Ford 3.0L V6 Duratec Engine: The One Fatal Flaw That Will Destroy This Engine!

In this video we show you how one simple bolt can destroy this engine.
Ford Cam Cap Bolt Part # W705391S300 (2001-2012) Pack of 4 (QTY 34 Required)
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
My Automotive Repair Shop BSG Automotive-
www.bsgautomotive.com
Catch up with us on-
Facebook: / fordtechmakuloco
Twitter: / fordtechmak
Instagram: / fordtechmakuloco
Disclaimer:
The information, demonstration and any content contained in this video is for informational purposes only. The user and BSG Automotive (hereinafter “FordTechMakuloco”) makes no warranty, express or implied, regarding the effectiveness or safety of the contents of this video. In no way should the contents of the video, including the tools used, be repeated or tried by anyone. Viewers should only seek the help of a trained professional located at a licensed auto repair shop for any fix, modification, alteration, or any change to their vehicle. FordTechMakuloco shall not be liable for any injury, damage, or loss to any person or property that may result from use of the tools, equipment, or any content contained in this video. In addition, there is no way to guarantee that the video is not altered or modified or is not in the final form submitted by FordTechMakuloco and therefore, FordTechMakuloco does not warrant that the video is unaltered or not modified. The links on this video to products are for informational purposes only and in no way are an endorsement of the safety or effectiveness of the particular product. Viewers understand that anything contained in this video or linked to or from this video is the sole responsibility of the viewer and in no way provides an express or implied warranty as to the safety or effectiveness of any linked tool, product, or video. Therefore, viewer agrees to release, waive, and discharge FordTechMakuloco or anyone affiliated with FordTechMakuloco, from any and all liability, claims, demands, actions, and causes of action whatsoever arising out of or related to any loss, damage, or injury, including death, that may be sustained by the viewer, or to any property belonging to viewer, regardless of whether the loss is linked to the use of the contents of this video, or otherwise and regardless of whether such liability arises in tort, contract, strict liability, or otherwise, to the fullest extent allowed by law.

[@bryanhenderson8413]

Brian, you saved my bacon! Pulled the valve covers off and had three (3) loose bolts! 2006 187,000 miles I can’t believe these 99 thumbs down? What the?

[@DVrec22]

i have a question... with the bolts loose did u have any misfires or noises??

[@ChicagoMillingCo.]

Did you have any noise or did you only realize the issue existed until you took off the valve cover?

[@patmason7276]

Friend has one with 300,000 miles still going. His dodge ,Mazda,and Honda are dead but the escape is still rolling.

[@MrSnake-dh3hu]

I have a Taurus still going at 256,000.

[@travisa1326]

I came here because I'm looking at an escape

[@banzairx7]

It's funny you mention Mazda. This engine is actually a Mazda design.

[@patmason7276]

@@banzairx7 Ford had big shares in Mazda long time ago kept them from going bankrupt. But the contour and mystique cars Ford had where Mazda base where horrible we worked on them all the time had ass load of recalls.

[@dandiegidio7729]

2005 Escape 319k running good

[@Kevin-ib4gv]

2004 Taurus SES Duratec 24v with 295,000 miles. Pulled the valve covers due to leaking oil. Flexible gaskets were hard as a rock and had 1/8" gaps in areas allowing the oil to leak. I saw this video and checked my cam bolts which were fine when torqued to 89-inch lbs. I don't think this loose bolt situation is a design flaw. More like a bad torque value when assembled in some instances but who knows what really caused it in some cases. I do know many people who swear by the Duratec 24v and have driven them over 300,000 miles no problem, and overall the engine is not known for this loose cam-bolt problem, or a service bulletin would have been issued.

[@garylangley4502]

I was just thinking that replacing the bolts and using some thread locker might be a good idea. BTW: I just call oil leaks the "continuous oil change program."

[@christopherhylton8462]

Yeah, the 3.0 Dura-crap engines are like the old BMW's that come through the shop. If they are not leaking oil in your bay floor there is a problem...... the engine is out of oil.

[@tjroelsma]

That's a British invention: old British engines, be it car or motorcycle engines, had to leak oil. Thus you were sure of two things: 1. there actually is still oil in the engine 2. there is oil pressure

[@garylangley4502]

I always have a bag of the cheapest kitty litter for the leaks. "If there ain't any oil under them, there ain't any oil in them."

