2011 V6 - Startup Tick Noise - Camshaft Caps Question - TSB 12-1-17

bad_asp

New Member
May 18, 2020
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Portland
Hello Everyone,

Has anyone performed TSB 12-1-17 themselves or is possibly a tech that can speak to the issue? I currently have the left valve cover off of my 2011 V6 Mustang. It has the infamous cold engine valve tick sound that goes away after a couple minutes common to 2011-2012 V6 Mustang's and other 3.7L Fords.

I ordered kit AT4Z-6A296-A to plug the camshaft oil holes. I was planning on taking the camshaft caps down the street to the machine shop for a quick modification instead of paying $400 for a metal cutting hacksaw from Ford (tool 303-1597) that would do an inferior hack job (no pun intended).

However, detailed instructions for using the tool don't seem to be available and I just need to know how these camshaft camps should be cut. Looks like no more than 2-3MM deep or so and as wide as the groove cut into the camshaft from the one low resolution relevant picture I found online. Pic attached. Any help would be awesome!

Also, are there better torque specs for the camshaft caps? In TSB 12-1-17 it mentions, "tighten bolts to 71 lb-in, then an additional 45 degrees". Is there not just a 2nd stage torque value for these bolts? Cranking the wrench 45 degrees doesn't seem so precise.
 

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  • tsb12-01-17.pdf
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  • mustang_v6_camshaft_cap_cut.jpg
    mustang_v6_camshaft_cap_cut.jpg
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Also, are there better torque specs for the camshaft caps? In TSB 12-1-17 it mentions, "tighten bolts to 71 lb-in, then an additional 45 degrees". Is there not just a 2nd stage torque value for these bolts? Cranking the wrench 45 degrees doesn't seem so precise.
I have no answer for the first part, because even as a former Ford tech, I read that TSB and said "dafuq?"

As far as the torque spec goes, everyone, and I do mean everyone, in the automotive industry has switched to torque-to-yield or single-use bolts for just about everything. You don't torque a TTY fastener the same as a normal bolt, you torque to a base spec, then an additional number of degrees to achieve the desired clamping force and bolt stretch.
 
Appreciate the info on the TTY fasteners. I've rebuilt some engines but they were the old 302 and 351W family.

I have no answer for the first part, because even as a former Ford tech, I read that TSB and said "dafuq?"

That was my same reaction. At first I thought there was an existing groove to make deeper in the camshaft caps, but this is cutting a new groove on each side. My plan was to just rotate the engine to where the exhaust cam lobes are in a neutral position, take off all the cam caps, run down the street, machine them, bolt them back up and perform the plug procedure, then do the same for the intake cam side the next day.
 
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