Has anyone installed cam phaser lockouts without applying a tune afterwards? I have a 2005 Expedition that the phasers are bad. Running 10w40 oil helps most of the time, but when it is hot and it is working hard, like pulling my camper, it will still sometimes idle erratically due to the phasers not working properly.

The truck isn't worth enough to put new phasers etc in it, but I would like to make it last for a while yet. From the little I have been able to find, putting in the lockouts and not doing a tune just seems to make the check engine light come on. Has anyone here tried it? If not running a tune just means the check engine light is on, it seems like a pretty cheap fix.

I realize I may loose a little bit of fuel economy, but I don't think it would be enough to worry about given most of the driving on the truck is short trips or pulling a camper.

 

I did email Livernois Motorsports about installing the lockouts without a tune. They said that the check engine light would be on, and there would be an average of 20-25 hp lost without the tune to optimize the timing for no longer having the variable valve timing.

I am fairly sure I am missing some horsepower due to the phasers not working correctly anyway. Plus it is an old beater truck.