[@JesusSaves86AB]

I call it free undercoat, standard on most Chev's.

[@christopherhylton8462]

@@tjroelsma Ah yes, the Brits. Old Brit cars with their oil leaks and Lucas electrical systems. There is a reason why they called Lucas "The Prince of Darkness".

[@edwardmyers1746]

Dang!! When you pulled the cover at first I was like wheres the carnage? Then I saw the lifters and spit out my coffee 😂

[@jamesplotkin4674]

There must have been a lot of noise going on in there. Some car owners are so oblivious. It's like that Navigator with chain rattle for at least 100k miles!

[@chrisannunziata7628]

Just happened to come across this and realized that's the engine in my Ford 500. Needless to say I'm gonna check those bolts now considering I'm coming up on 250k miles. Got the car for free and only have about $500 into it so far. Junkyard near me has a few of these engines in good shape so if I need one I'm set. Thanks for the great information.

[@goldilocks5568]

That's what's great about these engines. You can take them to 200+ thousand miles, and then get another one for not much and do it again. These cars bodies fail before there engine.

[@phin12710]

My wife & I have a 2005 Escape XLT Sport 3.0 L V-6 that we bought new and now has over 180,000 miles on it and is still running strong except for a small oil leak. I'm giving it to my sister next month. This is one of the best cars I have ever owned.

[@ftby59mikeD]

One fatal flaw, that's the understatement of the year! Thx Brian for your insight once again.

[@SuperchargedJester]

Thanks, about to do vc gaskets on our 2003 Mazda mpv that uses this engine. 210k miles and going strong. I think I'll replace those bolts as a precaution

[@derrike50]

What other gaskets did you change besides the vc?

[@93sundance]

My neighbor used to have an Escape. She took good care of it and one day she showed up and it sounded like this. Makes sense now.

[@tjw8t1]

I had these engines in both of the Ford Tauruses I had with zero issues in both of them.

[@pjmckee1]

FTM: I have an 05 escape with this engine and the CD4E trans. Currently have 303K original miles on both and neither have ever needed internal work. I've just been diligent about oil/fluid changes and other maintenance. I even had the oil analysis report come back recently and everything passed with flying colors. Runs like a top and its reliability has been remarkable; great car! Only two major issues: I'm in the rust belt and the rust is starting to take over especially in the rear strut towers. The other issues is that somewhere around the exhaust manifolds/maniverter (upstream of the flex pipe) I have a nasty exhaust leak I haven't located specifically. This has reduced its performance and sometimes gives me a code about catalytic converter efficiency. On a cold day you can see the smoke as soon as you start the engine and it is a little stinky. Its hard to see exactly where the leak is because i think its hidden under a heat shield. Unfortunately at this point its hard to justify what a shop would likely charge to fix and while I'm a pretty avid DIY mechanic It looks like I'd be in over my head trying to fix it myself (the catalytic converter/manifolds are pricey and no doubt the rust will make removing them a nightmare.) Any advice would be greatly appreciated, always enjoy your channel! -pete

[@dandiegidio7729]

My 2005 has 365k miles now, runs great. I replaced my rear shock tower in the passenger side two years ago. I used rivets and loctite adhesive and haven't had any issues. I've done all engine gaskets and had the heads off, so I can tell you the front manifold converter is not as hard as you think. Have the right tools and extensions and you'll get it. The rear manifold converter, I took off with the head. And had to drill out a previously broken stud and install another one.

[@joshuapruden6497]

This is why I love this channel. The details are phenomenal. Thanks for posing this up!

[@davidtoups4684]

My 2001 Escape had an engine failure at around 96,000, it dropped a cylinder (valve or head gasket we suspected) replaced it with a low mileage used engine and I drove it until around 220,000 when the trans failed. I replaced it with a 2008 Escape and I drove it up to 275,000 on the original engine and trans. It still ran good when I traded it in. It did leak oil around the water pump pulley, but I checked the oil often and kept it filled.

[@archeodigger]

Wicked new intro mate! Excellent video again. You have helped me on my 5.4 f150 more than once.

[@matthybel955]

My Dads 1996 Ford Taurus GL had this same engine as well as his 2001 Mercury Sable LS Premium, never had an issue with either of them and they were some of the best most powerful engines we've ever had in our cars. His 2010 Fusion Sport has the 3.5 Duratec which is the more updated version of this engine and that runs like a high performance V8, very very fast car.

