So I'm gathering parts and tools to change out the lash adjusters on my 04 f150 5.4 and I'm trying to figure out which style lifter to use. The ones with the groove or the ones without. I have a vin code of 5. When I look it up both styles show up as they will work for my truck. Will they both work? I don't have it apart yet so I can't tell and I don't want to take it apart to find out I got the wrong ones to do it all over again. Also I was wondering if I should change the followers and do I need the spring compressor tool to remove the cam and followers? Thanks for the help

 

I bought mine on ebay in 2014 from OEM Select, they had one type that was specifically for my 04. You may want to check them out, the lash adjusters came with the followers, I would change them all out at the same time. If you remove the cams, you will not need a spring compressor, but make sure that you mark your timing chains and phasers with a paint marker or something like that so you can line them back up. You will also need the timing chain wedge tool so that you chain stays in place and new Phaser bolts to reinstall them, they are 1 time use. Look up the proper torque procedures for the phaser bolt as well. Mark the cams good on the caps and the cams so they line back up and make sure the caps go back on the same positions and pointing the correct direction. IMO you will not regret changing out the lash adjusters and followers and will probably find a few bad ones. Make sure you soak the new ones in a bowl of oil and bleed them while submerged in oil to get any air out of them prior to installing. May also be a good time to change your phasers if you are having any other noises.
Good luck
Tom

 

I already did the phasers,chains, tensioners and solenoids a few months ago, should have done the followers and lifters while I was in there but they didn't make any noise like they were going out. I think I have all the other stuff, I just need to get the lifters and followers and I've been trying to figure which ones to get for a week now.

 

You dont need to remove the cams to change lash adjusters, you can use a large flat tip screw driver to remove the followers and pull the lash adjuster out with needle nose pliers. Ive done this on a 4v motor, where I had 16 to change, not just 8.

 

I'll definitely try it before removing the cam but from what I read on hear you can't change all of them without removing the cam.