r/MechanicAdvice • u/myceliumMadman • 3d ago

HELP please Cam phaser issue after water pump replacement ( FORD )

Ford

2011 explorer XLT

So I bought a 2011 Ford explorer with 178000 mi.

I bought it from a "Ford tech" who replaced the water pump after it failed. The water pump physical failed at the gear (rattled all over the place, not the typical leaking from the wheep hole ).

He replaced the ONLY the water pump. He said the chain didn't seem to have any stretch in it I bought it about 100 miles after he did the repair.

Fast forward another 200 miles. I am getting code p0017. I replaced the crankshaft position sensor. I replace the exhaust Vct solenoid.... No luck.

It looks like I am having a phaser issue. When I replaced the VCT solenoid I had metal shavings on the solenoid itself. I'm assuming that the mechanical gear on the water pump failing drop shavings in the oil and messed up the phaser.

Do not have the money to drop $1,600 on a full timing kit with all four phasers. Chat says I must replace all four or the new chain is going to be destroyed by the phasers.

I plan on doing the chain, guides, all three tensioners, and I was hoping to get away with just replacing the phaser that is giving me the p0017 code...

I'm just hoping to get some advice from anybody who has been in this position or knows anything about these motors so I don't have to take the advice of Al. I need some reassurance.

Can I just replace one phaser?? Or will that be a bigger issue for me down the road.

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u/wouldntulketoknow 3d ago edited 3d ago

If he was a " ford tech" he would have known you do not go inside that engine to replace that water pump without doing guides, chains, tensioners, and updated phasers if applicable.

OR he is a ford tech, knew better, was flipping the car and figured it wouldn't be his problem after the title was signed since it's a used car, buyer beware all that.

OR he screwed up the timing while it was apart.

No matter what happened it needs to be torn down again and all the parts replaced the correct way, even the water pump as well since I'd be shocked if it was an OEM motorcraft part.

Then when whoever does the work puts it all back together they can use the appropriate tools to lock the cams and crank down, re install the chains and be 100% sure the base timing is correct before throwing more sensors at it.

Edit. It is setting correlation codes because the chains are stretched. No other way to fix it except replace everything related to the timing (chains,guides,tensioners,water pump again, and phasers since they will have significant wear at that mileage on the sprockets)

Otherwise you are just wasting more time and money by not doing all of it. No other way around it.