[@grabbber]

Brian.... long time Ford guy here Love your channel.

[@Beba-qv3db]

I love you ! Thank you for that info and all the work you put into production of your video clips. I learned a lot and it saved me tonns of money. My car is Ford Escape 2002, 278k miles with exact engine 3l, 6v. Runs smooth😊.

[@halleffect1]

wow thanks again for the good information. if i owned a vehicle with this motor I would check it right away.

[@riclmilligan4345]

What about 2009?

[@maxpaul11]

Good tip and awesome information! Thank you for sharing! I have seen so many of these engines with over 300k running perfectly! Now I know to check on these cam bolts!

[@chriswright8464]

Love your videos, worse is 3.5 v6 in my edge. Hope the water pump never goes.

[@TekMan05]

This actually happened to me on my 3v. It was my fault though as I was the one who tightened the cam caps. I caught it early thankfully and used ARP studs afterwards.

[@5jjt]

Why say that it is your fault? Did you use a torque wrench?

[@cannaroe1213]

@@5jjt What evenis the right torque? :'-(

[@tedtedness184]

Did you clean out the threads with acetone and use locktite blue?

[@DVrec22]

question... with the bolts loose did u have any misfires or noises??

[@TekMan05]

@@DVrec22 Loud tapping noises. Less power.

[@realjaxon]

Good info. I have a 2002 DOHC 3.0 Taurus. I'm not hearing any strange noises, but now I'll be listening closer.

[@ezralord4901]

Thank you! I am working on my son's 98, changing the oil pan gasket, now I am going to pull the valve covers and check those bolts.

[@seanpinson9030]

Got a 2001 sable w a dohc engine and I have 217600 and it sounds like a new car still. It seems to beat up motor mounts which have been replaced twice in 18 months and trans mount. Other than that she runs like a champ!! Very good engine

[@jamesplotkin4674]

At least these have outboard water pumps.

[@dannycalley7777]

J.P. ………...very easy , yes but it takes a special puller to get pulley off , check on line or at a Ford dealer !!!!!!

[@yyz125]

The best idea ford had...then they changed the water pump placement on new 3.5 to be timing chain driven..

[@jamesplotkin4674]

@@dannycalley7777 You're correct, because there's a goddamn bolt behind that pulley. Sometimes, I wonder what the engineers are thinking.

[@chucknoob7041]

a steinman - I’ll bet it’s the same A-hole who put the alternator between the rear of the engine and the firewall. There’s a special place in hell for that guy.

[@bradnoyes7955]

@@chucknoob7041 alternator replacement on a Duratec Taurus/Sable (3rd gen at least) is not terrible if you put a jack stand under the uni-body, jack under the sub frame, loosen the passenger side sub-frame bolts and lower the sub-frame just enough, you can get the alternator out quite easily. It's not 3.8L mustang easy, but its not really all that difficult.

[@emyl301]

thanks man for your video. I have mondeo ST220 and i did inspection after watching your video. 6 bolts on rear head was loose. You saved my engine!

[@steveengelking7998]

Thank you for the info. I have an 03 with 135K. Stillborn as screwing machine. I plan changing out the injectors and plugs. Now I will add this to my to do list. Thanks again.

[@thelonelywolf88]

I've got this engine on my Five Hundred. Nice to know it's a very tough, reliable engine

[@davedeatherage4902]

Thank you sir!, great info to know, I had a Vulcan 3.0 6 Cylinder had great performance out of it. But I've look at the Duratec 3.0 6 Cylinder engines. Thanks for you're shared info again.

[@jamesplotkin4674]

The 3.0 Vulcan is a great engine. Had one go over 300k in an 03 Taurus wagon. Only one transmission replacement, so I think that car owes me nothing. 3k oil and 25k trans fluid changes.

[@davedeatherage4902]

@@jamesplotkin4674 yeah mine was '2003' also James, a sedan, ses model, I drove from '2006' to December '2017', when I hit. Black ice. It only had 140,000 miles on it. It had 66,000 miles when I got the car, I miss that car. I was ill for 11 years and didn't drive much, had chronic pain. Great automobile to me

[@jdenke5873]

the early 2000's 3.0 had the blown out spark plug issue. helicoiled mine and drove it over 200K miles. good little motors and the AWD escape it was in was really good in the snow.

