FYI - Original vs. Re-designed Cam Phasors (3.5L, 3.0L and 2.7L)

[burbansk]

Ok so here is the scoop. My friend and co-worker at Ford EMDO told me today that the 3.0L in the Ranger Raptor is Direct Injection only. He also said that a upper intake cleaner every 30,000 miles is advised.

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[Lion77]

Good to know, I'll be sure to periodically have the induction system cleaning done. To be clear, are you referring to a chemical vapor cleaning or the more hard core "walnut blast" method? I'm leery of the walnut blast method just due to some issues it has caused with some people when not properly done.

I know for induction cleaning they usually hook up a vapor system at uses the intake vacuum to pull cleaner through the intake and idle it for usually 15 min or so, after than you drive it like you stole it for the rest of that gas tank to make sure all the crap is burned up.

 

[Lion77]

Something like this: Tech Tip of the Week- Fuel Induction Service | Tech Tip Video Of The Week - Fuel Induction Service | By RoweWestbrook | Facebook

 

[burbansk]

Good to know, I'll be sure to periodically have the induction system cleaning done. To be clear, are you referring to a chemical vapor cleaning or the more hard core "walnut blast" method? I'm leery of the walnut blast method just due to some issues it has caused with some people when not properly done.

I know for induction cleaning they usually hook up a vapor system at uses the intake vacuum to pull cleaner through the intake and idle it for usually 15 min or so, after than you drive it like you stole it for the rest of that gas tank to make sure all the crap is burned up.

I am sure he meant the vapor system and not the walnut blast.

 

[danmoochie]

I find it hard to believe they changed all three sets of cam phasers. I know my 2024 RR cams failed at 900 miles. I can also state our shops change more 3.0 cam phasers than anything else the past couple years. So right now I'd have to say the 3.0 units still have issues.

 

[Lion77]

The 3.0 was introduced in 2016. Changeover would not have occurred until 2021 MY, making the majority of 3.0's out there of the older design (at least in the F-150's). Time will tell I guess, but you can't really blame failed cam phasors at 900 miles on the old or new design. That's just pure infant mortality.

Also, the designs are not 100% identical between them. There are some differences. They have different PN's but share a similar architecture. Really the only difference is the locking pin hole was re-designed in the new phasor, aside from that it's the same. That plunger pin doesn't affect normal operation either, as soon as there's oil pressure, the plunger pin is useless and the VCT solenoids control the phasor position by filling or bleeding the chambers of oil.

They could have changed the hole machining dimensions and also the steel grade to dramatically enhance the original design as well. There's more than one way to skin that cat.

 

[Lion77]

By the way, I also realized this after having owned a 2016 Mustang GT with the 2nd 5.0L Coyote:

JL3Z-6C525-A 5.0L Camshaft Actuator JL3E-6C525-CB

Look familiar? Same freaking design architecture in the 5.0L as in the 3.5L Ecoboost. So, I wonder if the issue was more due to a mass production batch issue than the design? Could something else in the 3.5L's architecture have been the root cause (i.e., harmonics in the timing chain system specific to that engine and block)? Who knows, but cam phasor issues are rare on the 5.0's and it uses the same overall phasor design as the infamous Gen 1 and Gen 2 3.5L's (again, scaled for the 5.0L's timing requirements).

So even if the 3.0L has that phasor design, it may or not be a widespread problem. Time will tell, but my friends 2021 ST with 130k has no phasor issues. My parent's F-150 5.0L (2015) has no phasor issues, none of the Ecoboost F-150's at my work (most are Gen 2) have no issues etc. All of them are in the 50k-150k range.

Perhaps there's inconsistent batches, which could cause the same person in an area to keep getting bad units. Might explain why some can run their F-150's for 448k miles without phasor problems while others need them ever 30k.

Looks like the 3.0L's phasors are on their 3rd revision:

L1MZ-6C525-C and has since replaced L1MZ-6C525-A

L1MZ-6256-C and has since replaced L1MZ-6256-A, L1MZ-6256-B

No pictures to tell and you can't really rely on stock photos, but it's not the same as what was in the older 3.0L's. Obviously, it's backwards compatible with the older 3.0L's as a drop-in replacement. Perhaps only time will tell if we get a bunch of Raptors dying of cam phasor issues, then maybe someone can get their hands on one of the old phasors to a tear down and document how bad the wear was on the plunger slot or if something else failed.

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