I have a 2010 F150 w/ the 5.4 3v, I changed the oil pump to a high volume pump, and locked out the phasers when I had the timing chains and parts replaced. The issue of the right side of engine messing up before the left, is because the oil pumps from front left to rear, around to right side, then the front right of engine is last to get oil. So pressure is at it’s least once reaching the front right of engine, low RPMs on a poor oil pump makes it even worse...

 

Pulling the pan yielded nothing. No plastic from guides or anything else. Was hoping for more info.

 

That's a great sign!!!! Nothing internally is tore up ….yet!!!!!!!

 

Have not had much time to get on this, have to keep working to pay for the parts or a new rig!

So nothing in the pan, looked super clean to me for a motor with 125k on it. Zero sludge in the pan and no buildup any place else either. A testament to the frequent oil changes with mobile full synthetic. Though that makes any kind of mechanical failure even more an aggravation.

Oil was filtered through a medium pant filter with no metal left behind or in the oild. Good indicator there is no massive failure.

The lean fuel trim I assume is due to the 02 seeing high level of gas due to the missing on the right bank. It then leans out the fuel to compensate for that. In my mind there is nothing more going on there than that.

Next step is pull the valve/cam cover on the right side and inspect the VCT for clog or damage, but I am pretty sure it functions. With the motor running I put full 12v to it and the motor change its run condition. Not in a positive way, but it did change indicating the VCT module did operate to some degree. I don't think I will see anything visually under that cover that will give me much more to go on as far as diving in with a timing set and phasers.

There is no way to inspect much other than the VCT module with the cover off, correct?

Thanks

 

Pulled the right side valve cover today and first let me say damb this thing is clean inside for 125-126k miles.

Good news first -

1. Damb she is clean in there!
2. Timing chain has very little upward slack when pulled upright.
3. Guides are there and intact looking like they have many miles left in them.
4. Hard to see the tensioner without my scope and it needed to charge.
5. VCT module screan was super clean, not a single piece of debris on there at all.
6. Did I mention how crazy clean I feel this thing is for the miles on it!
7. Cam looks good, except as noted below.

Bad News

1. The furthest back #1 cylinder intake valve follower and lash Adj were laying in the low side of the cylinder head. It was completely broken in half with obvious gouges in it from contact with the cam.
2. The lobe for this valve is score at the top of it's arc, but not as bad as I would have thought given the destruction to the follower.
3. The same valve lost one keeper, also found laying in the low side of the head. As a result the valve is not protruding above the spring as it should. I believe one keeper is still in there holding close, or the valve slid down and made contact while it floated and is now bent. Ugh! Looks like the spring is just coming up and the one keeper is holding it in place by pure luck I'd say.

Questions -

1. I know these followers can fail, usually with a constant tick which I never had, or is the result of something else going on with the timing? Seems to me, if there is a greater issue with timing there would be others that are damages as well.
2. Assuming the valve is not bent, is there a way to keep the valve up and compress the spring to get the other keeper on there? I have used compressed air in the past on old engines, I assume this would work here as well?
3. If the valve is bent, can these heads be rebuilt, or are we at a new engine again?
4. With the lash adjuster out of there, could this cause a drop in oil pressure to the right phaser to create the failed phaser indication, e.g. missing on multiple cylinders on the right bank etc.
5. There was no debris in the oil pan, so if there was much metal shavings down there from grinding on the follower the Mobile 1 filter must have caught them up?
6. Assuming the damage to the cam lobe is not extensive, e.g. flat, can I clean up the rough edges and keep it or is a new cam the only way to go here?

I really appreciate any words of wisdom with this from those who have worked on these engines and have greater working knowledge of what makes them tick, no pun intended there!

See some pics below for a better picture of this.

 

A few observations:
#1 you are damn lucky that valve did not fall into the cylinder and destroy the engine!!
#2 this had to have been making a ticking/tapping noise for some time before the rocker let go
#3 you need a new cam and at least one rocker
#4 it would be wise to check the other 23 rockers for roller bearing wear
#5 damn that engine is clean inside
#6 the lash adjuster thats out of its bore is a massive oil leak on that side and will affect phaser operation
#7 you need to do a leakdown test on that cylinder to make sure the valve is ok, I think it will be
#8 that is one clean engine for the mileage

 

70F100longbed,

Thanks for the reply.