[@LuciFeric137]

Your videos are the best. Quick, informative, great advice..

[@racekar80]

I bought a Contour SVT new, great car, gave it to my son at 150,000 miles, he put another 75,000 on it before the body and suspension rotted away. Not one engine problem, just oil and filter every 5000 miles. That 2.5 L duratec was a fantastic motor.

[@johnweiland9389]

I had a 96 contour with a 2.0 automatic. I drove it until 2011. I bought it used in 99. Brakes and alternator and a/c compressor. Only sold it because it needed struts and wouldn't pass emissions in Maryland. I really liked it overall.

[@taomicioli]

because the k series mazda is its father (probe gt/mx-6) this durapuke is the mazda aj engine

[@Random-rt5ec]

Awesome video excellent lighting. Shame to see an engine ruined by a pair of loose bolts. For me it shows the value of finding a great mechanic like you & keeping the car maintained.

[@pmh1nic]

You always provide very informative videos. Thanks!

[@TheGaginator]

CRAZY! I just bought a 4x4 Escape to use in my next Gambler500 race, I am going to check the cam cap bolts for sure.

[@oxide8182]

I always enjoy your videos, even though I don't have a Ford. Wish Dodge had a guy like you.

[@09corvettezr1]

Ever heard of the Motorcity Mechanic?

[@videosenutube]

Chrysler,Dodge and Jeep=FDAutomotriz.

[@shawnberg5691]

I've owned (and worked on) a number of these Escapes with this engine and years ago remember you had mentioned this in in your video, "Ford Quick Tips #61". Every valve cover change these cam-cap bolts get re-torqued (or any time those valve covers come off). I've seen them loose but never broken like this and am sure the two minutes it takes to re-torque has saved a couple engines. Yes, we're watching and appreciate all the tips!

[@boomerguy9935]

I wonder if the bolts should be replaced instead of just tightened every time the valve cover comes off.

[@brandonwright6578]

I have a ford freestyle 06 and my 3.0 has been so reliable it’s mind blowing I’ve have had zero issues with the vehicle other then the throttle body recall that causes a weird idle. the 3.5 is derived from the duratec 3.0 which is an amazing motor so thank Porsche as they had a major hand in helping ford design the later 06 and up 3.0 duratec 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾. 178k trouble free miles.

[@rottensquad07]

Love the new intro!

[@jhopk83388]

The 3.0 on my escape is up to 230k ! Got 193k out of the original transmission too. Going for 300- your right on the oil leaks - holy cow ! Everywhere !

[@IAMNOSLEEP]

Thanks for sharing... Cheers.

[@suzenlewis474]

This is SUPER INFORMATIVE!! Thank you for explaining this. All of this has been happening to my 2002 Mazda MPV.

[@jamesbruno5896]

Great info Brian thanks for sharing!

[@Visionery1]

When you removed the covers the first thing I saw was the lack of oil, the caps on both banks must be shot. How was the oil pressure in this engine, and how is the bottom end?

[@paulstandaert2042]

Those bolts were improperly tightened at the engine factory. The ones that are broken were either stretched beyond their yield point or backed out and the slop from the cam cap slopping around was enough to fatigue them. It is also possible that somewhere during assembly, there was too much oil in the threads which resulted in a hydrolocking condition and the torque specs didn't correspond with clamping force and it just took a long time for it to become a problem. This cam/follower setup isn't unique to this engine by a long shot. And normally, when cam cap bolts are removed from any engine, they take a good amount of force to loosen them and it is accompanied by a "crack" noise when they finally budge.

[@BV-nq7wd]

Haven't seen that on the Mazda side. I have seen a few cams seize due to lack of oil change resulting in jumped timing and then on to bent valves. I did have my father-in-law drive in one day. He had just come from about a hundred mile road trip.he said when he had started the car up that morning that it had a misfire. He found that it would run better if he put it in a lower gear. So he drove it almost a hundred miles with a misfire. I told him that if he had just stopped and parked it I could have fixed it for under $100. I informed him that I guarantee that he destroyed a catalytic converter and now it was going to cost him over a grand. He learned his lesson that day.

[@erictucker98]

glad i found this video. i have a 2006 Escape 2wd V6. i have currently 77K miles and it runs smooth at idle but in 4 gear going up a hill at 60mph and barely giving it gas it is missing a lot until i let off the foot feed and feather it.

