Review on 🔧 VCT Solenoid for Camshaft Variable Valve Timing, Replaces OEM 8L3Z-6M280-B - Compatible with Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury Vehicles - Expedition, F150, F250, F350, F450 - 3V 5.4L, 5.4, 4.6 - Includes Solenoids and Cam Seals by Don Merritt

my 2004 FX4 5.4 3V has 245,000 miles I bought it last year just to take my boat to the lake so it's not my daily driver and that hasn't bothered me with the mileage I also bought it pretty cheap as people don't like those Triton motors but I'm mechanical by nature so I didn't worry if it needed a full timing job etc. Well we've only driven the truck 500 miles round trip and the driver's side engine is ticking pretty hard, oil pressure is good, I've changed the oil twice in 1 year of ownership so far and the transmission whines on downshifts. I decided to change the transmission filter and the 5 quarts of transmission oil the sump contains which solved the whining and then decided to see if the spark plugs I replaced when I bought the truck last year were loose and caused the ticking. It wasn't a problem, but I remembered that I had already purchased these solenoids and never installed them. I chose to replace just the driver's side as it was still the original Ford unit and the passenger side looked like it had only recently been replaced. I was surprised that when the truck restarts the ticking noise IS GONE just because the VCT solenoid has been replaced, so it's worth replacing them before diving into a full cam phaser synced to these 5.4s. I'll eventually do the job full-time, but I'm in no rush now!