Dreaded 2.2 rocker ladder damage

[DaddyPanda1988]

Hi all
This is my first post so please go gentle if I get anything wrong.
I have a 2013 transit custom 2.2l milage is 167k and in my ownership wasn't a daily runner maybe out every other day.
Van was running lovely apart from boost delay after exiting roundabout etc . All of a sudden the day after I purchased a service kit it decided to start knocking on startup. Within 40 seconds knocking was gone and van drove lovely for 3 days straight.

Then the knock came back and didn't disappear. No lights on dash and forscan was picking up no codes whatsoever. I assumed it was a failing oil pump as these models were affected and the van has no service history with it (was cheap for this reason).

I decided that as I was going to change the oil pump I gave it a EGR clean (through air intake) which surprisingly got rid of the knock and got me scratching my head. So anyway I drained the oil (engine flush added first) sump removed one tiny piece of metal found about 3mm round apart from that super clean. Oil pickup removed again 2 tiny pieces of metal found same size. Oil pump replaced with pierburg genuine unit, all filters changed started her up and knocked instantly.

Took old oil pump apart expecting metal to be from this and completely intact no damage (head scratched again).

This led me to wonder if it was an injector or 2 knocking, all 4 removed number 4 flew out 3 and 2 little bit of resistance and 1 was a pig but eventually came out. 1 was caked in carbon 2 thirds of the way around. 1 reconditioned injector purchased, seats cut, new washers fitted, new injector programmed on forscan.......

Knock knock who's there again. At this point starting to lose the will to live neighbours son just so happens to be visiting (mechanic) listens to knock says injector Nope already done next suggestion rockers? Lightbulb moment that should have hit me earlier I actually had the rocker cover off and gave it a good clean whilst waiting for the new injector to arrive.

Stripped down again injectors posed no issues this time and bingo rocker ladder is shafted in 2 places on the exhaust side. Took one of the lifters with it turned out the parts in the sump were from this and did a small bit of damage to the top of 1 rocker everything else is fine. Carefully inspected the head area and found the end of the broken valve meaning all bit were accounted for except for the rocker ladder damage. I'm guessing being aluminium this all disintegrated?

Sorry for the long intro but my question is: Do you think that the timing has slipped and caused this damage to occur? Would it have potentially damaged the turbo and if so how could I check?

I've ordered a genuine replacement ladder that's arriving tomorrow but don't want to fit it and kill it again if something has caused it to break.

I'm 99% confident in undertaking the timing chain but don't want to throw money at it unnecessarily.

I'm pretty sure that 2 valves have come up too high and caused the damage but also none of the lifters had any up and down movement so wondered if it may have been oil starvation that I didn't pick up in time?

Any help with this will be appreciated hopefully it will let me attach pictures of the damage

Adam

[DaddyPanda1988]

So stripped down the timing chain surroundings minus the crankshaft pulley as I'm waiting for a locking kit to arrive but managed to pull back the cover enough to see that both arrows are pointing to 12 o'clock so both cams are good. Pure luck that the engine stopped in that position and from looking at the valves they're all perfectly leveled in the springs. As I've stripped it down this far I'm going to fit a timing kit anyway and will probably take the head off to check for piston damage.

How would I test if any of the cam lobes has spun on the exhaust side? I'm just thinking that this may be the culprit of the damage

[metalworker0]

I think the only test without special equipment to see if cam lobes have slipped would be to have two new ones to compare to them .

or
think you'll be looking at the two lobes that act on one cylinder (two exhaust or two inlet) to see if they are exactly the same position ... cause looking at the damage perhaps only one cam lobe effected

all the best.mark

edit .....perhaps tdc on that cylinder as the lobes should be pointing strait up ..a dial garage could be used to measure the difference if really concerned.


remembering two adjacent rockers may be for different cylinders or inlet next to exhaust, as valves are arranged in a diamond layout.

[DaddyPanda1988]

Thanks for the reply Mark

I never got a notification to say I had a response so sorry for the late reply

I've ordered a new timing chain kit that's arriving tomorrow and hoping that it may have slipped a tooth on the crankshaft.
As previously mentioned both the cam arrows were pointing up so I may be being hopeful.

I may just bite the bullet and replace the exhaust cam as I'm already this far in. I believe I just need to remove the fuel and vacuum and I should be good to go

I'll update on my findings once the timing kit arrives

[Altransit]

I never got a notification to say I had a response so sorry for the late reply

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[DaddyPanda1988]

I never got a notification to say I had a response so sorry for the late reply

You need to check the box on your Profile>Preferences: "Notify me upon replies by default"
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Thanks altransit I have changed my settings now

[DaddyPanda1988]

So I have took my sweet time but decided to strip down to the pistons to be safe. Everything was perfectly timed as suspected however the hydraulic tensioner was nearly all the way out so chain may be slack.

All valves on the spring side measured exactly the same and none appear to be bent. I did notice that the piston closest to the timing chain is covered in carbon and I think the head gasket may have leaked and it caused 2 of the valves (problem ones) to be stuck/sticky and they have a delay in returning.

I'm going to order a new head gasket and bolts and may just get a new cam to be safe but all seems ok. There is no sign of valve damage to the pistons so I'm wondering if the cam sprocket was forced around and put it out of time just enough to cause the damage.

I'll update once I have had a good look in daylight

[Altransit]

I'll update once I have had a good look in daylight

Yes, keep us posted please

[DaddyPanda1988]

Upon closer inspection of the pistons numbers 2 and 4 had very light ring indents so I used a valve spring compressor to remove all the valves and found the 2 culprits. The valves all looked good to the naked eye however 2 of the exhaust valves would not move freelyno matter which housing I tried them in. I then tried other good valves in the damaged ones housing and they moved freely so I definitely had 2 bent valves.

The issue is how? There was light pitting on the exhaust camshaft so I ordered a replacement inlet and exhaust to be safe it's just crazy that the timing chain has not moved.

Is it possible that the rocker carrier broke from slipped timing and it put itself back? How would the 2 exhaust valves get bent?

I changed the oil and pump before stripping the engine down as originally I thought my tapping sound that developed was from lack of lubrication in the system. This obviously didn't rectify it but I just want to make sure that I rule out all problems before putting it back together.

Would the valves bend if coolant wasn't circulating properly due to a failed water pump?

I appreciate any input as it will be rebuilt in the following weeks

[metalworker0]

How long have you had the van, perhaps damage happened with previews owner , was fixed on the cheap without looking for other damage..and since got worse.

ladder breaking up has been reported here several times mainly in the mk6 / 7 forums ..you'll have to read all the posts on it to figure out what the causes were..

https://www.google.com/search?q=transit ... 2&dpr=1.25

or
transit 2.2 camshaft ladder cracked site:fordtransit.org

in the google search

all the best.mark

[DaddyPanda1988]

Thanks Mark I'll definitely look at the link it's just so baffling. I'm inclined to agree that the damage may have been done by previous owner as it has no history