I know there are lots of threads asking about lockouts. I have read through many, and the reason I started my own is due to a good amount of time passing between when any of those were updated and now. My truck is an 05 XLT 5.4, I have right around 120,000. My dilemma is this, My chains and guides more than likely need to be replaced as well, So I am looking at $749 for the lockout kit, and then another $500 for the timing kit minus phasers. Or I can just spend $800 for the Ford timing kit with phasers. What has the experience been on the lockouts? Is there a positive to it? Is there any drawbacks to it? My Mechanic is in love with the idea of the lockouts, although he has yet to do it to his Expedition. I really enjoy the Variable Valve timing.

Thanks in advance for your experience.

 

Disclaimer - I don't have the lockouts.

If your oil change habits are good and there's evidence under the valve covers that your oil is flowing just fine, I say go with just the Ford OEM kit and call it a day. No need for the lockouts.

 

I debated this for a while and went with a full timing job. I also convinced on of my friends dads to not go the route of lockouts. @F150Torqued can tell you a lot of the details he has seen in a working engine. My decision was based on the fact that 1) you will lose some power and efficiency. 2) It not the right way and not the way the truck is designed. 3) and the biggest reason, the real problem is usually lack of oil pressure which if not addressed will cause many more problems. Hope this helps.

 

I'll throw this out there, if these engines can withstand the abuse that I have put my poor truck through, with proper maintenance they should last forever!

 

My thoughts exactly. Yes, Ford dropped the ball, but they spent many millions of dollars developing the system.

 

I don't know all the exact differences but this type of system has been around for a long time and used on many vehicles. I think Fiat was the first sometime in the 60's....maybe?

 

Or 1830, with the Stephenson valve gear

 

Keep your engine clean using good syn oil . Use mc filters from wally world they are cheap and have a good drain back valve . Change oil no more than 5k . It is the combustion carbon in oil that jams up stuff .
The phasor circuit is a hydraulic mechanism controlled by the pcm using electric pulses to the VCTS using dirty engine oil to phasors . .
The whole problem is dirty oil/jammed oil pickup with plastic guide pieces and blown gaskets on plastic tensioners . Use ratcheting metal tensioners ,they don't need or have gaskets . At start up the ratchet holds tension until oil pressure comes up .That goes along way in stopping chains from whipping, breaking guides /jumping time . This circuit works very hard use oem phasors/VCT's. .
My whole timing job with new lash adjusters ,rollers , melling oil pump,phasors,VCTs , all oem timing parts except tensioners.
Ran around $1400 . I would recommend lash adjusters/rollers if you are north of 100k.
Seems to me that $749 for lockouts goes a long way in doing this job . If you lose your PCM they charge you another $749 . I talked to them about that . This does nothing to fix guides or jumping time or helping oil flow .
The better oil pump is a good thing as all these parts need good oil pressure . If you do a good job on cleaning vct bodies/heads and getting oil pan /oil pickup cleaned up you shouldn't have trouble for a long time . Low oil pressure is very bad for cams/ journals /rollers /lash adjusters .
Don't fall for extended oil changes , I don't care if its holy oil ,it gets carbon in it .

 

That is why I ask. I know I have a broken guide, So I will have to tear down the whole front of the motor anyway, While I'm there I may as well replace the oil pump (I am a firm believer in changing what you can when it is harder to do it if it fails). I just doesn't make sense to do the whole thing while I am there. If I didn't need guides or chains then I may go with the lockouts. I'm just trying to find if anyone has experience with pros and cons. Both for Lockouts and for the right repair. I currently get about 11 MPG city, even a small hit is big for me.

 

I went the "correct" route with my timing. Truck runs better than it ever has.