I have a 2014 F-150 Ecoboost with 90k miles. Love the truck and the options (plus it’s paid off), so I planned to keep it for a while. Recently, though, I took it to my mechanic because it started rattling at cold startup, has a coolant leak, and the passenger side valve cover seemed to be leaking oil. Turns out the coolant leak is from a fitting on the passenger side turbo, and the mechanic suggested replacing all the coolant and oil lines for both turbos to avoid future issues. That job would run about $2500, mostly labor.
Fixing the cam phasers, timing chain, and valve covers would add another $5000 or more. Plus, the truck needs new tires, bringing the total cost to around $10,000. I’m wondering if I should just trade it in as-is for something newer or fix it and hopefully drive it for another 100k miles. Are there other big-ticket issues I should be worried about with this engine? Or are these the main things to watch out for? Thanks in advance for any advice!
I have the same truck and recently dealt with similar issues—coolant fittings on the turbos and the timing chain rattle. I ended up doing the work myself, and it wasn’t too bad.
The turbo coolant line repair cost me around $120 for parts, and it took about 8 hours to do both sides. The timing chain job was about $1,800 for a full set of parts, including valve covers. It took me three days to complete, but it was my first time doing it.
If you’re mechanically inclined, I’d recommend tackling it yourself. There are plenty of good YouTube videos to guide you through the process. You’ll save a lot of money and learn some new skills!
@Haru
Thanks for the detailed reply! I’m somewhat mechanically inclined and thought about trying to fix the turbo leaks myself. The timing chain seemed a bit more daunting, but I’ll definitely check out the videos. Appreciate the recommendation!
Where I’m at, that year truck with around 100k miles sells for $15-17k. Considering its current condition, I think you’d be better off fixing it. Replacing the coolant and oil lines along with the cam phasers should buy you a lot more miles if the truck’s maintenance has been kept up. I have a 2013 with about 125k, and I love it—planning to just keep repairing things as they come up rather than buying a newer truck.
Ellery said: @Pacey
Thank you! I really do love my truck, and your input makes me feel better about keeping it.
One more thing: you might want to talk to your mechanic about replacing the water pump while they’re doing the cam phasers. They’ll already be in there, so it could save you some future headaches.
Ariya said:
You should consider doing the exhaust manifolds while the turbos are off. The turbo can break the manifold studs, so it’s better to replace them now.
Might be worth getting the transmission cooler lines done too. I loved my '14—had a blast with a good tune on it. Only reason I sold it was because the rockers were rusting out.
Payne said:
Might be worth getting the transmission cooler lines done too. I loved my '14—had a blast with a good tune on it. Only reason I sold it was because the rockers were rusting out.
I did this recently—cost me $4,800 for the timing chain job, plus I swapped out the stock exhaust manifolds for BD Diesel ones. I provided the parts myself, which was over $2k.
You can replace the coolant line yourself. There are YouTube tutorials where they do both sides without even taking the turbos off. I did the driver’s side without removing the tire.
As for the timing chain rattle, it’s not always an immediate issue on the '14s. I’m at 150k miles and the rattle comes and goes. Just make sure you’re doing oil changes every 3-5k miles. I wouldn’t replace every single line just for the sake of it—it’s a truck with 100k miles, not a racecar. If it were me, I’d handle the coolant line, have a shop do the valve cover, and live with the rattle for now.
Ellery said: @Jesse
This is great advice, thanks. I’ll definitely look into replacing the fittings without pulling the turbos.
Did you replace both fittings on the turbo, or just the one facing the wheel well? I think my leak is coming from the inner fitting, closer to the block.
@Ellery
I just did the one facing the wheel well. The inner one might be a bit trickier.
By the way, double-check that your oil leak is actually from the valve cover. These trucks are known for vacuum pump leaks, which can look similar to a valve cover leak. The vacuum pump is on the passenger side, near the firewall.
@Jesse
Good catch! I went back to the diagnostic report, and it’s actually the vacuum pump that’s leaking, not the valve cover. I’ll look into fixing it myself. Thanks for pointing that out!
If you’re not in a rush to get a newer truck, I’d hold onto it. That $10k should get you another 100k miles of relatively worry-free driving. I’m surprised you’re having cam phaser issues at 90k miles. The next big thing to worry about would probably be the turbos, but that’s usually around 175k+. If the transmission has been maintained, it should last past 200k. Like someone else said, if you’re doing the phasers, replace the water pump, thermostat, and housing to save on future labor costs.
@Tobin
Thanks for the great perspective! I really do love the truck, and while the $10k estimate was a bit of a shock, I’m leaning towards fixing it in stages. I’ll probably start with the coolant and oil leaks, get new tires, and hold off on the phasers until it’s absolutely necessary.