ok, so I have the dreaded P0012 code and researched all the causes. Guides, solenoids, phasers, etc. I'll estimate that my truck has been running at roughly 75% power with a slight miss at idle. I removed, disassembled, cleaned the VCT solenoids, then installed them on opposite sides of the motor. No change.

here's the weird part. I drove it 2 miles this morning to pick something up and it ran normal. On the way home, it shook so bad my passenger door rattled and I couldn't get up a little hill. My highest speed was 6 mph on a flat surface whether partial throttle or floored! Cut it off and pondered the possibilities of the route home with the least traffic or if I just killed the engine. I had to get home so cranked it back up and it was back to how it was before... up to about 75% power. Ran some errands and it ran ok for the most part outside of one giant engine "hiccup". I know I need to fix it before I drive it anymore and risk catastrophic engine damage. I put the new updated phasers in it a while ago and swapping the solenoids from side to side ruled those out as the culprit. A guide my have disintegrated but that doesn't explain the variations does it?!

Do the timing chain guide tensioners ever lose their ability to put enough pressure on the guides? Seem feasible that this could be the issue? I was fully prepared to pull the cover off the front of the engine to replace those guides but just curious if anyone else has an idea as to what it could be before I tackle the job.

 

cleared the codes and waited for the CEL to come on. Sure enough it did but throwing a P022 code.

So I pulled the timing cover off today, upper chain guide on the passenger side was in 3 pieces, as well as some serious slack in the chain. It was so loose that the chains were almost rubbing together. Considering myself very lucky that this thing still ran and did not grenade or blow out the valves.

But why would it throw a P022 code now? Isn't that for the drivers side?!

 

updating this just in case it comes up in someone else's search.

My timing issue and subsequent codes were related to the failed timing guides. I'm going to go ahead and say that the chain tensioners failed first due to hearing the infamous start up rattle for so long. Eventually the guides broke, that's when it started running rough and all the codes popped up. My drivers side guide had broken but the tensioner seemed to be ok since the chain was still tight. The passenger side guide was broken and the tensioner seal was GONE with quite a bit of slack in the chain.

It took me about 12 hours total to install the new timing kit (guides, tensioners, crank gear, chains). Codes cleared and ran ok. Still had a slight misfire that was really only noticeable at low speeds, going uphill. Put in a new set of Motorcraft SP-515 spark plugs and all is well now. Truck runs perfectly smooth and has power again.

I bought a replacement phaser just in case but didn't install it. I put in the updated phasers back at 80,000 miles for S&G's. The phasers make ZERO noise, in fact the only noise I can hear is the AFE intake.

I re-used the timing cover and valve gaskets but went ahead and put a new crank seal on it. Runs perfect, with zero leaks after 210 miles. My mpg has increased from 11.2 to 14.5.

If anyone needs an unused, updated phaser...let me know!

 

Good info. Nice write up.