This has been driving me nuts. I have been reading alot of posts on the subject of cam phasers, because recently I have noticed a sound coming from the passenger side of the engine up by the valve cover.

I have an 05, 5.4 with under 26K miles on it. I don't drive many miles to work hence the low mileage. Anyway I could use some advice being I am reading so many posts about what is causing this.

Here are some questions I have if someone has the time to give me some info.

1. I do regular oil changes between 3-4k miles. I do not use motorcraft oil, I have been using Royal Purple. Can this contribute to cam phasers failing sooner then expected?

2. Along with the above, I do not use the motorcraft oil filter, I have been using a K&N Gold oil filter. Can this also contribute to oiling issue with the cam phaser not getting the correct oil pressure or amount of oil it needs?

3. Have they updated the cam phasers so that if I do replace them I will not have this issue again?

4. Is it recommended to replace the timing chains, guides, etc if I replace the Phasers or if there is no noticeable slack in the time chain can I just reuse what is already there?

The main thing is I'm trying to decide on just getting a 2013 Ecoboost in the spring, or keeping what I have as long as the issues can be addressed and I can have this truck for a few more years. I do love the truck, and if I can just do a 1-2K repair job as opposed to spending 50K on a new truck I'd rather do that. Dont get me wrong a new truck sounds sweet also

I read people say you can still run with the phasers making noise and it wont cause problems. Personally I cant see how the phasers making noise isn't giving the valvetrain vibration. I would assume vibration over time would cause the valvetrain to fail would it not?

The noise it just starting to be noticed so I'm trying to be preventative here and fix a known issue when it is just starting than wait for potential problems down the road.

Thank you for any information anyone can give me on this topic.

 

First, the 5.4L is a noisy engine. You have to judge it on it's own, not against any other types of engines. That said, if you noticed the noise has increased significantly, you may be having a problem. It also could be within the realm of normal. It's REALLY difficult for anyone here to properly judge noises. I also have a low miles '05 (39K miles now) and the engine has been noisy from day one. It changes a little by season but the type and viscosity of oil I've used didn't change it much.

No, but you are changing your oil way too often and that's a terrible waste. The RP oil is far superior to the MC in just about every way but the MC is a great value. It's a much better oil than it's price would indicate. The best oil analysis I got with my 5.4L was a 10K run of RP 5W20 with an RP filter. I just passed 10K on a run with Motorcraft oil, in combo with a bypass oil filtration system, and while it doesn't look quire as good as the RP did at 10K, it's going at least another 5K before it's changed.

My advice... save your money. Go back to MC 5W20, and MC FL820S filter and a 5K interval. That's a universal and well tested combination. Everything will be copacetic and not cost you quadruple with no tangible benefit.

I could go on for a long time here but will throttle myself.


No. Just about any oil filter will provide adequate oil flow. Sometimes bottom dollar oil filter can cause problems due to inadequate filtration efficiency, poor construction or faulty ADBVs (Anti-DrainBback Valves). This would not be true of the K&N fitler, as it's a high quality filter.

You are assuming you have an "issue" when you may not (or you may) but this is not something I have an exact answer for. There have been several small improvements to the system but a certain amount of noise is pretty much normal... unless you eliminate the VVT altogether.

Not necessarily. You would inspect the parts and replace as necessary. I think there are some better chain guides out now and that might be worth the effort. I don't think the chains themselves have changed.

My opinion, and please accept this as kindly advice, you are over-thinking and over-worrying this. These engines run hundreds of thousands of miles with noisy phasers. Yours may be excessively noisy due to a problem or they may be normally noisy. We can't judge that here, so you may have to see a local "calibrated ear" for evaluation. If in the normal category, there is no diminishment in engine life. If they need replacement, it isn't the end of the world financially.

 

Thank you very much for the great reply. One reason I change my oil so frequently is I don't put many miles on throughout the year and was under the impression that oil is not good to have in for long lengths of time. I do drive the truck everyday just not many miles.

Thanks again for the info!

 

I can tell you this with certainty... oil doesn't wear a wristwatch. It can't tell how long it's been in the crankcase.

The driving cycle will effect oil condition much more than time alone. If your low miles come from very short hops (1-2 miles) where the engine never gets warmed up, then short intervals are appropriate. In that situation an expensive syn won't help you much more than a good mineral oil, so you might as well downgrade.

If you drive the truck far enough to get it fully warmed up (10+ miles at a stretch in cooler weather) then you have no serious worries. Change mineral oil at 5K intervals, regardless of time, and syn at 7.5K, regardless of time. THose are very conservative recommendations. With oil analysis, you could discover your true oil health and maybe even a bit about engine condition. With a test at tho=hose intervals, you might discover you can safely go lots farther.

A lot depends on your climate. If it's not a cold northern climate, then the truck will warm up quickly. If you live in the north and suffer through cold winters and do a short commute, that's really rough on engines and oil and you need a shorter interval.

If, when it runs, your truck gets good and warm, you needn't worry about the time the truck sits as "counting down the oil time clock"... unless it's in very bad storage conditions. If it lives in a garage, usually no worries.The anti oxident package in the oil protects it very well while parked as long as the oil is in good condition, i.e. not full of water from month of prior short hops.

In any case, the bottom line is that where there is doubt, you can either do oil analysis to be sure or dump the oil.