I did cam phasers in my garage, and you can too!

[FordTechOne]

Hmm, interesting. Thanks for the info. What I said regarding the change was from the former head of Ford’s VVT program. I could have understood him wrong.

I don’t see any open recalls / CSP’s for 21B10 - I’ll have to double check my printed out service history tomorrow. The cam journals all looked fine, no obvious signs of wear…and the truck’s never been ran low on oil, at least, since I bought it.
The LH valve cover was cracked for god knows how long, and the oil pump electrical connector seal was leaking, so perhaps the previous owner did me in.

Fingers crossed the truck doesn’t chew through these!

So that’s to be expected, recall/CSP 21B10 expired in 07/22; it no longer appears on OASIS. However, if it was performed, it will be in warranty history.

To check the journals you would have had to pull the cam caps; did you pull the mega cap (front)? That’s what feeds the phasers.

 

[kindofblue]

So that’s to be expected, recall/CSP 21B10 expired in 07/22; it no longer appears on OASIS. However, if it was performed, it will be in warranty history.

To check the journals you would have had to pull the cam caps; did you pull the mega cap (front)? That’s what feeds the phasers.

Yes, I did remove the cam caps and I saw nothing abnormal

 

[kindofblue]

So that’s to be expected, recall/CSP 21B10 expired in 07/22; it no longer appears on OASIS. However, if it was performed, it will be in warranty history.

My service history states that a phaser repair was performed under TSB 20-2315 in Nov 2020. It says that the PCM was reprogrammed.

Yes but…. Nobody has much experience with seeing CD failed parts, so I’m not saying much.

Alright, here are pictures of both sides of what I have left of the phaser. I threw out the bolts/lock pin/etc - I just kept this as a desk ornament really. I'm going back up to my shop this weekend, I'm going to dig in my trash bag to see if I can find the rest of the pieces. I'll also disassemble the other three while I'm at it.

Now that I have thought about this a bit more, I do NOT believe that plastic piece you showed was present. That piece installs into a pin, correct? The remaining bit of it was inside of the pin.
That being said...my VCT solenoid screens were clean, and I did not see any wear on the cam journals or the cam lobes. Perhaps I just lucked out and this phaser wore very gradually, so particulate wasn't collected anywhere it shouldn't have been?

 

[goblues38]

So about 20 years ago, I decided to change the timing belt on my Audi to save $1,000. Took me all of a 3 day weekend instead of the book 4 hours, and the car was never correct after that. I ended up selling it. I learned my lesson. Pay the pros. get a warranty. save the headache.

 

[kindofblue]

So about 20 years ago, I decided to change the timing belt on my Audi to save $1,000. Took me all of a 3 day weekend instead of the book 4 hours, and the car was never correct after that. I ended up selling it. I learned my lesson. Pay the pros. get a warranty. save the headache.

To each their own. This is definitely not a job to take on if you aren't up to it or comfortable doing it.

 

[goblues38]

I think the biggest things is 30 year old me in 2002 a $1,000 was a much bigger deal. 52 year old me in 2024 wipes my ass with $1,000 (or so it seems)

 

[spack]

Thank you very much for the pictures. The plate with the intended well hole looks very close to as-designed. Maybe slight beveling to the right. Hard to tell. They come from the factory with a slight bevel which you can see in my picture. But typically, at least in the CC parts, that’s the side that fails. As to the back plate…. It’s as if the plastic spring cap didn’t keep the lock pin from touching the back plate. The groove there, looks as though it’s the width of the pin itself. And it has a step in it which is beyond me at the moment. I can’t see how the plastic could have done that and it’s the only thing that should touch that plate

I think pulling the others apart is a good idea. See if this a one off, or if there is a systemic mechanism at play. Interesting stuff. Keep us posted.

Here is what the plastic cap looks like new. It’s slightly wider than the lock pin.

 

[thinkrevolutionx]

That's quite the project. Hats off to you good sir.

 

[FordTechOne]

My service history states that a phaser repair was performed under TSB 20-2315 in Nov 2020. It says that the PCM was reprogrammed.

That is the pre-recall calibration. You’ll want to have the PCM updated to the new calibration to get the 21B10 software, which prevents the internal phaser wear. Anyone with up to date IDS can do the reflash, it doesn’t need to be a dealer.

 

[kindofblue]

Thank you very much for the pictures. The plate with the intended well hole looks very close to as-designed. Maybe slight beveling to the right. Hard to tell. They come from the factory with a slight bevel which you can see in my picture. But typically, at least in the CC parts, that’s the side that fails. As to the back plate…. It’s as if the plastic spring cap didn’t keep the lock pin from touching the back plate. The groove there, looks as though it’s the width of the pin itself. And it has a step in it which is beyond me at the moment. I can’t see how the plastic could have done that and it’s the only thing that should touch that plate

I think pulling the others apart is a good idea. See if this a one off, or if there is a systemic mechanism at play. Interesting stuff. Keep us posted.

Here is what the plastic cap looks like new. It’s slightly wider than the lock pin.

Thank you for your insight. I will pull the others apart this weekend and keep you in the loop.
Yes, that plastic cap was 100% worn off. The locking pin you show in the photo had a small piece of that plastic inside of it. The best way to describe it is that it looked like someone just snapped it off while inside of the locking pin, and left the retention part of the plastic cap inside of the locking pin.

That is the pre-recall calibration. You’ll want to have the PCM updated to the new calibration to get the 21B10 software, which prevents the internal phaser wear. Anyone with up to date IDS can do the reflash, it doesn’t need to be a dealer.

Thank you, I will definitely have that done. From what you've said, that seems to potentially be a large contributing factor to why my phasers went out.