new 6/10/03, updated 11/05/2003
LOCTITE REPAIR BITES THE DUST! (previous "Loctite and Alternator")
I should have known that it was too good to be true. My 97 Black SHO previously "fixed" with Loctite suffered cam failure while driving on a major Highway about 5 miles from home. At first I thought I was out of gas or having a fuel pump failure due to the loss of power and no obvious audible engine noise. After traveling with 4 ways flashing at a very reduced speed, I exited at the first ramp and stopped. As I opened the hood I was horrified to hear what I dreaded. Whatever the problem, the damage was done and idling at 5 mph to my home although lacking in dignity and joy was not likely to cause further damage. On removing the rear cam cover the evidence of failure was immediately evident. The exhaust cam sprocket was resting at about 10 degrees off center line held there by the chain tensioner. When prodded with a tool it easily wobbled back and forth through about a 15 degree arc and scoring on the shaft was very evident. Seeing the result of the failure I am thinking the Loctite solution only prolonged the failure period. In fairness to Locktite, their product was being used in a situation and under conditions for which it was not specified nor intended. In addition there was no certainty of the products effectiveness with no test procedure to confirm the result. The other 3 Cams are still solid. For your interest, I have, as had another contributor noticed and reported, a serial or other number barely visible etched on the cam shaft. Has anyone figured out why this is there? Regrettably, I now ask you add my S.H.O. to the list of SHO CAM FAILURES! With some certainty I now have a much better understand the acronym Found On Road Dead
Ernie Roberts
Black 97 105,000 miles.
p.s. How I will celebrate FORDS 100th Anniversary next week?
By vowing "NEVER AGAIN" and telling everyone I know, meet, or can influence what a pile of BABBLE CRAP Ford Customer Care commitment is.
Job 1 ? NO….. Job every-one!
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Just thought I would update you in regard to my "loctited" cam failure. The three remaining cams which were "loctited" have not failed since I reported the first failure to you. Although this may seem encouraging, please note that the stress on the remaining three cams has been limited as the car remains crippled with the engine mostly torn down in my garage. My enthusiasm for further frustration came to a halt when I became aware of the necessity to remove the entire engine / trans / sub assembly from the car….. in order to remove the cam chain cover …in order to remove the rear head….in order to repair the broken valves etc (which I have yet to locate a source for). Winter is coming and my wife insists I move this to make room for our Saturn. So I will advise you of my progress. Should anyone need it.!!!!! .I have plenty of Loctite. I'm firm in the belief that if I had "loctited" my cams earlier ..this may not have happened. Of course….. I could have also bought the Grand Prix GTP I was considering instead of buying my 3rd SHO. My friend did and is still enjoying it. The reason I did not was the heads-up display and supercharger made me worry about long term reliability and expensive maintenance. Who knew?
FORD?
E.Roberts
Perhaps, after it's assembled, Mr. Roberts will reconsider his position regarding the welding of his cams. Hope so.
Uncl Lar
update 12/19/07
-----Original Message-----
From: ernie roberts <ernie_roberts8@sympatico.ca>
To: Larry@v8sho.com
Sent: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 11:55 pm
Subject: CAM FAILURE # 272
Well Uncle Lar , Update time ….Still have the 97 SHO but now it is suffering the indignity of having been pushed out of the garage and it sits quietly in my drive being humiliated by the weather, and ignored in favor of my 46 Chev p/u, and 97 Aurora…which just turned 300,000 with NO repairs whatsoever. You never know, may just one day load it on a trailer and head towards Spencer. Or dump it on E-bay. Too bad… saddens me that such a fine automobile has been decimated by Fords disinterest. No surprise they are losing market share! Many stories are circulating here in Canada of how Ford is “jamming” their suppliers and reneging on contracts. Betting on their Euro influenced “world cars” to solve their slump is just plain dense. Why would anyone buy a Mercedes look-alike from Ford when you can buy the real thing.