Help diagnosing VCT behavior

Have a rebuilt motor, completely stock except deleted IMRC and oil cooler. I already replaced all the vct solenoids and phasers with new ford performance parts. Car idles fine during warmup but severely struggles when warm with fluctuating intake cam angles. I'm calling for 30 degrees at idle, but values will shoot up to 50 degrees and down to 15 degrees rhythmically. This only happens to the intake cam, probably because the exhaust cams physically lock at 0. I know the oem idle calls for 20 degrees though i'm not sure if the phasers physically lock there. If they do lock at 20, how much of an issue would it be running 20 without the imrc. I've been told to raise it to 30 to compensate.

My oil pressure seems low but I don't see how that could cause the cams to both overshoot and undershoot the 30 degree mark. Even at higher oil pressures the intake cams are consistently off by 5-10 degrees. Exhaust cams are spot on. Anyone ever see something like this?

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My first impression like it wasnt timed properly...but post a tune

Turned out it was bad main bearings causing low oil pressure. VCT system wasn't getting stable pressure to operate properly. Exhaust cams have a lock pin at idle, intakes need stable pressure to hold angles

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Originally Posted by onioncereal

Turned out it was bad main bearings causing low oil pressure. VCT system wasn't getting stable pressure to operate properly. Exhaust cams have a lock pin at idle, intakes need stable pressure to hold angles

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Well this is exactly the other way around - IN has a mid lock. EX is parked at 0 but IN is +20 so it need to keep up. Oil pressure will definitely have an effect
but this is more likely your VCT actuators got clogged from flaking bearings.