Asking this for a friend (Internet usage isn't his thing); he works for a non-Ford dealer as a master technician (so he does have some skills) and he's working on an 08 F-150 with the 5.4. He got it with a recently rebuilt motor but cam phaser problems; he's replaced the phasers with new ones, replaced the complete timing assembly (using the special tools for the mod motor) and fitted an new oil pump. It idles fine but when you rev it up, it starts tapping and sets a cam advance/cam phaser code. He's checked the timing and all his work, but the problem persists. Any ideas?

List of things replaced:
Cam phasers
Oil pump
Complete timing assembly including chains, gears, tensioner/guides
VCT solenoids

Edit: Is there a diagram or something out there to verify that the cam phasers were installed correctly, i.e., that they weren't installed off by some degrees?

Thanks in advance.

 

First off broken guides means you had to clean oil pan to get that plastic out of system, was it ?
Cleaning vct bodies is recommended off the truck .
It is easy to get confused timing this engine. Some folks have ended up at the timing point with the two phasors both pointing R up . That means bank 2 drivers side is 180 degrees out . Passenger side should have R up drivers l up .
I don't use special tools, I lift cams to prevent valve to piston contact , cam up= no valves pushed down .
I lift them in sequence and by shop manual . Basically a little at a time from the center out . Everything has to be marked all parts must go back in exactly where they came out .
I use these timing points TDC no.1cyl (passenger side towards radiator) ,timing gear dot at 6 oclock , cams on no 1 and no 5 per shop manual (very important to get this right ).





I find people getting confused with right and left from factory it is drivers right and left not the mechanics view . Drivers side = left , passenger side is right. Print out savres final fix to give to him . All timing jobs require the mechanic to rotate crank by hand 2 full clockwise rotations to verify no valve contact .
Any phasors but oem ford are junk . We have seen it time after time .
If the vct jammed open with junk or bad you will get these problems , inspect their screens .