4.6L 3valve VCT solenoid-remove valve cover?

[rickyg]

I have seen conflicting answers on this question. I am getting fault codes P0012 and P0022, at 97,000 miles on a 2008 Ford GT with 4.6L 3 valve engine. The car runs terribly and stalls, though for first two to three minutes, it actually runs normally, then goes downhill after the oil starts warming up. My goal is to first replace the VCT solenoids, then reassess if its the camshaft or possibly phasers.

To replace the two VCT solenoids on this car, do I need to remove the valve covers on each side of the engine, or can I do it by simply removing the grommet caps over each solenoid, at the front part of each valve cover? On the 5.4 L engine, I am fairly sure you can do it through the grommet caps. However I believe the bore is too small on the 4.6 liter 3 valve, so I may be stuck taking off the valve covers on each side? Thanks in advance for any assistance. Photo attached is passenger side VCT solenoid, with grommet cap removed.

 

[Dino Dino Bambino]

Before you replace the VCT solenoids, disconnect the wiring harness from each one and see if that cures the stalling. If it doesn't, then replacing the VCT solenoids won't be the permanent solution and the problem actually lies elsewhere e.g. blown timing chain tensioner gaskets/broken chain guides causing cam timing errors.
If broken cam phasers were the problem, they'd need to knock pretty badly to trigger cam position sensor codes so it doesn't sound like that's your problem.

 

[Flapjack]

A couple of thoughts... I agree with Dino, this doesn't sound like a cam phaser issue. The simple test he proposed should rule that out. Additionally, there is no way you can pull the solenoids out of the grommet on any engine, regardless of whether it is a 4.6 or a 5.4. It still requires you pulling off the valve covers to be able to get to the bolts holding it in.

I would definitely put in some more diagnosis work here. This is a generic, non-mustang page, but it still has good advice on what the issue could be... along with this note:

Common P0012 Diagnosis Mistakes
The most common mistake that occurs when diagnosing P0012 trouble codes is to assume you know what the problem is. Without a step-by-step check, you will be putting parts on the car it might not need. Instead, make sure you follow the right diagnostic steps for your vehicle to properly determine what's wrong. In that, make sure you also check the connections and wiring for anything that might be causing a short.

P0012 - Camshaft Position “A” – Timing Over-Retarded (Bank 1)

The P0122 code is a common OBD-II error code. Learn what this code means and how you can fix it to keep your vehicle in top shape.

mechanicbase.com