I would confirm oil pressure first and foremost. So you know what your dealing with. Did you pull the actuators and check the screens? Forscan can show you a lot of good live data.

I would proceed after confirming you have good oil pressure…

 

Thank you and I think you’re right ! I’m starting there because honestly It will give me a few more days to collect opinions. And it will give me an idea of how safe it is to run the truck while checking other stuff.

 

So disheartening to hear about oil pressure issues after the timing job. And it's far more common than you might think.

But one potential cause is the use of the wrong chain tensioner on one side or the other. Ford changed the tensioner design on one side of the block, at some point, and the oil passage is very different. This required a design change for the tensioner as well.

It's easy to mistakenly use the wrong tensioner because externally they look very similar. But if you mismatch, you can't build sufficient oil pressure.

 

So disheartening to hear about oil pressure issues after the timing job. And it's far more common than you might think.

But one potential cause is the use of the wrong chain tensioner on one side or the other. Ford changed the tensioner design on one side of the block, at some point, and the oil passage is very different. This required a design change for the tensioner as well.

It's easy to mistakenly use the wrong tensioner because externally they look very similar. But if you mismatch, you can't build sufficient oil pressure.

Honestly that would be better news then having to pull the phasers and chain of all I had to do is pop in a tensioner I could maybe be happy with that. My truck is a 2016 That’s still a gen 1 ecoboost correct ? I bought a freedom racing kit. I double checked part numbers on almost everything if I had any doubt but I’ll admit the tensioner was not one of them.

 

Check this thread:

https://www.f150ecoboost.net/threads/gen2-3-5l-ecoboost-low-oil-pressure-after-phaser-install-%E2%80%93-findings.92116/?post_id=1458500#post-1458500

 

Okay guys I'm going to probably try and get a tester, or a manual gauge at the parts store. To confirm that the oil pressure is actually low.

I also have a new camshaft Position sensor on the way, to potentially deal with the timing ? I know its unlikely but i did spend some time washing out the passenger valve cover it maybe didn't like the parts cleaner ? (although i really tried to stay clear of that area) or maybe it got bumped or something. Its cheep and easiest to change. Might as well rule it out.

 

In my history, engines with crud all ended up needing new oil pickups...

 

well maybe i start there anyways, since it likely could use it, i just see that it doesn't seem to be a particularly fun job.

 

Okay guys, a buddy came over today with a fancy scanner and a oil pressure tester

We ran the truck for probably a total of 45 minutes diagnosing the timing issues and it started at 60pso cold and eventually dropped to 20 psi and sat there for the entire duration at idle and when we would rev it to 1200-1500 rpm it would be between 35-40

I felt like we were in the clear on the oil pressure front but after he left I took it for a short ride and it. Literally just around the block maybe 40 mph max did put it into boost a little and the oil pressure did drop to under 10psi. I shut it off as soon as I could, and it jumped back up to 40 psi. And stayed that way till I got home ( might have dipped right as I was pulling into the drive way) seems like higher rpm’s to low rpm’s start to starve it, maybe vaccume?


as far as the timing goes we tied a couple things

we got 2 interesting readings.

1. “Exhaust camshaft B Desired minus Actual bank 2 = -55
Where as the one on the other side is 1.5

and 2 “actual exhaust B camshaft position bank 1 = 75.68” under the “variable camshaft exhaust angle desired” section

I’ll be honest idk what these values mean but it seems that the exhaust cam is an outlier. And the sensors are reporting (valid or not) that it’s out of range. It almost looks like it’s suggesting it’s 75.68 degrees out? Could it really be that far out and run so smooth ?

 

The ones im talking about are control oil solenoids. Look like this…

Sounds like with your oil pressure dropping after a drive and comes back after a quick restart. It’s time to drop the pan. Clean it out and the oil pick up.

Valvoline Restore and Protect would be a good idea to run for the next foreseeable future. Short change the first one for sure IMO.

 

The ones im talking about are control oil solenoids. Look like this… View attachment 205565
Sounds like with your oil pressure dropping after a drive and comes back after a quick restart. It’s time to drop the pan. Clean it out and the oil pick up.

Valvoline Restore and Protect would be a good idea to run for the next foreseeable future. Short change the first one for sure IMO.

Yeah the truck got new ones of these. Thank you Does not mean the part is good tho ! I suppose.

 

Okay guys I watched a video on how the phasers work…. Looks like when the solenoids are letting the oil through. The intake and exhaust cams should have a degree offset of about zero (so all my .75 to 1.25 values seem….. not that far off I guess) but then the exhaust cam on the passenger side is at like 75 degrees ….however IF that cam was getting low oil pressure…… it would be 52 degrees. So (and let me preface this with…. I’m an idiot but ) it’s almost like that cam might have low oil pressure, or a bad vct selinoid AND be off a tooth or 2 in order to be chilling out all the way over at 75 degrees.

I’m not working on it tonight Or probably tomorrow. But def this weekend I’m going to try to get forscan back on it and see if that gives me the same values as Autel.

Not sure it changes much but might tell me if I want to put another new vct in .

do any of you think it’s possible I have a faulty new phaser ? I feel like if it were just off a tooth I should be seeing closer to 14.4 degrees (360/25 teeth)

My plan is to go back in as soon as I can work up the energy, hopefully see something obviously wrong with the chain install(can’t imagine what that would be but) and then drop the pan and do the oil pickup tube and the oil pump this time.

 

My plan is to go back in as soon as I can work up the energy, hopefully see something obviously wrong with the chain install

If you live in the Austin area- let me know and I’ll come by to help!

 

Oh… a bit far for me…

 

Just a jaunt brother. Just a jaunt.

