I have a 5.4 that has the phaser knock, about two weeks ago the truck started and ran real rough, set code P0021 - "A" Camshaft Position - Timing Over-Advanced (Bank 2) turned off truck reatared truck ran fine, this was three days after oil change.
the odd thing for the next 3 days there was no paser knock. then truck started knocking again, now it will start up fine when you take off once you let off the gas truck runs real rough and knocks real bad, shows codes p0340, P0021 trun off truck clear codes everthing is back to normal till you try to move the truck,
also the first time it did this the oil pressure droped to zero, changed filter and oil saw no debris now oil pressure stays up.

 

Your VCT solenoids might have plugged screen or the unit itself is sticking....

 

Okay
I have checked both VCT sol. they are both clean and free movement,
i have checked the CMP's both are fine and putting out a signal when truck is running, if i clear codes and start the truck it runs fine, try to drive and the dash says check gauges then the oil pressure drops to zero, then it will come back to normal i am getting all kinds of codes for cam posistion bank 1 and 2, P0340 P0345, P0011 P0021
stumped, I think it may be a PCM problem.

 

Hi, my first post on F150Online.

I couldn't help but register and reply to your problem. I have researched alot on the 5.4 3v engines and have read alot posts on this exact problem. Your engine could possibly either have a sludge issue plugging your oil pickup tube screen, or some type of debree is plugging it.

Your best bet is to pull the oil pan and check the pickup tube screen for sludge or debree.

Hope this helps,
Bruce

 

Update

well i removed the oil pan and found the screen plugged up with sludge and plastic,

then went and removed the timing cover found one chain guide 80% gone, the other three are broken no other damage, looks like we caught this on in time.

 

Glad you got to it in time, that could have turned into big money.

What year is your truck and how many miles? Just curious.

 

My truck is a 2004, it has 160,000 miles,
bought it used with about 120,000

 

It was common for the 2004 5.4 timing chain guides to break like that. The chain tensioners would blow out their oil seal causing a drop in oil pressure supplied to the phasers, could have been causing the knock you were hearing.

The new guides and chain tensioners were updated though so you should be good to go after you get those in there.

If your thinking about running somthing through the engine to clean out the sludge DON'T. Alot of times the cleaners break the sludge loose and this winds up plugging things up, like the VCT passages.

 

I had the exacts ame problem with my 05. The only difference was I did not catch it in time and the engine locked up on me. I had it rebuilt and it was fine for about three months. Driving down the road I lost oil pressure again and immediately pulled over.
The mechanic said one of my cam phasers were broke. Well, he ended up changing both of them. Now my truck has the same symptoms as your described in your original thread, exactly the same! Back in a different shop now, they are taking the timing cover off and I'm waiting to hear from them on what they found.
I will be following this thead and update on my problem if anyone is interested.

 

Parts are on order, they should arive Tuesday, with my work schedule i hope to have the truck on the road Wednesday Night.
I will post how it turns out.

 

New parts showed up, installed and just took the truck for a test drive
tomorrow it will take a 20 mile drive but so far things look and sound real good.

 

Awsome, glad to hear.

 

What procedure did you use to get the oil pan off...
Is your truck running ok??

 

I'm also having a similar code, P0345, on my 2005 and the truck runs fine at idle and at cruising speeds but on acceleration it starts to knock at 1500-3000 until it shifts out of 2nd gear and you're moving down the road. The knock started out minor and sounded like a vibration or something loose, then started to be an intermittent misfire until now and it's a total power loss of one or more cylinders with a decent knock. I was about to change the oil so it looks like I'll be dropping the oil pan too to clean it out and check for debris, etc...as far as the VCT solenoid, where is that located and what do I need to look for to verify it's op/inop (never have dealt with the system before)? I'm hoping it's a sludge issue as I'll pass through 180,000 miles on it today, but my worst fears are that it's a combo of the sludge/timing chain guide wearing out. I run synthetic and have done so since I bought it in '07 with 53,000 miles, but it's always knocked like a diesel (until the other day, actually, when this all started...) so I've been counting the days that I had to replace the phasers or repair something on it, etc. I may go ahead and buy the parts to change the guides and phasers, as I'm sure they're the culprit - or is it worth tearing it apart first to determine the fault and then only replacing that and not everything?

Anyone in the DFW area that's dealt with this or wants to help dig into it, feel free to message me here, email me or call/text at 94zero-64one-zero833. Thanks!

 

Here's a good resource for VCT location and changing them out.
http://www.howstuffinmycarworks.com/VCT_Solenoid.html

You will need a long T27 torx driver. You can try checking them with a an ohm meter but could still be faulty even if they ohm correctly. I believe they should be 5-15 ohms. You can remove them and inspect/clean them and see what happens. Replacing my phasers this weekend..can't wait.

Kev