new 2/18/03
The 96 was a corporate vehicle. It had 117,000 miles on it when the cam sprocket splines lost their grip. The car was traveling at 35 mph with no load being imposed on the engine. This auto is in close to mint condition, otherwise, and has been cared for by the book.
As a personal note: I can't imagine Ford engineering approving a pressed on sprocket that takes the varying, and rapidly changing torque loads that this situation provides. At the vary least, they should have provided interlocking, matching splines on the cam...or even a simple lock key.....The rest of this engine is built like a tank, especially the bottom end...and probably would perform through a billion revolutions....or 275-300 thousand road miles.
Gene Martin
1989 Red and 1996 Green
Akron, Ohio