I posted another before this one so they are out of order. Said moderator needed to approve

 

Tom
Very valuable info. Will do the carb cleaner thing this week end. Maybe that's what my problem is. But in my case, the oil pressure has alway been normal (in the middle on the gauge).

On my update, I've gone on 4 hour drives from AZ to CA almost every weekend and little by little. Every weekend my truck seems to run better and better. On my last trip this Saturday. It felt just like it did 8 years ago. My power is back, not as good as before but it's getting way better. I still don't have the power I was used to at start up or slamming the gas pedal on a green light. But I hope and pray that if I keep taking it on long runs. I might gain that power back. I used to step on the gas and the brake at the same time before and it would spin out like crazy. Now it only burns out for about 5 seconds then it boggs down with the typical loss of power. But I'm not looking to burn out my tires. Just want my power back so I can take it off road in the Arizona and Sonora Mex desert dunes.
Good luck to everyone and don't give up there's still hope.

 

Excellent, on another note you only need a quart or less of Carb cleaner if you go that route. Thats more than enough to soak the pickup tube and lower resevoir in oil pan to free up any gunk you may possibly have in there.
My oil pressure always looked great and steady unless it just cutout briefly for a moment, then would shoot back up half gauge. Maybe one of the more savvy on the 5.4L 3V have an explaination for why oil pressure in these engines gauge that way. I never experienced a low pressure reading and it certainly would have helped as an early warning indication in my situation.
Good Luck,
Tom

 

The oil pressure gauge is an idiot gauge. It's either at the bottom or in the middle, it's not linear.

 

This is what my truck sounds like

 

What would happen if you just kept the VCT solenoids unplugged? You mentioned the noise was gone and performance didn't seem to be impacted.

 

I had a problem on cold starts , my 5.4 sounded like a desil and was getting 30 liters per 100 klm. I used a lucas oil cleaner and started using 5w 30. no more issues for the last 2 years. the truck is a 2009 with a 5.4