5.4L Triton timing set, replace oil pump?

[JExpedition07]

I am still replacing both tensioners, all guides and arms, and the oil pump. If you are in here replace whatever you can afford to do imo. The guides may be in tact however the chain has been slapping them for some time on startup, so do yourself a favor and replace them. I’d bet they are brittle now.

 

[JExpedition07]

If you are on the slimmer side like me do yourself a favor and work on the oil pump from below. It was a priece of cake to get at even the more difficult bolt from below.

 

[07navi]

I am still replacing both tensioners, all guides and arms, and the oil pump. If you are in here replace whatever you can afford to do imo. The guides may be in tact however the chain has been slapping them for some time on startup, so do yourself a favor and replace them. I’d bet they are brittle now.

You have a point about the guides being brittle and mine was a 2 valve and had good pressure so I left the pump in there. What size wrench do you think the nut on the fan clutch would take if I had one? I will be replacing the current 5.4 pump with a Ford one eventually.

 

[JExpedition07]

You folks might want to pull the oil pan to get bottom oil pump bolt. It’s hard. I had to magnet it out already. Just the last bolt a nightmare. Having a hard time keeping my golden retrievers fur out of motor lol.

 

[JExpedition07]

New oil pump installed. That was hard lol.

 

[JExpedition07]

You have a point about the guides being brittle and mine was a 2 valve and had good pressure so I left the pump in there. What size wrench do you think the nut on the fan clutch would take if I had one? I will be replacing the current 5.4 pump with a Ford one eventually.

2 foot crescent wrench is what I used. I would also recommend grabbing the fan pulley with a strap wrench if the belt doesn’t provide you enough resistance.

 

[max78]

Thats rough about the Rad.

I forgot mention taping cardboard to the radiator will save you grief!. I learned the hard way years ago.

 

[JExpedition07]

Putting in guides tomorrow but then I’m on pause until my 3-valve compressor tool comes in. This tool is a must buy for this job (did not know this beforehand).

 

[max78]

I did this job without that tool. I simply used channel locking pliers to rotate the cam into position. You obviously need to be extremely careful not to damage the cam.

Irwin were the only brand that was thin enough to fit.

 

[07navi]

You folks might want to pull the oil pan to get bottom oil pump bolt. It’s hard. I had to magnet it out already. Just the last bolt a nightmare. Having a hard time keeping my golden retrievers fur out of motor lol.

That's why Makuloco stuffs a rag in there. Everybody drops them at least one time.

 

[07navi]

2 foot crescent wrench is what I used. I would also recommend grabbing the fan pulley with a strap wrench if the belt doesn’t provide you enough resistance.

I have a 16" pair of channel locks / water pump pliers and I think if I bunji them closed and whack it it should break it loose. I assume it's righty tighty, lefty loosy.

 

[07navi]

Thats rough about the Rad.

I forgot mention taping cardboard to the radiator will save you grief!. I learned the hard way years ago.

Great idea and only takes a minute...….or just be careful.

 

[07navi]

Putting in guides tomorrow but then I’m on pause until my 3-valve compressor tool comes in. This tool is a must buy for this job (did not know this beforehand).

Makuloco does it with a screwdriver but it might not be as easy as it looks on the net.

 

[JExpedition07]

Makuloco does it with a screwdriver but it might not be as easy as it looks on the net.

I thought I’ve seen that before but I looked and looked and could not find the video to learn how

 

[07navi]

I thought I’ve seen that before but I looked and looked and could not find the video to learn how

It can be done, just type in 5.4 cam followers in U-tube. There is only one but it looks like you have the tool coming. I sell stuff like that on ebay after I know I won't be using it again. (Ebay is my job).

 

[JExpedition07]

So I’m in big trouble on mine. Originally I didn’t want to pull valve covers but when I removed left side tensioner the camshaft slightly spun and it lost time as the weight of the chain dragged down. Now in research I’m totally screwed. You have to very careful to not let the cams spin beforehand while chains were still on and set it all to time before disassembly. As soon as this happened that’s why I removed both covers and decided to re-time.....only issue is I cannot. To do do this you had to set cams to neutral position first and set it all to time (I failed to do this!!!) before you begin taking it apart.

At this point I may need to pull the cylinder heads off the engine to proceed safely as I’m a fish out of water and cannot find any info for my predicament besides that removing the heads protects the valves at this point since I’m at unknown time everywhere on 3 different shafts. I feel stupid. This was a huge mistake on my part.

