Ford F-150 help

[RH. 56]

I have a 2009 Ford F-150 with the 5.4 engine and for the last couple months is has been doing this odd shaking and loud rattling sound coming from the engine occasionally when I am driving slowly (in a drive-thru, or when I am backing up a trailer or something) but it goes away when turn off the engine and restart it, has anyone ever experienced somthing like this and if so what is causing it? 

[Jerr454 11]

Oil control valves to regulate the variable timing. Ther inside the valve covers, u will need two. My buddy expierenced this on his 09 ford also. A friend of his works at pinewood and is very common. The screens get plugged. Same symptoms as yours

[WalleyeWayne 137]

Cam Phasers, I own a 2010 with 130,000km and just had mine done last fall. It's usually more evident when you are backing up and the rpm's drop down to about 200rpm and then the motor sounds like it is dieseling. Ford wanted around $4000 to do them (parts and labor). Current River Shell on Hodder Avenue did mine for half the labor cost. You can buy the parts in a kit and then take them to CRS and have them change them out. It's just another reason I will never buy a Ford product again!!!

[Jerr454 11]

Its not cam phasers unless its makin a loud ticking noise

[RH. 56]

Nope I don't have the tick sound so it must be what you said jerr454

[bwkre 11]

if it's an issue related to cam phasers, solenoids, and oil you should be getting codes set. You didn't mention anything about codes? Seems sludge from lack of oil changes is a big culprit. Changing oil and recommended oil will usually help but it's not a cure. Those engines have a long history of phaser problems

[DC_84 5]

I don't want to sound negative, but I would do what Ford did with the 5.4 litre while you can.... Get rid of it!

[bwkre 11]

My kid started out by changing the solenoid valve on one side. Seemed to help but the issue came back. There were several modifications made to the solenoids that helped but not for him. After tearing apart the front end & removing the oil pan, the real damage was located. The pan was caked in sludge ( 07 ), oil pump was done, both cam phasors broken, chain guides broken and solenoids gummed up. Turns out the truck was from alberta and spent most of it's life idling while it's owner worked. I couldn't believe the gunk we scraped out of the pan. Anyway he decided to fix it! New pump, cam phasors, chain guides, solenoids, etc. Bought him about a year. Same problems came back and would disappear for a short period after oil changes. The best we could figure was poor oil flow due to worn parts ( cam phasors are last on the oil galley), and plugged galleys. Steady timing and misfire codes. Finally got rid of it. Google 5.4 3v, the results are endless, not to say the other manufacturers don't have their own problems!

[RH. 56]

I'm no expert but apparently the 5.4 engines were brutal up until 2008 or 2009 when things got a bit better

[WalleyeWayne 137]

On 2017-03-16 at 8:33 PM, bwkre said:

if it's an issue related to cam phasers, solenoids, and oil you should be getting codes set. You didn't mention anything about codes? Seems sludge from lack of oil changes is a big culprit. Changing oil and recommended oil will usually help but it's not a cure. Those engines have a long history of phaser problems

On occasion a code would be sent, but not always. The code will stay registered so that's probably a good place to start.

[WalleyeWayne 137]

On 2017-03-17 at 4:15 PM, bwkre said:

My kid started out by changing the solenoid valve on one side. Seemed to help but the issue came back. There were several modifications made to the solenoids that helped but not for him. After tearing apart the front end & removing the oil pan, the real damage was located. The pan was caked in sludge ( 07 ), oil pump was done, both cam phasors broken, chain guides broken and solenoids gummed up. Turns out the truck was from alberta and spent most of it's life idling while it's owner worked. I couldn't believe the gunk we scraped out of the pan. Anyway he decided to fix it! New pump, cam phasors, chain guides, solenoids, etc. Bought him about a year. Same problems came back and would disappear for a short period after oil changes. The best we could figure was poor oil flow due to worn parts ( cam phasors are last on the oil galley), and plugged galleys. Steady timing and misfire codes. Finally got rid of it. Google 5.4 3v, the results are endless, not to say the other manufacturers don't have their own problems!

Had the same parts changed out as part of the kit. It was also recommended to me to run 10W-30 oil instead of the lighter 5W-20 oil that motor calls for.

[fisherdude 69]

It could be any of s thousand issues with this engine.

[RH. 56]

If anyone cares, I ended up running a bottle of that fuel system cleaner stuff and a tank of premium gas thru it and it hasn't done it since, easiest fix ever 

[levi64 72]

Thats kind of funny given all the responses, but it could have been alot of things. Glad you were able to give it the easy fix. Had a couple of Fords (not F150s) that ran alot better just with a fuel filter change. I use seafoam a fair bit now in just about everything i own with a motor .

[bwkre 11]

Hope it cured your problem, you will know soon enough if the symptoms return. An oil change would calm things down on my kids truck for about 3 weeks & then it would start again. Got expensive doing oil changes. Hope yours doesn't come back.