The only noise it was making was a slight rattle on cold start under load for maybe a second each time you hit the gas in the 8-1,000 RPM range and it only lasted about two sec at the most and maybe 1,000 yrds of driving. It did this right after being at the dealer for new plugs, something they did as a make good for a prior cluster..long story! Each morning I would try to nail it down and but could not listen well enough to figure it out in the past Cpl months. When it failed we were on a longer trip when the engine started missing and loosing power. About three hours into the drive, so could it have failed during the trip and destroyed itself all in the same day of driving? I agree, I should buy a lottery ticket today as that valve hanging like that, or the fact the follower didn't destroy the head casting either, is damn good luck.

Yes, I was going to scope the cylinder and then do a leak down on it to be sure the valve is not messed up. Im pretty sure I can use air to hold the valve open and get the spring down enough to reinstall both keepers. That trick works well in the past.

So clean, I can't believe it. Reg oil changes are suppose to be a motor and wallets best friend. Questioning that logic now though!

Thanks

 

If you are unsure about air holding the valve you can use a old skool trick I learned years ago. Take the spark plug out and put some rope in the cylinder. Then turn the crank until the piston pushes all the rope into the combustion chamber. The rope takes up all the space and holds the valves closed. Maybe 6 inches of rope is all you need to securely hold the valves. The startup rattle could be caused by the brand of oil filter. Only use quality filters on a 5.4

 

Thanks for the rope trick!

I though Mobile 1 filters were on the better end of the spectrum. The rattle was not at startup, but during the first minute of driving a cold motor. Would rattle when accelerator was hit for maybe 1-2 Sec and happen for maybe the first minute or less of driving. I though maybe it was a loose heat shield or something effected by the engine temp. Could not nail it down and it only did it when cold, moving, and under load.

I'm going to try and source one follower/lash adjuster to see if the motor runs normally again with it in there. I don't want to put all new followers in, new cam, and find the phaser was damaged by the low oil condition and have to tear it all out again to replace the timing set and oil pump. In for a penny in for a pound.

Anyone have a good used lash adjuster and follower to test with? Ill probably end up just replacing them all if things work out.

Thanks again for the help!

 

The damaged cam lobe will take out the new roller rocker in short time.

 

I figured if I removed the rough edges, given it's not flattened, just scratched, the lobe wold be fine for a short period of idle and slow drive under load to ensure the rough running was gone. If problem is gone then I can plan to replace all of them along with the cam.

Just hoping the lack of oil to the phaser has not damaged it.

I may just replace all the followers, lash Adj, phasers, timing set, and upgrade the oil pump in hopes to get another 50 - 75k out of the truck worry free.

.

 

Another question -

If I remove the all the followers, can I unbolt the cam, with the chain on it, and tilt it enough to remove the lash adjuster and get a new on in there to test the engines operation?

Thanks

 

You need the timing chain wedge tool to hold the chain tensioner in place to be able to remove the cam. You could pull the first cam cap and the VCT solenoid to check for any damage. If you do decide to replace the timing parts use OEM Ford parts only.

 

I am just awaiting the valve spring compressor to fix the keeper that fell out. Mine was too big to get down inside there. Also waiting on the wedge to lock up the chain so that the cam can be removed in order to replace the lash adjusters. As long as I am this far I think I will replace the phaser, all the followers and lash Adjusters. The VCT solenoid is as clean as the rest of the engine so I don't see a need to swap that out at this point. Is this a mistake?

Pulled the forward cam cap and there is a cpl scored line in the journal. Nothing too deep, but not sure when they were made, now, or years ago.

I have seen others, mostly in cam swap vids for the 4.6 in a mustang, just pull the cam using the cap bolts, leaving the followers in place. Reverse to install. FordTechmakuloco never does this and seems getting it back together this way could be a challenge when aligning the cam in the phaser with the valves trying to push the cam in Diff directions. Seems like one of those cases where a short cut might turn into a real PITA later on. Might work fine for removal, take came out with followers in, but remove them to replace it to make enlightenment easier.

 

A few score lines are ok. I have always installed the cam with the followers in place. I tighten each cam cap bolt a little at the time to bring the cam down evenly and make sure it turns as I go along. A pair of vice-grips between the lobes helps hold the cam as I align the phaser. I know it sounds shade tree but thats how I've done it for years and never had a problem. Plus I hate the valve spring tool with a passion its a PITA to use.