Hey guys newbie here... After reading a ton of info on here I decided to take on the dreaded diesel sound of my f150. So I started with the VCT Solenoid. Need some help though...

I went to replace my VCT Solenoid and I am drawing a blank. I, for the life of me, can't seem to get the seal on the valve cover off without breaking the seal. This should probably be the easiest part to this project but I can't seem to get it off! I thought about breaking it but I didn't have a new one to replace it.

I don't have the lip that others have mentioned, the top of my seal sits flush to the valve cover with no extra lip to pry the seal up. Am I missing something here?? I know some of you will say use the search tool, thanks but no thanks, I have done it and no body mentions anything about it unless I just missed it. Is the only way to do this is to take the valve cover off and get it out that way(I am trying to avoid that if I can)? I feel like there is a trick to this but I may just have to do it the hard way. Has anybody else run into this? Thanks in advance for all the help, I wouldn't have been able to do some of the things to my truck without this site.

2008 XLT 5.4L Scab 4x4 w/ 77000 miles

 

I am in the same situation on my 07. I am stumped on how to remove the seal without removing the valve cover

 

If you are going to change out the cam phasers to help with the deisel sound, then you will have to remove the valve cover anyway. I have only read that the phasers cause the dreaded condition.....not the selinoids...I did my phasers in my 04 and it ran a ton quieter.

 

Any luck with removing the seal without pulling the valve cover? I think the 2004-2006 where different. They have a lip to remove the seal I have a 2009 motor and ripped the left seal to shreds trying to pry it out. The whole center is gone and I cannot get the rest out.

 

I have an 07 F150, I tested the diesel sound by unplugging my vct solenoids and the symptom stopped. I called the dealership to ask them for the solenoids and they wanted 200 a piece for them. I ended up getting them through another dealership on eBay for $115 for the pair plus the new seals. The seals that came were different from the ones in my truck. It seams they made the access holes for the solenoid in the valve cover smaller on my truck, so there are a few problems that I am having with replacing these parts.
First of all, as I mentioned, The access holes in the valve cover are smaller, so the seal is smaller. The seal was kind of a pain to remove. Secondly, since the access holes are smaller, there is only about 1/8 - 3/16 of an inch to fit a tool down to the torx screw at the base of the solenoid. Do I have to remove the valve covers to do this job or do I just have to make a custom tool?

 

Pull valve cover it is the only way with the smaller seals.