5.4 roller follower failure

[proftomda]

The YouTube guy fordtechmakuloco has a video or two about this issue. I’m holding my breath with my 2014 LTD with 79K on it…mostly my tow vehicle. As I recall he seemed to think that when the followers go bad you’re talking engine replacement. Hope I’m wrong about that. I run 5W-30 and change every 5000k.

Your doing all the right stuff running 5W-30 synthetic at 5000 mile change intervals. Roller follower failure does not mean engine replacement. Will it happen, maybe. I did the entire timing set replacement including the oil pump and phasers at 104,000 miles because of tensioner failure. I did NOT do the roller followers. That was 5 years and 60,000 miles ago and the engine purrs like a kitten. Only 5W-30 syn and 5000 mile change intervals and oil level always kept at top of full mark.

 

[rollinstone]

My shop said don’t panic. They suggest doing a “hot oil change” and put in an additive that will, among other things, clean the oil ports improving lubrication. They also suggested going to a 3000 mile oil/filter change.

 

[proftomda]

3000 mile oil changes even better than 5000 mile if you can swing it. Did your shop say you had engine sludge, thereby the oil additive? I do not see any reason for cleaning additives unless your engine is sludged up. Timely PCV valve replacement is important too. If you follow that change interval, your engine will last a good long time. Just be forwarded that the timing chain tensioner gaskets blow out through no fault of your own, which will require the timing set replacement like I did 5 years ago. Its not the end of the world and certainly no reason for offloading the car.

 

[rollinstone]

I DIY my oil changes and have seen nothing that indicates sludge in the old oil while draining. The shop just suggested the hot oil change with the additive as a roller follower preventative measure. But you're saying it's not necessary if there's no sludge?

 

[proftomda]

From my experience, there is no reason for oil additives unless the engine is sludged up. As you know, sludge develops from excessively long oil change intervals, short frequent trips not allowing the engine to fully warm up and burn off condensation and / or running the engine low on oil for a extended time. Since your primary mission is pulling a trailer, your expo is being driven in a matter that does not produce sludge. Your oil change interval is awesome so if I was a betting man I would say your engine is sludge free. When I replaced the timing components at 104,000 miles, my engine had no sludge build up at all, just some darker varnish on the drivers side cylinder head because that where the PCV valve is located. Timely PCV valve replacement is encouraged. Rest easy, you are doing the right things to extend the life of your engine. P.S. My uncle had a 2014 Expo that had 220,000 miles with all original timing components and roller followers that ran perfect until it got totaled in a car accident.

 

[Yep-Retired]

If the other items were done recently I’d replace all the roller followers and move on. Your oil pressure reading is OK at hot idle. Not superb but not indicative of an issue either. Are you running 5W-20 or 30? 5W-30 is fine for the 5.4. No chain slap noise or rattle on start up right? The tensioners are the killers of these motors. Other than that they would be sound.

Will you please look at my photos & may need to expand them... got these today & we wanted small hole version...but wasn't expecting it to be THIS tiny! Do they look right? Part 3L3Z6564A

 

[GaryB]

Yes, I think so. I was suprised at the difference when I did mine. Really helps boost the oil pressure though I imagine. Somthing this engine really needs. If you're doing the timing as well, its worth changing to the smelling high volume pump. It's not that much more time.

 

[Yep-Retired]

Yes, I think so. I was suprised at the difference when I did mine. Really helps boost the oil pressure though I imagine. Somthing this engine really needs. If you're doing the timing as well, its worth changing to the smelling high volume pump. It's not that much more time.

Thank you! I so appreciate your reply. I stopped in at the local Ford dealer parts dept today & they didn't have any to look at. Auto Zone had one Melling rocker so I was able to see the small hole in it. The ones we bought aren't brand names so using a small reamer made for cleaning welding tips we reamed the burrs out of all the tiny holes. Praying we can do all our cleaning & prep and start putting in the new lifters, rockers & cam before Saturday. It'll be weird driving my Expedition again...it's been about 6 months of us diagnosing & repairing. We had the timing done in early March, new high volume pump installed then. When driving it home from shop it was still making the loud racket it was when we dropped it off. Can't believe he'd charge us 5K and not even look at the rockers while he had it open. Tsk, tsk.