Cam Phaser Questions

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I find humor in following these threads. I have a 2019 F150 3.5 Ecoboost with ~59.9k miles. At some point, I had them run the recall on the cam phaser issue. It didn't resolve the problem. After getting tired of my truck sounding like a diesel, I got it in for the first cam phaser replacement (It took like a month to get a service appointment so I could THANKFULLY get a loaner.) My truck was in the shop from 1/13/21-1/25/21. All was well until I heard that shutter again. Another appointment and loaner car, and I had a second replaced. Truck was in the shop from 11/22/21-12/14/22 on that one. Sometime after that, I began smelling an intermittent burning smell. Something like oil burning. So, I scheduled another appointment and got it in on 3/26/22 (desperately trying to get it in before hitting 60k miles). On 4/14/22, my service advisor called me and told me it was a valve cover, valve cover gasket, high pressure fuel pump o-ring, and a manifold gasket. As of today, I STILL don't have my truck! Now, I've put 5k miles on the Bronco Sport they loaned my (it drives like a go-cart and has it's own rattle that appears to be serial based on other threads I've read... I believe it's the emergency brake cable harmonizing and rattling at low speeds), and I'm wondering if they're wanting to hold onto my truck while we're waiting on my wife's Stealth Max that keeps getting delayed. I can't believe its taking so long and have just ordered a Rav4 Hybrid to swap out to because I'm not going to risk further problems with this truck while waiting on my 2 hours in Lightning reservation to finally get placed sometime in 2023. Sigh. Ford is really creating a mess!
 

Jettix2

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IMO, I wouldn't get the update. I did. It doesn't appear to be reversable or Ford has decided not to reverse the programing like they did in the past. Mine 2018 with 45k, shutter (after program), is going in for new heads in a couple weeks. There has been a design change, but I don't know exactly when Ford incorporated the new heads on factory production vehicles.

Have you had this completed yet? How did it turn out?
 

apex96

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I was told that the cam phaser isn't getting oil pressure properly. Now this could be from a front cam journal that was not factory machined to the proper tolerance, or because the cam cap isn't keeping things together properly leading to the worn journal/cam phaser oil issue. So yes I believe, a leak, resulting in low pressure. I hear they went from a 2 bolt to 3 bolt cap. I thought someone mentioned 3 to 4, but I am pretty sure the new head is a 3 bolt cap. Right?
John, any update on the new heads? Have they been installed and was it determined that the new heads are in fact a different design?
 

Jettix2

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John,
I am attaching a page out of the Ford service manual that shows the head design on my 2018. Notice the 3-bolt mega cap. Save this image to your phone, and then request to perform a receipt inspection of your new heads when they come in.
See if you are getting a new design or just new(rebuilt) 2018 model heads.
View attachment 73485
Do we have any more info on these new style heads? I sent you a PM....
 

Squark

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That's my take as well. Great vehicle, as long as it has a warranty. It's sad that Ford can't get its act together.
I'm getting to the point where I don't want to own it under warranty either. I'm about to drop mine off for a second cam phaser replacement plus some other warranty work. The next available appointment is a month out and they estimated 1 week to complete the work with no loaners available. Even though the repairs are covered by the ESP, I'm still out hundreds of dollars in rentals.
 

Jettix2

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I'm getting to the point where I don't want to own it under warranty either. I'm about to drop mine off for a second cam phaser replacement plus some other warranty work. The next available appointment is a month out and they estimated 1 week to complete the work with no loaners available. Even though the repairs are covered by the ESP, I'm still out hundreds of dollars in rentals.
I'm curious to know what my current Repair Order will total before the warranty picks up the tab ($100 ded)..........I'm guessing $12-15k. Crazy. Thank heavens we have a spare car, as it's a PITA otherwise.
 

Johnb21

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John, any update on the new heads? Have they been installed and was it determined that the new heads are in fact a different design?
Yes, it was determined that the heads were a different design. I do not have the shuttering issue anymore. The turbo rattle is a still there at cold start, but less noticeable when hot. My old turbos rattled all the time, not just under cold start. I think the spring mod that I say on the F-150 site is probably a better remedy than new turbos. I wasn't having any cam phaser noise issues at the time they replaced the heads. The phasers had been replaced about 20k miles before the heads where done. I still have a rattle/buzz at 1100-1300rpm under load. Sounds like a heatshield vibrating. That noise was there before the heads were done and I thought it would go away once the shuttering was fixed. It is going in next week to for the rattle/buzz thing.
 

Jettix2

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Yes, it was determined that the heads were a different design. I do not have the shuttering issue anymore. The turbo rattle is a still there at cold start, but less noticeable when hot. My old turbos rattled all the time, not just under cold start. I think the spring mod that I say on the F-150 site is probably a better remedy than new turbos. I wasn't having any cam phaser noise issues at the time they replaced the heads. The phasers had been replaced about 20k miles before the heads where done. I still have a rattle/buzz at 1100-1300rpm under load. Sounds like a heatshield vibrating. That noise was there before the heads were done and I thought it would go away once the shuttering was fixed. It is going in next week to for the rattle/buzz thing.
So, what did you do/say to get the new style heads? LOTS of people are interested to know because it seems like it might be the "ultimate" fix for cam phaser failure. Any other info on these new heads would be awesome to find out, ie when they went into production so we know if there is a date beyond which any potential purchase is "all clear"....
 

Hokieskins

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My dealer took apart the whole front end to repair
 

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