Some Ford 3.0 Duratec engines are exhibiting a ticking noise coming from the left cylinder bank after engine warm-up. Ford has isolated the problem to 2005-07 vehicles with cam driven water pumps. The ticking is caused by an improperly torqued exhaust camshaft. The fix involves removing the valve cover and re-tightening the exhaust cam bolts while pre-loading the #4 cam cap.

Here’s the procedure. Run the engine up to operating temperature and verify that the ticking sound is coming from the area around the #6 cylinder. (Use an automotive stethoscope for this) Remove the valve cover and rotate the engine by hand until both cam lobes for the #6 cylinder are pointing straight up. Next, remove all the exhaust cam caps and reinstall them with the bolts finger tight. Torque all the cam caps except #4 in the proper sequence to 72 inch/lbs.

Using two flat blade screwdrivers, wedge the flat tips under the inboard side of the cam cap and apply pressure to force the cap towards the exhaust side of the cylinder head. Holding the cap in this position with the screwdrivers (you may need a second set of hands for this part), torque the inboard cap bolt to 72 inch/lbs. Then tighten the outboard bolt on the cap to the same torque. Reinstall the valve cover.

Vehicles affected by this problem are: 2005-07 Ford Five Hundred, Freestyles, and Mercury Montegos. Also included are: 2006 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyrs. Add 2006-07 Ford Escapes and Mercury Mariners to the list as well.

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© 2007 Rick Muscoplat

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