[@miketeeveedub5779]

Thanks for the video Brian - definitely food for thought! Luckily for me the 3.0 in my 2005 Five Hundred is still quiet and smooth with 120K on it. As for oil leaks - my driveway will agree with you! Cheers!

[@miketeeveedub5779]

@emosh73 - good point - thicker oil definitely helped the leakage. After an oil change I usually put in some STP treatment. My driveway thanked me! :)

[@chrisa7832]

We have 200k on our Mazda 6 3.0 no leaks

[@horseathalt7308]

@@chrisa7832 which model year is it? Thanks

[@chrisa7832]

@@horseathalt7308 2006

[@birddog3130]

@@miketeeveedub5779 not a good idea my friend .Its not like a 1963 car.

[@grumpyg9350]

I've seen this in engines that have been overheated.👍😷

[@fastinradfordable]

As a mechanic I’ve realized most problems come from abuse. Wether you know you did it or not. My engine has over 400,000 and has been dead reliable. Because I don’t overheat it. I don’t skip oil maint.

[@brandonwillis9820]

Metals do expand under heat

[@jameshewettjr.3147]

I have that engine in a 2008 Fusion. It has over 218,000 miles on it, and it still runs excellent. It does leak oil though

[@grantjohnston7148]

I had two 08 3.0 fwd fusions, one with a magna flow exhaust, and the other with a large cold air intake. Drove both of them hard all the time, never had any major problems !

[@memadmax69]

Wow, I've seen the adjusters get blown out... But, never shoved into the valve cover perfectly like that lololololololololol

[@GIGABACHI]

Thanks for the heads up, I'll keep an eye on it next time one of my rear bank ignition coils die or valve cover starts leaking. The leaky timing cover will stay like that until the day it dies. Not messing with that demon. No space to work and have to remove a bunch of shit out of the way.

[@SicilianSVT]

Thank you for this video, its very informative! Ive been wanting to drop one of these into my svt contour and ive been researching these engines alot, so thank you!

[@joshrandall3632]

Sounds like a sweet project. Just fyi, the Lincoln LS version has about 280hp, but since it's a rwd car may be a tough swap. My Escape has 240hp and a really low 1st gear. Makes for a suprisingly quick 4000lb grocery getter. I always thought it would be great fun to have one with a MT. Good luck.

[@tomasjones3755]

THx for this. I'm about to get an AJ30 version Duratec, for a project car.

[@markbarnfield5147]

Thank you so very much for your videos. They’re a godsend. I’m certainly not a mechanic, but with a wife undergoing cancer treatment, I have little choice but to do my own repairs wherever possible. I’m waiting on my parts to arrive, within the next couple days, to completely replace the front brakes. While I’m doing that, I’m also going cup pull the intake manifold to replace the coil packs and plugs. (Stellar design!!)Hopefully, this will help cure a misfire on cylinder #6. I just need clarification on something: I drive a 2009 Escape XLT W/3.0 V-6. You mentioned that this was an issue on 2001-2007. Did Ford take steps to correct this between 2007 and 2008? Has this been a problem common on the 2009 model year versions. I really would like clarification, so if necessary, I can also tackle this issue while I have the Intake off. If much rather address everything I need to at once, then have to continue to fight it. It’s really frustrating for me, and obviously not healthy for the motor to have ongoing issues not addressed. Please help clarify this for me. And again, Thank You for your videos. Your helping and enabling me more than you may realize, at a time when we really do need a break. God Bless.

[@optimoprimo132]

@Mark Barnfield- I just finished reading your comment from a year ago. I see you didn't get an answer which is frustrating. I was hoping to read the answer as well. Sorry to hear about your wife having cancer. I really hope she is doing ok.

[@growfunyoungadults5086]

Thankfully, most of his questions were addressed in the original video. Replaying it should answer them I think except possibly the year model range.

[@matthewprosco5940]

Thanks for the part number in the description. Were these bolts updated by ford or are you just suggesting to replace them befofe this happens?

[@FishinwithJay1]

My car makes that exact sound and now I know how to fix it, Thankyou so much

[@disenoac8355]

Excellent video... the same thing happened to me it sounded and in the end the pieces of the head came out 1 they bent 8 valves and broke the crankshaft gear very attentive to those sounds of the engine ...

