FORD 5.4 Cam Phaser problem

[ID Bronco]

Alright, quick story: I was able to get a super good deal on an 07 pickup. It has the intermittent Cam Phaser problem. (it sounds like a diesel) I've read and been told that it won't hurt to keep driving it and I have also read that the guide will wear and then take out the motor?

Which is true? Is the lockout option a good idea, would you sink that kind of money into a motor wiht 223K miles (salesman's rig, highway) Or, should I drive it and put a motor in when it fails?

Do any of you mechanic's want to do it at a good price?

Thanks in advance for the input.

 

[jeeper]

Fixing the issue sucks, from what I have read.. but replacing the motor would suck more. Our expedition gives a little clacking when if first starts.. but it goes away as soon as oil pressure builds.. I am not looking forward to fixing it..

 

[ID Bronco]

Has anyone done the lockout? Any personal experience?

 

[Gravy]

Mine does that when it starts really really cold for about 15 seconds. Goes away when it warms up. And in spring.

 

[idahoyj]

ID Bronco, What did you end up doing?
I'm looking at an 08 with 140k and trying to decide if it's worth the risk of having to deal with the phasers.
There is no sign of needing them now. I'm just worried about what the future of the truck may be.

 

[gatchmo5710]

I have a 2010 F150 5.4 with 175,000 on it sitting in my back yard waiting for a new long block. Another cam phaser ruined engine. It ticked since about 75k miles. Finally is making legit metal in oil filter and small pebbles out the drain. Yes driving it with that problem will ruin the engine, but the question is what will get it first? Some people have ticked for over 200k other cant make it to 100k. Personally I don't like being stuck somewhere, but others feel you should just run it til it blows, drop a long block in, and keep rolling.

 

[gatchmo5710]

Fixing the issue sucks, from what I have read.. but replacing the motor would suck more. Our expedition gives a little clacking when if first starts.. but it goes away as soon as oil pressure builds.. I am not looking forward to fixing it..

I would argue that swapping the block is way easier. 4 grand and weekend and your truck engine is new. Your gonna spend 2 grand just to do phasers and it its quite labor intensive. Same reason why ford has been swapping these out under warranty and not repairing them.

 

[ID Bronco]

ID Bronco, What did you end up doing?
I'm looking at an 08 with 140k and trying to decide if it's worth the risk of having to deal with the phasers.
There is no sign of needing them now. I'm just worried about what the future of the truck may be.

Remember, I bought this cheap planning on putting a motor in at some point.

Well, I got a second and third opinion and really had other issues that were the problem. It was a combination of plugged cats (nearly no flow, so no power under load) and a bearing going out on a tensioner that made a whining noise (this got worse later and was easily detected later on).

So after a new exhaust, the tensioner fix, probably something I am forgetting it is running great, a little tick but nothing I'm concerned about. It is a fun truck to drive, fantastic for my son while working up at the ski hill, but gets poor gas mileage. But with 240K it's pretty good.

 

[ID Bronco]

I was just thinking about this and since trying to tackle this (then not needing to) I have noticed nearly every other Ford of the same vintage as mine that I see, ticks louder than mine. All of them. So at the amount of miles I have on it, it has lasted pretty good.

This one was driven on the highway for 90% of it's miles though.