searched all over the forum and concluded the phasers on my 2004 5.4 are toast. The truck is quiet at cold idle. However once it warms up, it is making all kinds of noise! Drive through ATM's and fast food windows are obnoxious. Noise goes away if I hold the accelerator and bump up the rpms over 1,100 or so.

So I tried to sort out which side the noise is coming from and i've pretty much decided that its both sides since it seems to be coming from all over! I can hear it in both wheels wells. I have one new phaser already so will start with the drivers side since that seems to be the easiest to do.

I read somewhere that you can ground out the VCT sensor, if the noise goes away, this confirms the bad phaser. How exactly do you ground the VCT sensor to test?

Thanks all...

 

Love to know too....

 

This may help you verify if it is a cam phaser issue:
Automotive Technicians
Scroll down to episode 22.

Don't recall if it covers grounding the solenoid to test.

 

If the cam phasers are bad, do you actually "feel" a loss of power?

I know mine are toast too.. I doubt this is something I can do myself. Anybody know what it would cost a dealer to do? Or is it easy enough to do myself. Ive worked on cars my whole life but not sure about tackling this.
Thanks!

 

Just because a cam phaser is noisy does not mean it is toast. All cam phasers make noise. It's more a nuisance than anything, and I've only read one case where one has failed completely.

 

I think I have the same issues with my 2004 FX4 89Kmiles. I pulled a code of p0012
So I replaced the VCT Solenoid ($117 for the part at the dealer) on the drivers side and I still got the same code! I then replaced the passenger side with the VCT Solenoid from the drivers side and still got the same code!!
The truck runs great, but once it gets to normal operating temps and I come to a light and the idle drops into that crazy diesel knocking. I give it a small tap on the gas and it typically straightens out.

Ive read that the Cam Phaser Repair cost is $1200 at the dealer (im guessing per-side) and I dont want to pay that if I dont need it.

Is there anyone out there who can listen to these things and say "Ya its this" ??

Also, WTF is with the cheap vacume lines for the lockers?? I've had to replace every inch of mine and I still get the Metal ***** in a Coffee Can sound when the vacume drops going up a hill.

 

God, that was painful to watch. Good information, but they need to take some lessons on tele-prompters. Maybe Obama would be in for a beer?

 

i just had both of mine done on my 08 with 30k in the clock. service told be they are turning in $1600 to Ford for warranty. she said customer is usually double that!!!! but mine locked up the timing tensioners also!!!

 

I just bought a 2004 used, and the dealer replaced the phasers before selling it. They paid a Ford service center about $1300

 

got the updated part number NIB cam phaser off ebay for $80! I'll be tackling the drivers side when I get back form the honeymoon. I get married on 8/8. = )

 

I had both sides replaced on 11/08 with updated part numbers. well guess what the noise is slowly coming back. This is by far the worst truck ive had.

 

Cam phasers make noise.

 

and farts smell. Some are tolerable where others make you leave the room.

I want my cam phasers to be tolerable. And it sounds nice and quiet at cold idle, that's how it should be all the time.

 

I believe you don't understand how the function of the cam phaser. Click the video link in my sig and watch episode 22.

 

When it sounds like a diesel and its embarrasing to go through a drive-thru, it's not right...