[@maynardreed8374]

2007 ford 500. 206,000 still running strong.

[@kirkhullinger1934]

I have a 2005. Does yours drive dirt slow. Like pitiful acceleration

[@maynardreed8374]

@@kirkhullinger1934 nope. has 213,000 on it now. still going strong.

[@sblank0525]

07 milan 142k, it used to accelerate slow, but now she Flys lol

[@maynardreed8374]

@@sblank0525 I just push down on the throttle and she goes.

[@brandonwillis9820]

Not all mass production anything built are made by the same team.

[@forgedsteelwrench9249]

I had a 2.5 duratec SVT Contour. It was a fun engine to drive when you pair it with a 5 speed manual. Mine had a steady diet of Castrol full synthetic. These engines as the miles pick up, the valve train is super noisy on start up. Mine did not make it past the 200k mile mark. Shot a rod at 171k.

[@silentr961]

I had a 98 Contour SE 2.5 v6, it survived everything, but the timing chain guides gave up at 177K. It was fun to drive..

[@user-fj9vm1yi5u]

That's because you used castrol

[@VincentMMoore0]

Great video. Very informative. I've sub'd and look forward to learning more!

[@rontiemens2553]

Fantastic video, worth its weight in gold. My son has a 2005 Taurus SEL Duratec 3.0 that is misfiring occasionally. We are definitely going to investigate using this procedure. Will let you know what we find!

[@stevek343]

What did you find?

[@rontiemens2553]

My son’s cam bolts were all still tight to spec so I left them alone. Miss was due to two VERY loose plugs under the rear valve cover. Looks like I have a set of Duratec cam bolts to sell.

[@rontiemens2553]

If anyone is interested my unopened set of these cam bolts is up for sale on ebay for a lot less than you will pay a dealer. Just search on part number W705391S300.

[@nodak81]

Ford excels at leaving one glaring flaw in their V6 engines. Like the water pump problem on the 3.5 engines.

[@timcheek5134]

Or everything on a gm 3.6 v6 what a piece of shit!

[@brianhawk1854]

Designed to fail

[@theshield1613]

I have the 3.0l duratec v6 motor very reliable

[@wolfmanrebel874]

3.0 Vulcan😉

[@garyr7027]

Had a 3.0 in a 89 aerostar van, was a damn good engine. Transmission wasn't worth a shit but the engine sure was good... Lol

[@Chris-eh3du]

WOW! That is pretty fatal indeed! Very happy with my 3.0 V6 Vulcan engine! Seems very bullet proof!

[@Dappersworth]

Tell me about it lol, mine overheated and just needed new headgaskets. No issues after replacing them.

[@wolfmanrebel874]

That's what I was thinking through the whole video, the Vulcan was far more reliable than duratec, duratec has all the plastic cooling system bs that gets brittle and blows out, timing guides that are an absolute pita compared to Vulcan and just simply alot more parts to break, now in comparison to gm 3.6 the duratec is the greatest thing ever but compared to 3.0 vulcan...nah ,just more power at the cost of simplicity and reliability like the modulars going from 2v to 3v...don't get me wrong it's not junk but Ford has done better, unfortunately those engineers from a time when men knew they were men from birth and preferred women are long gone and the poor confused folks stepping up to the plate nowdays arnt really sure where ANYTHING goes,lol I know this because I just changed a fuel pump driver module that was mounted on a rear differential, makes me wonder how they piss

[@craiglamb9029]

I had a customer with this exact cam cap issue happen on a 1.5l EcoBoost, 2017 escape, 73,xxx miles. Intake cam caps stated loosening from the end of the cam to the front. All but the front cap. (Phaser cap) loosened. Took out the vacuum pump, lots of fine metal sludge in the head and Engine. Replaced the head, timing belt, vacuum pump, intake cam, spark plugs, gaskets/ seals bolts etc. Changed the oil about 3 times in 1000miles. It's at 90k now. I still perform the oil changes for the customer personally, just to do check ups on it. Going strong.

[@ryansauer6413]

My 08 escape 100k had a cracked #6 exhaust valve. The cylinder head shop said it was also another common problem with these engines. My cam caps and bolts were fine

[@zfreak2808]

It's a hardness issue. There are multiple bolts on the DOHC and OHV 3.0s that will snap in half if you tighten them just slightly.

