Timing tensioner.
 

pulled my truck apart tonight, 04 5.4 3v, has rattle at start up and knock at idle. when I pulled it apart I worked the tensioners to see if either were free or blown. both sides of the engine had oil on the chain guides, but the driver side tensioner has a pin hole in top of if that when I press the tensioner pin in, pushes oil out of the top. small piece of wire/metal in it. they are duralast tensioners. any ideas on if that hole is supposed to be there, or what caused it?

Tensioner
 

I changed my guides after one broke and noticed that the tensioner on the driver's side blew oil out of the gasket when compressed. I replaced both tensioners with cast iron ones from a 2V 5.4 (1999 f150). They bolted up to the 3V 5.4 block perfectly and have been great ever since (about 12,000 miles). I think the iron design is superior to the plastic ones. The part numbers are: cloyes 9-5338 & 9-5339.

Timing tensioner.
 

I replaced everything again with dorman. I seen the new tensioner didn't have the pin hole. 3rd time I've done it, I'm just strapped for money to do the lockout or ford parts. this time the guide pin on the phaser broke off. put it all back together and I had a twisted valve cover gasket so I need to pull the pass side off. runs a lot quieter, just has low idle, around 500. not sure if I need 02 sensors or what. I'll look into them next I believe, and header/cat set up.

Timing tensioner.
 

should have stated there, only reason I used dorman parts again is cause they were all warranteed.