Wastegate Actuator Replacement

[Broomsky]

So I have made a few posts about my wastegate actuator arms squeaking. The dealership has greased them now twice which temporarily solves the issue for about a week.

Since the dealership isn’t willing to do it again, I decided to just replace the wastegate actuator assembly on both drivers and passenger side since I’m pretty certain mine along with a few other members on here seem to have ones that are defective.

Does anyone have instructions or how-to on replacing the wastegate actuator on a 21-23 Ecoboost/PB? I plan to knock this out over the weekend so any help/guidance would be extremely helpful.

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[Snakebitten]

Here's the only thing I got.
(attached pdf)

 

[Broomsky]

Awesome. Doesn’t seem too involved. I’ll start with the drivers side since that’s where I seem to hear the noise. Nothing from the passenger side so I’ll table that one.

thanks as always for the fast reply!!

 

[Snakebitten]

My pleasure

Looking forward to your results.
And very interested in discovering exactly what surfaces/materials are making the noise.

 

[Broomsky]

Any idea what it means under the install step 5.

“With the KOEO, using a diagnostic scan tool, clear the PCM DTC’s and reset the KAM.

Is that IF it throws a code from me swapping it out? I have a scan tool and I have used it with Forscan without issue. So would I need to reset KAM module or can I just swap, plug back in and be good to go (if you know lol).

 

[Snakebitten]

I believe unplugging the actuator is going to throw a code.
So just go to Accessory Mode and clear the code.
That's how I understand it

 

[Micho523]

Any idea what it means under the install step 5.

“With the KOEO, using a diagnostic scan tool, clear the PCM DTC’s and reset the KAM.

Is that IF it throws a code from me swapping it out? I have a scan tool and I have used it with Forscan without issue. So would I need to reset KAM module or can I just swap, plug back in and be good to go (if you know lol).

KAM is the keep alive memory. It's the PCM version of clearing the transmission tables.

 

[Broomsky]

My pleasure

Looking forward to your results.
And very interested in discovering exactly what surfaces/materials are making the noise.

So spent about 3 hours on this project today with disappointing results.

Driver-side: We first removed the top of the actuator arm and replaced the spring, and clip and greased the hell out of the little nub the arm attaches to. We then reattached the arm and tested. Noise still present. Then we proceeded to take the bottom of the arm off the part that’s attached to the exhaust and did the same as above (greased, new spring and clip). Reattached and tested. Noise still present. Then decided to just replace the entire actuator arm thinking maybe mine was slightly warped/bent or something causing the squeak. Noise still present.

Then we attempted to move to the passenger side to do the same as above (which is almost completely unable to be reached) took us a while to even find the passenger side actuator but found it buried and was able to peel back the fabric fender liner and saw the actuator arm. There was no way we could finagle our hands in there to remove the clips so I sprayed the high temp grease I got on both ends. Noise wasn’t there but I didn’t ever hear it on the passenger side, only drivers side.

I did not end up replacing the actual actuator as it’s clearly the arm articulating on both sides that causing the squeak and replacing the actuator itself wouldn’t have solved anything at least from what we could tell.

We messed with it for another 30 minutes making the noise appear trying to really listen to the location and we are almost positive it’s the bottom nub that the actuator arm attaches to that’s attached to the exhaust/cat that I can’t remove without taking off that whole assembly.

btw it was a PITA to remove the U clip on the bottom actuator arm on drivers side. Took us forever to get our hands wedged in there to pluck it off. Putting it back on was easy.

I’m at a loss at what to do now especially since the grease the dealership applied removed the sound for a few weeks so can’t figure out why replacing the arm, springs, clips and spraying high temp grease on both ends didn’t eliminate the sound. I guess it’s just going to be a sound I am going to have to live with as I have no idea what to do now.

 

[Broomsky]

@Oakstone here is my thread on it. My noise never got louder or occurred more based on temperature. It was always the exact same noise regardless if the truck was cold, warm or outside temp was either/or. Hopefully your dealer can help you out as I’m at a loss.

i honestly think it’s coming from the bottom part on the drivers side that is attached to the cat/exhaust system. I obviously couldn’t replace that part myself. So with new arms, clips and washers and grease and the noise is still happening that’s my only last thought on what it could be.

 

[Oakstone]

@Oakstone here is my thread on it. My noise never got louder or occurred more based on temperature. It was always the exact same noise regardless if the truck was cold, warm or outside temp was either/or. Hopefully your dealer can help you out as I’m at a loss.

i honestly think it’s coming from the bottom part on the drivers side that is attached to the cat/exhaust system. I obviously couldn’t replace that part myself. So with new arms, clips and washers and grease and the noise is still happening that’s my only last thought on what it could be.

Thanks for the info!

 

[Oakstone]

@Broomsky I had the truck in with the dealer yesterday and they said "there's a TSB for it and Ford's answer is normal operation, do nothing." Awesome. It wasn't there when I got the truck and now there's a fairly loud squeak every time the ICE shuts down. That doesn't seem like a very good stance for Ford to take on it.

 

[Broomsky]

@Broomsky I had the truck in with the dealer yesterday and they said "there's a TSB for it and Ford's answer is normal operation, do nothing." Awesome. It wasn't there when I got the truck and now there's a fairly loud squeak every time the ICE shuts down. That doesn't seem like a very good stance for Ford to take on it.

My squeak has been gone for about a month or so. It just stopped one day and hasn’t come back lol

 

[Broomsky]

@Broomsky I had the truck in with the dealer yesterday and they said "there's a TSB for it and Ford's answer is normal operation, do nothing." Awesome. It wasn't there when I got the truck and now there's a fairly loud squeak every time the ICE shuts down. That doesn't seem like a very good stance for Ford to take on it.

do you have a video of your squeak? Is it the same as the one I had? Mine would do it every time the engine kicked on and every time coming to a stop. It basically was any time the actuator arms were actuating

 

[Oakstone]

do you have a video of your squeak? Is it the same as the one I had? Mine would do it every time the engine kicked on and every time coming to a stop. It basically was any time the actuator arms were actuating

I don’t have a video yet but will try to catch it!

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