Hey guys and Hey to the ladies on here as well. I recently posted about fault codes P0010, P0011 and P0021. So I bought new VCT solenoids and have been installing them which takes a minute thanks to the too small hole through the valve cover and having to remove each one but I digress. On the right side I noticed a little slack in the timing chain and honestly I can't remember if that's normal. The motor came from LKQ and is 4 years old with 53K miles on it, so not impressed with the current repairs needing to be done to this replacement motor in what I see as a small amount of time and miles. I've posted a small video below showing the issue.

 

Ok now this is a little strange but I pulled the front cover expecting to find a bad tensioner or guide or something that caused the slack in the chain but instead i found 2 perfectly tight chains and a very clean looking area. The only thing I can thing of is when I put it at TDC prior to pulling the crank pulley along with everything else is that when I replaced all the roller followers with the upgraded new design ones is maybe it got a little off. I marked everything prior to doing that job and all the marks lined up when I finished. I've put probably 5K miles atleast since. I did the RF. All this started from the codes P0010, P0011 and P0021. So I was in the process of.swapping the VCT's with new ones when i.noticed the slack. Has anyone run across this before or have a suggestion. I don't want to run out and buy a bunch of stuff i.dont need, the engine only has 53K miles on it.

 

I'm unfortunately unable to view your video, but I think a little slack in the chains is expected when the truck isnt running. Now that you have the cover off, how does it look as you turn it over? Also you mentioned marks from putting it together, those won't line up but every 100+ rotations. So don't be discouraged if they don't line up.

 

Yes a little slack is normal when the engine is not running, it's inevitable because the tensioners tension using oil pressure. No pressure = no tension.
If you want to make it so the slack is less when the pressure bleeds off go buy metal tensioners for a 97-03 f150 5.4l engine. Install them without the metal backing plates. They have a little metal racheting plunger inside that makes it so the tensioner only relaxes about 1/8 of an inch when the pressure bleeds off vs all the way for the stick plastic tensioners for the 04+ engines
you can replace them without any further disassembly or without removing anything else

Are the phasers in there genuine ford units?

 

After further review it looks like maybe you already have the metal tensioners. They should only have about 1/8" of plunger movement before the ratchet hits.

I can't see the video on my phone either but I'll get on my computer later and look or you can upload it to YouTube and post the link here