[@g6qwerty]

So i guess recomend valve cover gasket replacement and torque check on cam bolts

[@robevans5222]

Thanks for posting this excellent video. I have this engine in an '04 Mazda Tribute that so far has needed absolutely nothing other than proper routine maintenance. It only has 99k miles on it, but when the valve cover gaskets need to be replaced (which is inevitable), I will now know to at least check the torque on the camshaft bearing caps, if not replace these bolts with new ones.

[@medtec6747]

Your videos are always awesome man

[@warrencox7998]

Here In the UK I drive a mondeo st220 with the v6, I think I'm right in saying that Ford released a service builtin recommending that those cam cap bolts were loosened 90degree and re torqued. If the oil is changed regularly and engine is not overheated they are bombproof but even a perfect engine will loosen these bolts, USUALLY it starts with the ones nearest the water pump, theory being that the water pump belt tension makes the cam flap around.

[@DVrec22]

I hear the noise towards the water pump on mine on cold start only I believe. I’ll check them but can ya tell me if that noise would be from them being loose?? Or were they already ejected or something else?

[@kerry1111111]

Thats one hell of a One fatal flaw.

[@2jz4life35]

As easy as it is to do a prevenative measure, it ain't too bad.

[@kerry1111111]

@@2jz4life35 The point is to me anyway is something like that should not even be allowed out of the factory.

[@canlib]

@@kerry1111111 I don't think they're designing them to be bullet proof but if there's only a very small percentage of this problem occurring then it's not practical for Ford to redesign.

[@PureCountryof91]

That's still a good little engine.. design is good. Component problems happen. Really good content. And really wish rangers had a version..

[@ryanyoh8266]

Thank you for making this video nobody else is talking about that I'm fixing that immediately.

[@jd-py5nm]

ford fusion was reliable for a reason duratec loved my duratec

[@andyvanherwynen4866]

GREAT info. I have a 2010 Fusion with the 3.0V6 now at 205,000 miles. It does make a bit of startup top end noise that goes away as soon as oil pressure is up. So I assume its a lash adjuster. Other than that it has been great, still averages 27mpg, smooth and quiet. Any issues to be concerned?

[@DVrec22]

did u ever tighten it?? noise go away? any misfire?

[@bills4625]

This just happened to me a few weeks ago, or pretty sure it was this. 2011 Fusion 3.0 v6 AWD. I bought this car for my daughter last year, very clean only 24K miles. At 27K miles we started to hear that same sound coming form the same side of the engine (Pass Side). Then it just self destructed. Had to tow it into ford and they confirmed engine was trash and needed to be replaced. Thank goodness I bought a Ford warranty when I bought the car, which should cover this. You would of thought Ford would of addressed this issue by 2011. Anyway car is still in the shop and it's getting a new engine. Thanks for the video, explains things very nicely.

[@simonjohnhinton1938]

I like my 2.0 litre duratec in my mondeo. 141,000 miles and still drives sweet and smooth. I've had a couple of 2.5 v6 ones and both ended up with headgasket failure.

[@mattt198654321]

"There's absolutely no issue with it...besides being ejected" 🤣

[@chilimax21]

I can vouch for the durability of the Duratec 3.0. I put over 326K miles on my Mazda 6 with the usual oil leaks, bad ignition coils and even overheating from failed plastic cooling pipe. Looking at the inside of that valve cover, it looks like the oil was not changed very often which could have been the cause of the failure.

[@ralfsautomotive]

Would Threadlocker be your friend with this setup? Nice Video!

[@davidfoster7779]

Another great video! Thank you Sir.

[@darkbeer9928]

You aint joking about oil leaks, 2 timing cover repairs from the oil leaking in less than 40,000 miles

[@thelonelywolf88]

Funny, I just did an oil change on my Five Hundred today and noticed I'm losing oil

[@bryanjohnston9879]

Does anyone know how Ford fixed this on the 2008 and above engine?

[@josephmorrone2660]

Another Great presentation !

[@matthewjenkins1161]

Really glad I've seen this video. I have to change the cam cover gaskets on my Jag that uses a variant of that engine with VVT and I'd never have thought to check cam cap bolts. I certainly will do now. Thanks.

[@jeroengevers]

I have a Jag x-type 3.0. Same engine? Were the bolts tight on yours?

