First off i would like to say hello to everyone reading this i live in a little place called Tyler, TX with a Ford dealership that is named after the city! I just wanted to say that and you might understand why later in this thread. I hope this helps someone!
I have recently have an issue with my 2004 F150 FX4 with the 5.4L just hit 75k miles. I started idleing rough and also on aceleration, check engine light came on and i was right in front of the "City Name Here" Ford Dealership, so i pulled in. First mistake! I left it for the to diag, and recieved a call later that day saying it was the cam phasers and they both needed to be replaced $1300, $300 if i wanted to pick it up now. Needless to say i had to sleep on that so the next morning i called around and after the 300 i would pay them and getting it towed ect it would have cost me more. So i decieded to let them do the work. Second mistake! They removed the valve covers and i recieved another call saying that i needed a new engine because of sludge, or they couldnt waranty any work cause it would happen again! Well after laughing at the $6500 and making a trip to see it myself, I spoke with them and they said the phasers were bad timming chain needed replaced, guides, tensionors, ect. I saw the sludge and took a few pics talked to another mechanic, he said it was more sludge that normal but the galleys should be fine. I am $600 dollars in if I want to pick it up as is, so i make the decision to let them do ther phaser and timing work hoping this just fixes everything for $2200, cause i dont have any money and this was gonna max my credit card. After they replace the parts and got it back together i got a call saying it was throwing the same codes, and ran the exact same! Ok by this time i am freaking out, I just went up there thinking well i should have paid the 600 and sold it at auction. I picked up the truck and paid them the $2200. I was so sure that the sludge wasnt that bad and they had to be wrong! I started calling other auto places and asking questions and searching online for everything i could find ont he 2004 Ford 5.4, dang there are lots of issues with phasers and other timming parts. So just the let everyone know I AM NOT a mechanic I work on software and computers, dont even own a socket set!
I made the decision to call back to the dealer with the information I had learned on the web and asked about those codes it was "throwing". I was told.....
P300 ramdon misfire
P305 Bank 2 cyl5
P306 Bank 2 cyl6
P308 Bank 2 cyl8
and P22??? something to do with the cam phaser position i think???
Armed with this new information i searched all night learning and learning. i came to the conclusion that the "City Name Here" Ford Dealership Service Dept. had been wrong. So in the morning I called to speak with the service manager, told him how unhappy i was and that i think they may have overlooked something and asked if they wanted a chance to make it right. He declined! Told me he was aware of my engine and it was all because of sludge. Moving on i call right back to the "City Name Here" Ford Dealer parts dept and asked if they had a 6M280 "VCT solenoid".
This link explains everything
VCT Solenoid
I was told 1 in stock so I sent my girlfriend on her lunch break to pick it up, while I got some loaner tools from my neigbor. This took me less than 15 min to change and cost $140 with tax. I knew as soon as i pulled the old one out it was bad screens broke ect...
MY TRUCK RUNS PERFECT! Like brand new!!!!!
Needless to say I made my first trip to the "City Name Here" Ford Dealer. After very long talks with the Service Director and Manager..... I got a little progress, and i will update this to let everyone know if they are standing behind there work and employees that made the diag from the start missing the whole problem. It would have been so simple to pop this seal and remove the solenoid to at least check it out, AND would have saved me THOUSANDS. I can only hopes this helps someone, please do your homework on a auto repair shop!!! Also please look for the simple things first, and trust noone!
And it stoped ticking after I replace this solenoid...... LOL.
Tyler, TX Ford, Service, phazer, phaser, cam, sludge, new motor, replace motor, oil, Ford Parts, problems 5.4L, V8, Triton, 3v, 2004, VCT, timming solenoid, timming chain, bad service, tyler texas ford bad service, tyler tx ford bad service