I just got home from Wisconsin, as you know.

 

Okay guys ……. I’m going to ask a question I thought I knew the answer to but now I’m 2nd guessing.

There isn’t a left and right intake phaser right? It’s the same part correct ?

(I know this is true for the exhaust because you use the l and the r marking depending on side) but the intake phasers use the same part number for both the passenger and drivers side too right?

 

Correct, intake camshaft and exhaust camshaft have the same phaser for both sides.

You could have a leaking phaser or it’s out a couple teeth. I doubt the data will be different using Forscan vs the Autel scan tool.

 

Updaaaaaaaaaate….
Freedom racing sent another phaser out for cost, and is opening a warranty with ford, if ford agrees they freedom racing will refund my card.
They were extremely helpful so I want to give them a little shout out.
I’m probably going to start opening it up tonight because freedom racing wants their other one back. So maybe as early as tonight I’ll be able to try dropping on the cam holders.

I guess they have some techs there who watched my video and took a look at my autel data and they seem to all agree I’m looking at either bad timing, bad phaser or bad vvt solenoid.

I’m prob going to run to ford, get a couple more cam bolts and a another new vct selinoid

and this time include the oil pump that that one ford YouTube mechanic that everyone likes recommends. Get that coming from rock auto I guess.

stay tuned.

 

We got another update boys! A Reddit user is in my exact same position right now he’s waiting for his sealant to dry and is reporting back tomorrow. What we realized. We both rolled the engine backwards at one time or another.

 

They like to jump just on spring tension rolling backwards

 

The plot thickens.

this stupid thing was in time, the cam holders dropped right on and when I pulled the timing set off the passenger side head. The colored links were directly on the R and dot (which is kinda a weird coincidence) (drivers side dropped on too) I suppose it’s possible the crank is off ( but forscan showed the 3 of the 4 cams happy) but it looked like it was in…. I haven’t reset the chain yet. Just pulled the passenger side apart so that I can ship the exhaust phaser back to freedom racing.

I guess I’ll pop the new phaser on, prob change this vvt solenoid again while I’m in here, and then drop the pan and change the pick up and pump and hope that this all solves it somehow.

anything else I should double check while I’m in here ?

any other ideas? I almost wonder if that cam isn’t pushing enough oil pressure to advance the phaser. How do people clean passeges of gunk , just some snake oil engine flushes ?

 

Just a wild guess but this on the locator pin being worn might help you -

https://www.f150ecoboost.net/posts/1274564/

 

And these may be useful old posts to review -

https://www.f150ecoboost.net/search/406723/?q=P0017&c%5BshowFilter%5D=visibleOnly&o=relevance

 

Double check the chain tensioner is the correct one.

 

Flip the actuator solenoids side to side and see if one of those is causing you grief....

 

Do you mean swap them from one head to the other? Honestly I’m just going to put another new on this grumpy cam .

 

Waiting on oil pump and pick up tube, do you guys know ….. can change the pick up tube with the front sealed up ( I know the oil pump needs to go in from the front)? Or should I wait to put the front on until after the pick up tube is changed

 

Okay guys, a question.
When I dropped the front diff (I think anyways) a random hose got disconnected (I think it’s the diff vent) does this hose Attach to the obvious-ish silvery looking spot, looks like it’s kinda filled up with gunk prob need to clean it out before I can push it back on.

 

Yes, that will be the diff vent and it needs to be hooked up to the hose barb.

 

I'd blow through it to confirm it vents to atmosphere, just to be sure. 😁

 

When you put this back together did you replace the oil pump? Secondly did you make sure when you installed the oil pump did you have the o ring in place so the pick up tube would seat properly? I would also verify that you have solenoids in the correct locations. Did you release the and set the secondary chain tensioners by pulling the pin and then pushing the tensioner piston down and releasing it? The best tutorial out there for this job is on YouTube Fordmakuloco

 

Oil pump was not done the first time but the pan is down now and I have a Mellings hv390 and new pick up tube (and o ring) in a box waiting to go on now not sure why it would have just shown up now, but I’m hoping this deals with the oil pressure.

everything else , yes double and tripple checked

if I don’t get to it before Sunday, it will all go back together then.


EDIT, gah my weekend is kind of packed, might not be Sunday, ill prob just have everything ready to go back together for NEXT weekend

 

I've never tried one, but I have seen quite a bit of bad press on the Mellings pump. FordTechMaculoco (YouTube) and if I remember correctly Jeff from Full Race had less than positive things to say about it. It surprised me as Mellings was always the go-to oil pump for old school V8 muscle. It's been a while but if I remember correctly both of these folks recommended sticking with the Motorcraft pump.

 

Me three



@SrpRacing does not recommend the Melling:

https://www.f150ecoboost.net/posts/1399921/

https://www.f150ecoboost.net/posts/1394776/

 

Or at least sticking with the factory oil pressure spring, even if you use the Melling. In other words, don't use the Melling in the increased oil pressure configuration.

I think that's what I remember seeing.

 

Me too!

 

Okay guys I’m super confused

I just stopped in at ford for a new tensioner. They convinced me to get a arm too they said they changed and you need to upgrade them together

I bought everything and just decided to return what I didn’t use

when I opened the box’s the arm/guide was the same one I had

when I opened the tensioner it was different then the last one I used

the first one I had was the one where the pin goes in the middle ish area and there is the ratchet arm

The one ford JUST sold me the pin goes through the top any physical blocks the piston from coming out with no ratchet,

can you guys confirm I’m good to use the one they just gave me ?

I can post pictures tonight, again my truck is a 2016

EDIT: ah screw it I'm not going to post pictures, I'm just going to run into ford in the morning and have them double check it.