Problems                               

A "Common" problem on the 3.0l 24v is a tendancy for the oil around the main journals to remain stationary resulting in a chewed up crank. We have increased end float by 0.015'  but this resulted in unsatisfactory oil pressure. The cure for that was to up the oil pressure at the pump (a remodelled duratec unit:-  The relief valve is set using a spring loaded screw where 1mm=0.5 bar) and to go with Castrol TWS (or something with the same properties) in the sump. TWS is a 10W60 oil: that means that it has double the adhesive capacity of 10W40 at 100 C and the same at 20 C. Obviously, TWS has lousy cold start/run properties but who goes tarmac circuit racing during the european winter..? The ultimate solution to the oil problem , especially for racing, is to dry sump the engine - probably next season...

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The camshaft drive belt tentioner in earlier units is real horror story. Road cars have been known to climb over a tooth after no more than 25000 km. Not good for an engine unit that will spend the greater part of it's life at 7000 rpm. The easy solution is to fit a late model tentioner BUT as you are going to check it before and after every engine start , you might as well build a set adjustment tensioner, we did (By the way,DO NOT preload the belt):-

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