2018 Ford F-150 P0012 Over-Retarded Cam Timing Bank 1

Question

I'm getting a P0012 on my 3.5 EcoBoost. The truck has 92,000 miles. There’s a very distinct 2-second rattle when I first start it in the morning, then it goes away. However, once the engine is warm, the idle gets real 'choppy' and I'm losing about 3-4 MPG.

I've been religious with 5k oil changes using full synthetic. I'm really hoping this isn't the cam phaser issue everyone talks about, but the rattle is making me nervous.

ScannerSandy · Accepted Answer

✅ Confirmed fix: The P0012 and start-up rattle are the classic symptoms of failed intake cam phasers. The internal locking pin shears or wears the housing, preventing it from locking at 0 degrees on startup. Replaced all four cam phasers with the updated 'CD' revision parts and installed new timing chains/tensioners. Silence on startup and the code hasn't returned.

RustBeltRandy · Answer

You might want to check the oil pressure at the top of the head. If the tiny screens in the VCT solenoids are plugged with debris, the phasers won't get enough hydraulic pressure to advance or retard properly.

2018 Ford F-150 P0012 Over-Retarded Cam Timing Bank 1

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