I am going to try removing roller followers carefully that aren’t down and then rotate cams to get the remainders and reset time......this is risky supposedly. I am a clueless amateur when it comes to this stuff I will be quick to admit it lol. Live and learn.

Ford literature I can find says valve damage is extremely likely in my situation.

 

[JExpedition07]

I am quickly realizing GM and Chrysler have the superior engine design looking at timing their pushrod engines lol. So much safer and easier than this mess I got myself into. If you screw up it’s a lot easier to correct on their engines it seems since info is readily available for this type of mistake. Not so for Ford. Oh well I have a bit to sleep on it until the valve compressor gets here to try and figure something out.

Good god I couldn’t imagine the slightest screw up on the 4 camshaft EcoBoost or coyote motors....

 

[07navi]

So I’m in big trouble on mine. Originally I didn’t want to pull valve covers but when I removed left side tensioner the camshaft slightly spun and it lost time as the weight of the chain dragged down. Now in research I’m totally screwed. You have to very careful to not let the cams spin beforehand while chains were still on and set it all to time before disassembly. As soon as this happened that’s why I removed both covers and decided to re-time.....only issue is I cannot. To do do this you had to set cams to neutral position first and set it all to time (I failed to do this!!!) before you begin taking it apart.

At this point I may need to pull the cylinder heads off the engine to proceed safely as I’m a fish out of water and cannot find any info for my predicament besides that removing the heads protects the valves at this point since I’m at unknown time everywhere on 3 different shafts. I feel stupid. This was a huge mistake on my part.

I am going to try removing roller followers carefully that aren’t down and then rotate cams to get the remainders and reset time......this is risky supposedly. I am a clueless amateur when it comes to this stuff I will be quick to admit it lol. Live and learn.

You might be an amateur but it's commendable that you took on this advanced undertaking. The only reason I did mine was because I was a mechanic many years ago so it wasn't scary for me. Most people would just throw money at some garage so the problem would just go away. You won't have to take your heads off and as a tip; next time follow Makulocos video to the tee even if you have to do it as you are working, also; vice grips on the cams will keep them from spinning. I'm am thinking about getting a couple long ones and grinding the jaws down a bit so they will fit in between the lobes and then bunjying the ends to the exhaust manifold because you never know which way the cams are going to spin a bit. Now that you have time while waiting for the tool you can study Makulocos videos carefully. Don't worry about pulling the heads, you won't need to. You can throw all the parts in a box, crank the engine over a few times, and still get it all back in time. Just take your time and study up on it.
There is a place at the front of the cam to put a large set of vice grips, makuloco doesn't use them because he knows how to neutralize the cam after working on many of them but when the time comes for me I will surely be using them.

 

[JExpedition07]

You might be an amateur but it's commendable that you took on this advanced undertaking. The only reason I did mine was because I was a mechanic many years ago so it wasn't scary for me. Most people would just throw money at some garage so the problem would just go away. You won't have to take your heads off and as a tip; next time follow Makulocos video to the tee even if you have to do it as you are working, also; vice grips on the cams will keep them from spinning. I'm am thinking about getting a couple long ones and grinding the jaws down a bit so they will fit in between the lobes and then bunjying the ends to the exhaust manifold because you never know which way the cams are going to spin a bit. Now that you have time while waiting for the tool you can study Makulocos videos carefully. Don't worry about pulling the heads, you won't need to. You can throw all the parts in a box, crank the engine over a few times, and still get it all back in time. Just take your time and study up on it.
There is a place at the front of the cam to put a large set of vice grips, makuloco doesn't use them because he knows how to neutralize the cam after working on many of them but when the time comes for me I will surely be using them.

very true the only reason I didn’t watch his walkthrough was I wasn’t planning on getting into the timing job. I thought I was just replacing a few components until it suddenly jumped time on me......not a big deal if valves aren’t still in play (his procedure for timing job first after set time is follower removal) but in my case the valves are all in play so it’s pretty scary...supposedly cylinder head removal removes the risk in this because you can then remove all follower safely....dunno.

 

[JExpedition07]

The plus side to removing both heads would be having new head gaskets too.....dunno I’ll have to sleep on it....read on it....sleep on it some more....then do something lol. I come from a GM family so although my elders have engine knowledge they are all clueless where to go here and how to help me it seems....