Quick question, I did a search and didn't see this specific issue. Also watched most of FordtechMakuloco's videos and he doesn't cover this either. 2005 5.4 3V, watching the engine run thru ForScan. Watching Phaser Duty Cycle, VCT Advance degrees and VCT Degrees of Error.

Observations:
-Bank 1 VCT works perfectly. Runs around 0-deg at idle and up around 30-40-deg rolling down the road. Error is very small (less than 1-deg).
-Bank 2 works fine running down the road, I can watch the VCT move back and forth with little error and it basically matches bank 1. At idle it can only get down to about 8-9 degrees. PCM is commanding 0-deg as the error is 8-9-degrees.
-Truck has a rough idle, and a definite tick at idle that goes away once you give it gas. Tick seems to be coming from the driver side (Bank 2).

I'm thinking Phaser return spring is busted on bank 2 which isn't allowing it to go back to 0-degrees of advance and lock the pin. Likely what is causing the tick as well. Solenoid is probably fine as the VCT does actuate otherwise. Planning on doing phasers and inspecting timing components while we're in there. Just wanted to make sure I'm not changing parts for nothing if there is another fix.

Cam chain tensioners are probably OK as the Bank 1 is working fine as it's at the end of the oil pathway. Will still inspect everything when the valve covers are off for the phasers and may end up pulling the front cover anyways and doing full timing set.

I believe these are original phasers with 180k miles on them so they are probably due anyways.

Thank you!

 

Your diagnosis, and operational understanding and description is excellent. Only problem, I believe (IMHO) that you are expecting too much from the Phaser clock spring. It is not strong enough to EVER overcome valve spring resistance cam lobes and move Phaser to Base timing. That 'requires' a certain level of oil pressure (IN THE CAM/VALVE TRAIN). There are numerous points for loss there. 12 lash adjusters, 4 cam bearing surfaces, Tensioner, and five phaser chambers/vanes that do not have seals.

I believe, with 180k miles, you probably have sagging oil pressure on that side that prevents proper operation. And probably broken guides - which is a common result from lack proper tensioner action due to lack of adequate oil pressure.

And all this will certainly give rough idle due to unbalance in breathing when cams are not synchronized.

 

Thanks for the reply and insight. By broken guides I assume you are referring to the cam chain guides?

Fordtechmakuloco was saying the oil feeds thru the driver-side head to the back of the engine and then crosses to the passenger head and then thru the passenger-side head to that Phaser. Wouldn't low oil pressure be causing more issues on the Bank 1 phaser? Bank 2 should be working better?

Perhaps the issue is worn vanes or something internal to the phaser?

What do you think about the solenoid? The fact that the phasers moves and responds quickly to inputs outside of idle tells me the solenoid is still working OK?

 

Unless the solenoid has some blockage or a sticky spot just at the end where it's supposed to return the phaser back to base timing? I dunno but with how easy it is to pull on an 05 I might pull it and inspect it / flush it out or maybe swap the solenoids side to side.

 

If your vcts are orig then they should be changed as there are improved ones,plus they are high duty cycle with screens that collect dirt etc . They are a maint item in my opinion. I would run an engine flush first . Even with a timing job they will still be good .
Even though bank 2 is in the front of oil feed doesn't mean they didn't get the dirt deposited in them . Your tensioner gaskets could be blown leaking more oil on that side.
I am a believer in old style steel ratcheting tensioners with no seal to blow out. There is also a small filter in vct housing . That carbon from combustion is responsible for a lot of these troubles as well as short trips in cold days not allowing vapor to be removed from crankcase by pcv system .No extended oil changes- ever. You just can't run a hydraulic system using dirty engine oil .
Most importantly a better oil pump -melling hv . I do an engine flush every other oil change using 5w-30 full syn and 1 quart marvel mystery oil under 5k miles .
New design rollers have smaller oil hole to help and directed at wheel . Lashs are improved and hard to test .
But at some miles we have to consider a improved warranty reman my goal is 300-350k .

 

It is true that oil galley in Bank 1 head is 'fed' from the REAR of the engine. But that feed is sourced from the Main Oil Galley at the rear of the engine, not 'serially' through the Bank 2 heads oil galley. Bank 2 is sourced from the main oil galley at the front of the engine. _GENERALLY_ speaking, both heads should be sourced with approximately the same oil pressure within main block galley. Save and except that difference created by pressure loss from crank journal and rod journal leakage / loss. Crank and rod bearings / surface doesn't seem to be a significant problem point on these engines so I would submit the oil pressure at the rear of main galley should be for all purposes the same as that in the front. Bottom line, I don't believe it is a correct assumption to conclude since bank 1 is working ok, Bank 2 must have adequate oil pressure flow / pressure to the phaser. Any one of the lash adjusters could be 'pissin' too much oil out, any cam journal could be excessively leaking, the tensioner seal could be shot, or the phaser could be tired or have leaky chambers ---- or the bank 1 valve train could be presenting excessive 'drag' for the phaser to overcome. (The latter might be indicated by monitoring VCT solenoid duty cycle during normal operation. Generally - it should require very close to same duty cycle to each VCT solenoid to maintain syncronized retard in both cams). My OLE 265,000 mile 2004 (53,000 out from timing job) consistently runs within one half to one percent duty cycle of each other.

 

Appreciate all of the insight guys. It's never as simple as you first think.

We'll start digging into the motor soon and will report back.