[AllWhiteEco]

No, I am in complete alignment with your thought process here. I bought my f150 with an exacting list of specification requirements that included being able to tune my motor to a sustainable and seamless level of power well above stock for perpetuity.

What i am balancing mentally here, is the risk of low performance and potential timing chain system failures against the likelihood of ongoing noises, CELs, and other performance issues following a phaser repair job.

So far from my forum browsing, the phaser repair jobs are not doing well long term. Or even short term.

Right now my 3.5 (57.5k miles) occasionally shakes a bit at fully warm idle, and makes some “noises” upon cold starts that go away quickly. This current situation is far more desirable than going through months of agonizing botched repairs and obstinate dealerships. But is it sustainable as-is? I have no idea and that is why I constantly check this thread and every other one like it.
I’m going to swap my spark plugs soon and see if anything improves. If it does, I’ll probably ignore my cold starts and start tuning. [emoji51]

I definitely feel for you and all the other owners on the edge of their warranty who are left deciding whether or not to take the gamble on this repair. I was just in your shoes 2 months ago. That’s why I recommended the extended warranty from Ford. That’s my advice if you want to have your cake and eat it too. My next Ecoboost will have one

Side note: FWIW, I’ve been running the Gearhead AO tune for the last 40k miles of the trucks life. My Gen 1 was tuned after the first oil change at 4K miles. I’ve had zero issues getting any warranty work done to a truck while it was covered. I always return to stock a few days before taking the truck to a dealer for work but usually it’s on the stock tune well before that if I’m troubleshooting issues. Of course your mileage may vary from dealer to dealer and from issue to issue. Just wanted to share my experience because tuning these trucks is part of what makes them so appealing against the competition.


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[snakebitten]

These last few posts couldn't be more on point with the title of this thread.

I would like to point out that the new designed phasers might prove to be a substantial improvement in lifespan. If that turns out to be true, that definitely reshapes things. At least if you get a successful phaser procedure you could expect NOT to be repeating the same in a few thousand miles.

And to answer the question of what exactly is making the classic version of the coldstart phaser clatter, there's a couple of youtube videos that do a good job of showing how the lock-pin fails to find "home", and as a result the phaser starts hunting for home by "chattering" back and forth.

If you SEE what is making the chatter, it actually lessens the fears a bit. However it makes you wonder what the long term affects are on the mating surfaces degrading further. And yea, the cam timing then varying enough to be outside commanded value. Leading to codes and performance issues.

It'd be such good news for us Ecoboost fans if 1. The repair procedure was commonly successful 2. The new designed phasers proved to be 100,000 mile phasers.

Wish that was asking too much

 

[AllWhiteEco]

Here is a video I took of my truck before the repairs around 50k miles. It sounded like this every cold start if I didn’t do the “foot to the floor pre-oil” method.

I contemplated the repair for 16k miles until my 2018 truck was only 1 month and 200miles away from being out of warranty. I definitely felt the pressure to make a decision that could change how I enjoy the truck over the next years. My options seemed to be live with no remote start forever and a clacking noise I had to mask with dead cranking my truck or roll the dice on the repair and potentially have a truck running 100%. In the end, I wasn’t going to push the truck out of warranty and hope for the best. That’s just where I netted out and every owner has to make that call for themselves.


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[AllWhiteEco]

If you SEE what is making the chatter, it actually lessens the fears a bit. However it makes you wonder what the long term affects are on the mating surfaces degrading further. And yea, the cam timing then varying enough to be outside commanded value. Leading to codes and performance issues.

Thank you for that information. Your example of material degradation above is the scenario I had playing out in my head over the course of ignoring the noise for tens of thousands of miles.


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[Tuna1200]

I am in a slightly different predicament. 18’ 3.5EB phasers first done at 27K in Jan 2020 with the old parts. It’s back baby at 69.5k! Between having to decide on battling with the dealership on being eligible for the extended warranty (expired 1/1/23, and never did the 2021 computer updates for the phasers since I already had them done before this), AND having the truck ripped open again (got lucky the first time with a local ford truck master tech who knew his stuff) AND now hearing of issues with the new updated phasers……

I am mentally preparing to live with the rattle, and do the oil prime cold crank whenever possible. What a shame I can’t get into a warm truck anymore in the winter time!

 

[Boatwaco]

Between having to decide on battling with the dealership on being eligible for the extended warranty (expired 1/1/23, and never did the 2021 computer updates for the phasers since I already had them done before this), AND having the truck ripped open again (got lucky the first time with a local ford truck master tech who knew his stuff) AND now hearing of issues with the new updated phasers……

Have you talked with the Dealership service advisor and ask for their help on the warranty claim area yet?

 

[Tuna1200]

Have you talked with the Dealership service advisor and ask for their help on the warranty claim area yet?