[@matthewjenkins1161]

​@@jeroengevers I've got an XJ6 X350, same engine but other way around driving rear wheels only. The V6 was only available for the X350 in UK and Hong Kong markets. I'll let you know as not found time to crack on yet. Had valve cover gaskets sat here for weeks including upper and lower inlet, plus the o-rings for the plenum valves. Front wheel bearings taken priority which was an awful job, even with a slide hammer.

[@petecabrera5342]

This put a damper on my evening

[@vinces8974]

That sucks

[@kas0016]

How convenient they engineered the valve covers with a dedicated recess for your lifters to wedge into when the cam cap goes..good thing the rocker isnt done..ha ha brilliant

[@JesusSaves86AB]

I find it ironic that Ford takes engineering precautions such as this, yet completely miss the mark intentionally on simple things like bolt grades/torque, etc. All makes are guilty of it. 90% of vehicles are factory lemons.

[@ArcoZakus]

Defect, If they made 'em last forever, how much harder would it be to sell new ones?

[@SilvaDreams]

@@JesusSaves86AB It's completely intentional... Engineered failure to force you to have to take it in to repair the engine or better yet just buy a new vehicle.

[@canlib]

There's no way Ford is going to design valve covers with extra space for cam cap or lifter failure- isn't going to happen; good and proper bolt fastening specs should be correct in the first place.

[@brandonwillis9820]

Big money in the replacement repair dept

[@jackshea6937]

WOW ! Thanks - made my day. Great presentation.

[@BasedBidoof]

Thanks for this video. I've got a leaky valve cover on my escape, time to order some new bolts too. Better safe than sorry, I mean might as well while I'm in there

[@amunderdog]

So it appears safety wire early in the motors life may be a wise preventative measure?

[@warrenzevonsangryghost6055]

Safety wire (great idea) + blue Loctite.

[@scout2nut]

not going to happen, nobody uses safety wire or loktite on these parts, we have a Toyota engine plant near us my brother worked at, the entire valve/cam train is assembled and torqued by machine, no human hands at all, so if one is wrong, a bunch are wrong, they have scraped entire shifts of engines because of an assembly machine not running the prelube assembly grease correctly, and its not worth the time to rework after assembly-wild

[@pelotas56]

I've owned 4 escapes, never seen that issue. All 4 where pushed above 190k. Rust is what killed my escapes. I currently have a mariner, guess now I'ma check this out when I do my valve cover gasket

[@chucknoob7041]

pelotas56 - I own a 2005 and a 2006 Escape (long story on the 2006). I live In Minnesota and those things are RUSTY! I fabbed rear shock mounts for the 2005 and the rear wheel wells are layers of Gorilla duct tape + undercoating. Lol.

[@pelotas56]

@@chucknoob7041 gotta love Midwest, I'm in Wisconsin. my recent beast was a 2004, this was the only escape that the right rear wheel well rusted out. I also fabricated mount😂. 2000-03 had wheel liners which made them alil less prone to that rust. 04 and up some douche must of said away with this as we got a moister absorbing seam sealer.

[@jonstepro]

I just bought a 2009 Escape with a 3.0 V6. I know it needs valve cover gaskets as there is a leak. Would an 09 V6 need these bolts or am I safe just to make sure they are torqued down? Great video. Thanks!

[@Camo-Dan]

Thanks for sharing! Im flipping a 2008 ford escape and put 1 new head in. Im going to use thread locker on all of them on both sides just to be safe and re torque them all.

[@nbrowser]

Oh wow...that's something new! That said...I got a '98 era 4.6 2V Triton that's sitting at 523,000Km...never been opened...yet! Knock on wood. Ford has made some great engines but some with interesting failure modes.

[@mauserdave]

I agree. 2002 4.6 2v with 262kmiles on it and still strong and smooth as hell. They should have kept using this engine.

[@petar443]

Priceless information man !

[@johnqueen2754]

I like when people with experience tell you how and why things work the way they do. Alot of I formation right there.

[@soma1509]

Thanks for this. My '08 Fusion has this engine. Luckily It doesn't tick like this one did, but it does make a loud whistling noise when I accelerate pressing the gas pedal more than halfway down. I dont know where its coming from. Drive belt has already been replaced. I'd love to have more details of oil leaks on this engine, as that's exactly the problem I have with mine, too. I lose about a quart of oil a month, and I do a lot of highway driving (more than 50 miles a day average).