etc. There are loads of fakes out there and if the price is too good to be true.. IT IS! Yes, we all know how expensive the OEM parts are. Just don't skimp or you WILL regret it.

I'd also agree with many others that it was the sh*tty oil pump and bad tensioners Ford used in the beginning that doomed this engine. Had they used a decent pump from the get-go and stuck with the steel tensioners, it's likely we wouldn't have so many busted Triton's today. It would have also been nice if Ford used real cam bearings, but that's for another argument.

Something else you might do when you're shopping for parts: Keep the price of a new truck in your head and you'll see just how cheap a timing job is!

 

Funny you mentioned this as I thought I was alone! My mechanical gauge does bounce a bit too between 25-30 (hot idle). No engine noise or rattle at the same time - just a quick little needle bounce. I just figured it was air in the line or possible electrical glitch in the gauge. My engine runs and sounds excellent, so I don't worry.

PS: I put the M340HV pump in mine. I was going to use the M360HV but decided against it. The only difference is the pressure if I recall (and the extra expense). The 340HV is working great in mine. Using 5W-30, I get 25-30 psi hot idle and 60-70 cold even with all the damage my engine has. I realize my gauge isn't top-notch and 100% accurate, but it's close enough. Certainly better than the idiot gauge our trucks came with.