No, I’m hearing they will likely tell me to buzz off

 

[Boatwaco]

Hmmm? I would want to hear that myself, vs having someone else tell me.

 

[Justinjs]

Hmmm? I would want to hear that myself, vs having someone else tell me.

You miss 100% of the shots you don't take- Michael Jordan.

 

[Tuna1200]

You miss 100% of the shots you don't take- Michael Jordan.

I suppose I’m heading there Monday. My wife’s car was totaled out 3 weeks ago and we JUST got done dealing with all of that. Guess I need to get my head on straight.

 

[Boatwaco]

Take donuts!

 

[Boatwaco]

suppose I’m heading there Monday. My wife’s car was totaled out 3 weeks ago and we JUST got done dealing with all of that. Guess I need to get my head on straight

I truly hope anyone involved in the (presumed) accident are ok.

 

[Tuna1200]

I truly hope anyone involved in the (presumed) accident are ok.

yes they are thanks. Rear ended by an 05 F350 believe it or not!

 

[AllWhiteEco]

Warm start of the truck today engine and trans temps around 160* and I get a bit of clacky clack from the truck. This noise seems like it’s coming from the phaser furthest on the driver side.

 

[N8tvMT]

An update on my 2019 Expedition 3.5 phaser ratttle:

Have not done a thing to it lol. No change. Thousands of miles later. Not worse, not better. Plenty of power, great mpg, doesn't burn oil. Basically all attributes of a brand new engine but with a startup rattle.

After catching up on all the pages of responses, I'm glad I chose not to go in. Had an appt. that I even canceled. Just going to drive it and move on with my life.

I am also of the opinion that if it ever gets to a point that the work needs to be done, I'll just trade it in at the same time. The dealer can inherit all the problems they are about to create by doing the job and I'll just drive off in a new rig.

 

[Boatwaco]

Have not done a thing to it lol. N

I appreciate your point of view here! I feel that the vast majority of people are also in your camp. Many may not even notice that rattle or if they did, they heard the service managers say it was OK and went on about their lives.
BTW - how many miles on the vehicle now?

 

[N8tvMT]

I appreciate your point of view here! I feel that the vast majority of people are also in your camp. Many may not even notice that rattle or if they did, they heard the service managers say it was OK and went on about their lives.
BTW - how many miles on the vehicle now?

30k. Twice as many as when I first started this post. Changing oil only when the OLM says.

 

[N8tvMT]

I think it's blown way out of proportion. Yes, the rattle is alarming. It shouldn't be there, in a perfect world. But everyone knows there isn't a perfect motor vehicle. I can live with this noise just like I lived with a loud tick in my Monte Carlo SS, or the same noise from my 1999 F250 with the 5.4 motor, or the injector noise (constant and annoying) and excessive oil consumption from a 5.3 in a Tahoe, etc.

It's my opinion the end doesn't justify the means. The biggest question owners seem to ask about phaser rattle is if they should be without their rigs for several days while a random mechanic separates the body from the frame of your beloved $75,000 vehicle, reducing the engine to a short block state, all to attempt ("attempt") to quiet a 1.5 second rattle.

My answer is an emphatic NO. Other opinions may vary lol.

 

[Tuna1200]

I think it's blown way out of proportion. Yes, the rattle is alarming. It shouldn't be there, in a perfect world. But everyone knows there isn't a perfect motor vehicle. I can live with this noise just like I lived with a loud tick in my Monte Carlo SS, or the same noise from my 1999 F250 with the 5.4 motor, or the injector noise (constant and annoying) and excessive oil consumption from a 5.3 in a Tahoe, etc. It's my opinion the end doesn't justify the means. The biggest question owners seem to ask about phaser rattle is if they should be without their rigs for several days while a random mechanic separates the body from the frame of your beloved $75,000 vehicle, reducing the engine to a short block state, all to attempt ("attempt") to quiet a 1.5 second rattle. My answer is an emphatic NO. Other opinions may vary lol.

yep. I’m done worrying and fear mongering myself over the rattle and the occasional 10spd clunk (95% of those issues are because of the adaptive learning). I’ve even fear mongered other 17-20’ 3.5eb owners over the rattle who never even noticed it. My cousin has 120k on his and basically lives out of his truck and has had the rattle for over 70 k miles. He hasn’t worried a day in his life over it. For the love of god the truck is at 76k and almost payed off. I am going to enjoy no truck payment and just drive the effin’ thing!! sheeesh!!!

 

[Feedguy]

2017 3.5 with 66000 miles. Start up rattle first heard last September at about 62000 miles. Been diagnosed @ dealer but first waiting on parts and currently dealer backlogged. Also not real thrilled with the concept of opening it up for this major fix. Rattle is intermittent and about every 4th time it starts may hear it. Otherwise runs fine. Gonna kick the can for awhile and see what happens.