'08 F-250 work truck, 300,000 Km, 5.4 driven like it was stolen and poorly maintained. Runs bad, sounds bad.

An entire book of codes, evap system, all four Lambda, and four cam position and solenoid related .. can't recall which as the truck is not here.

Exploratory surgery reveled the timing chain tensioner on bank one was stuck and the chain loose, the cam position wheels are caked with goo, the cam lobes worn, and no one recalls changing oil. fair bit of varnish and fuel contamination, a bit of grit. Consensus is that old oil is a common cause of VVT trouble on these.

Two codes are solenoid related. The solenoids function insomuch as they are not open or short, and an 8 volt DC bench test actuates the plunger. about 3/16",

Guessing the Lambda codes are related to simply running poorly due to cam timing issues - not really focused on them yet.

Meeting tomorrow to advise whether to stab at fixing or tow for scrap. (The body is a horror show).

Obviously reassembly takes time, and no point if it goes back together and doesn't fly right, or runs for a week.

Clean the solenoids with solvent or replace? Same question tensioner plungers. Are the cam phasers likely toast? Clean or replace? No real way to test the system that I know of. Parts aren't too expensive to shotgun when it's not my money, and I necromanced his Duramax with it's novel of codes back from the grave last week.

Chains themselves look okay, and the guides show surprisingly little wear.. I'll have to RTM and see if the chain has skipped.

Almost shocking .. but the truck came apart without a single broken bolt or plug tab - except the front of the oil pan gasket. Hoping two pounds of Permatex will goop that up.

Cover gaskets appear to be reusable? Install dry?

As usual, thanks for any help or tips.

 

A very nekkid and sad truck.

 

From your photo, it seems like the frame has had it. If they are holes, your decision.

 

Nah .. frame is solid. Regular Ontario patina. Truck overall probably isn't worth it - but the boss loves it and is looking for my opinion on whether to try to breath in 2 more years or pull the plug.

Research revealed the parts between CarQuest and Amazon will come to under $400 for phasers, tensioners, and solenoids .. Guides and chains look good 'enough'. Read the manual and no surprises in setting up the timing.

But like I said .. not sure if putting the work and clean oil in will solve anything, if the oil pressure is low, will just gunk up again, etc. Haven't pulled a cap, but the lobes are pretty worn. Came here because figured you fellas have got your elbows dirty with this particular scenario and might advise on if to expect a surprise I'm not forseeing..

 

In spite of your best efforts, you do realize you will be fighting an uphill battle and worse, when it craps out for any reason, and there seem to be quite a few, guess who will get the credit ?

 

Lol .. I hear that. Before ordering parts I told him that I figured an 80 percent chance of a successful repair, 5 of it working for an hour, 10 that it would "run" the same as it did, and 5 that it would never run again. He says he has faith.

I have a bit less now. Took a second look - or rather a random eyeball - the other day on a smoke break, and suspect the bank one chain has skipped a few teeth. (haven't actually bothered to line up the marks yet with the parts still in the mail. Was running far too poorly to bother with a vacuum guage, but I wonder if there may not have been a bit of valve whack-a-mole going on too.

Eh well .. I'll find out one way or another in a week or so.

Morissette once said "you live you learn". 'Course when she said that we were still dropping bump-sticks in an FE on the lawn over a six pack before dinner.

Side note .. Boss asked if just getting a wrecker engine might be an option. NO!

 

If you replace what you see is a problem and take one step at a time, you could probably get it running.

If the boss's faith is in you doing the right thing , fine, but how much faith does he have in that truck?

Quote "Be prepared to run because no good deed goes unpunished " !

 

Ugh .. I wouldn't pay $300 for the thing if it ran well .. but I guess he has some sort of attachment to it. Then again, 300K on the job site - who knows how many hours - beaten hard by muppets who didn't pay for it or care .. wouldn't call this infant mortality on the bathtub graph either.. .

Mitchells says the whole job is ten hours and can be done with the rad in .. maybe if you're in the circus - took me a day just to break it down.

Always did figure the rates were based on an off the line brand new vehicle without 14 years of rust and fragile plug tabs.

This point in the game .. give 'er what I've got and see what's what. Already rolled the dice.

 

Well .. it's back together and first key today with fresh 5W20 as called for. Thought I had nailed it. Came to life immediately, idled nice, no codes. Called the boss and petted myself on the head, an hour later he came in and on the second key P0010 and 0020, still idled well, and revs unloaded - but no real power.

During the work i metered both cam sensors, and they came in (if I recall) at 334 and 335 Ohms? Although I don't have specs, unlikely both have failed in a manner that would give such close readings, so assuming them both good.

Harness looks good at a glance .. better than expected for an Ontario truck, and gave each connector a spritz of contact cleaner. Monday, now that at least runs - I'll bring my oscilloscope and see if the solenoid pulse width signal changes in relation to engine load/throttle and do an oil pressure test .. although i doubt the latter will reveal anything useful unless it's grossly low.

Pretty well out of ideas and down to wild guesses now. Cam journals just worn to death and bleeding pressure? (in hindsight i should have pulled them and looked).

Eyeballing these phaser lockout gigs, but not sure i get the point. sure .. the 4.6 (of which i own two) don't have VVT and run swimmingly, but factory cam timing would have been optimized for this arrangement. Locking out the phasers doesn't to me seem any more useful than them simply not working in the first place.