V-10 Significant breakdown

[Bo Walker]

Grant, did you check the oil level?

[Morich]

Click to me sounds like valve problem. I've long ago lost the names of the parts but the click I think of was the gizmo that presses on the valve to open it has too much slack and clicks as it reaches the valve stem!
I think my brother and I spent way too much time under the hood of cars that were NEVER going to run right!
Can we still adjust the valves or has that gone away while I've not been watching?

[grtharris]

Bo Walker, Oil level is good, getting good oiling on the valve train.
Morich, I keep hoping it is a valve train problem, but have not found anything loose yet. Going to do a compression check tomorrow, have to get a new one, mine will not go down in the spark plug hole.
Here is a picture of the valve train, Ford V10 3 valve.

[bigb]

Did you run it with the VC off?

[grtharris]

bigb, had to take a lot of stuff off to get the valve covers off. Depending on how the compression test comes our that will be my next step.

[bigb]

I'm just thinking if there is slop in any part of the valve train you won't see or feel it on the ones under tension, can you rotate the engine with the harmonic balancer bolt in order to check all the valves as the tension is relieved? There are 2 locations in the rotation that should enable you to check all the valves while not under tension, 1 location for some and the second location for the rest. I remember doing this on older big blocks but to be honest I never opened up a big block with OHC.

[grtharris]

bigb, Yes I have a manual starter switch so I can bump the engine. I checked each valve with the cam lobe up 180 degs from the cam follower feeling each one for any movement.
Have seen pictures were the cam follower bearing locks up and wears so much it will just fall out.

[Sullivanclan]

Would love to know how American Rascal turns out.

[Americanrascal]

Met with the shop this morning. Won't pull the drivers side head until later this week or early next. Valve cover removal didn't reveal anything. Waiting my place in line. Will post as soon as I get the report. Sure sound ominous though.

[Sullivanclan]

Appreciate it

[winnie32v]

Originally Posted by Americanrascal

Met with the shop this morning. Won't pull the drivers side head until later this week or early next. Valve cover removal didn't reveal anything. Waiting my place in line. Will post as soon as I get the report. Sure sound ominous though.

Thanks,
Waiting for your updates.
I loved my V-10....only had to change the plugs due to multiple misfires.

[HandyJimBob]

Here's my story. Check engine light code reader indicated misfire in #10 cylinder and multiple-cylinder misfires, as evidenced by periodic loss of power, especially going uphill. Happily, we got home without problems, took Winnie into our reputable mechanic (Advanced Mechanix in Dothan, Ala.), and they replaced the coil and plug in #10 for $317.71. Yes, I'm bragging about my mechanic!

[Morich]

Originally Posted by HandyJimBob

Here's my story. Check engine light code reader indicated misfire in #10 cylinder and multiple-cylinder misfires, as evidenced by periodic loss of power, especially going uphill. Happily, we got home without problems, took Winnie into our reputable mechanic (Advanced Mechanix in Dothan, Ala.), and they replaced the coil and plug in #10 for $317.71. Yes, I'm bragging about my mechanic!

With the newer ignition electronics, it has become almost vital to use more electronics to find what the engine is doing!
A computer to sort out what the other computer is not doing?
That's where we need to have a person who is trained and experienced enough on the new while still knowing the basics of old school enough to not accept "everything" the computer tells them!

In my car case, they were not able to look past the computer word to change the TCM , even when they had changed it twice! When it tells them the battery is bad and they know it is not, I felt it was time to look for corroded connections--but that was not what the computer said and I lost the argument!

I felt life was too short to ever start that fight!!

[grtharris]

A little update on my V10. Finally got the right tool after modifying it to do the compression test. Did not look to bad. It takes a long threaded 12mm adapter to get down in spark plug hole.
The cylinder that I replaced the fuel injector in was the only one reading below 175 it was reading 170 the others were between 175 and 190. Hope there is just a carbon issue in that one.
Now has I was covering up the valve train I notice this on the right side. Don't know how I missed it but I did. This wear pattern looks like a bad valve adjuster. Ordered a valve spring compressor, will be here tomorrow. Fingers crossed!!!!

[Americanrascal]

Looks another one popped up on IRV2. Similar situation:

https://www.irv2.com/forums/f23/2015...ml#post6353895

[Eagle5]

In 2014, Ford was recommending the use of 5W-20 oil. For my 2019, Ford changed the recommendation to 5W-30, which would indicate that Ford felt they had a problem with the 5W-20. I believe the goal in recommending such thin oils at operating temperature is to add 0.1 MPG better fuel economy. As for me, I only use 0W-40 Mobil 1 oil. It is a little thicker at operating temperature, and hence you get more cam protection and greater bearing load capacity. The other benefit is that it is thinner at cold start-up, and flows more easily when you need it to flow.
Eagle5

[Americanrascal]

The shop I had it the rig at threw in the towel as they are too short on help and do not have the ability to change out an engine on a 40' class A --assuming that's where we are headed with this problem . Shop bays are not long enough and no lifting capability for a 26000 lb motorhome with a long wheel base at the current shop its at and the others throughout the region I have called. So I called Ford Motorhome Customer service hotline after I called a large number of shops in north Georgia, east Alabama, and west Georgia. No one wanted to touch it given the indicated compression failure. Ford motorhome folks looked at who had the bay and lift sizes, or who would handle this rig. Only one came up, that being Stivers in Montgomery AL. I called their service adviser and they said yes they can handle it and will be glad to take on the project. I should expect a 6 week to 6 month process. Interestingly they said they were about the only ones in this part of the south that could handle this type and size of rig and problem (?????). Now after the first $1800 tow, I am up against the same for this next segment of tow.

I also tried a nearby Freightliner dealer and they refused to take on the job. I was quite surprised at the rarity of large and skilled enough shops in the SE for this kind of work so it was an epiphany for me. Now working to get a heavy tow lined up for the job in Montgomery. More to come---- sometime??

[bigb]

Sorry to hear it's that hard to find someone to work on it. In some other threads I have heard people say they would buy a Ford chassis motorhome over a Mercedes Sprinter Chassis because anyone can work on the Ford, seems though that's not always the case. I guess mainly it's the size of the motorhome, and the motor likely needs to come out the bottom?

[grtharris]

Americanrascal, Will I have threw in the towel also. Have checked and double checked and cannot find what is causing the clicking. So I put it all back to together and took it for a drive with the dog house off. Clicking is still there.
Luckily I do have a Ford shop that works on motor homes that is only about 40 miles away. Talked to one of the service writers last week and he said they would be glad to work on it. Told him I would wait until after the holidays and give him a call and bring it in.

[creativepart]

Joe, have you posted about this on IRV2 in the Ford F53 Chassis forum. If you you might seek advice there. You might find some alternatives. Just a thought.