TSB for GT500 / GT350 secondary timing chain tensioner [Service Guide attached]

[Houston Kid]

I think I’m in the NOT activated population.

Compared to mine, I don’t think I see the groove on yours. It could be the angle of your pic though. There maybe the groove at the very bottom.
Have you tracked the car or pushed it really hard? How many miles on the clock?

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[Houston Kid]

I enjoy your videos Well to be honest all but one. I’ll just say Mach E. Lol. Just messing with you.

Just checked mine and made this video to help:

Ford released a tech service bulletin on some 2020 Shelby GT500s & GT350s that potentially didn't get the secondary timing chain tensioner properly installed. We have seen some engine failures... check yours to prevent damage! I show the TSB, the inspection process and how I went about verifying mine.

 

[patriotsgm]

Compared to mine, I don’t think I see the groove on yours. It could be the angle of your pic though. There maybe the groove at the very bottom.
Have you tracked the car or pushed it really hard? How many miles on the clock?

Yeah, I looked at it again this morning and I'm not seeing the two levels of that actuator pushing the tensioner. I have 1,272 miles and never tracked. I've taken it out on a country road a few times and had some fun, but nothing too crazy. Now maybe once they turn the engine by hand from 12 to 8:30, it will show something different. No misfires or anything out of the normal, so hopefully it will be replacement of the head(s) and tensioners. I'll call the dealership this morning, but I'm sure it's going to be a while before they assemble a team to go out and inspect vehicles.

 

[kilobravo]

HK and Goose: Many thanks for the photos and videos. The wife was in the dental business awhile back and I know I have some of those mirrors. I'm just short of the start date so fingers are crossed.

 

[Chris2020GT500]

LOL I must admit I was being a bit paranoid.

I think you are being "smart" honestly, I bought another mirror just to be 200% sure.

As far as the groove (someone correct me if I am wrong) it appears as there are two cylinders, a base and an inner cylinder which, when activated is seen via the groove.

If you look at Ford's diagram, the UNACTIVATED only has a single cylinder which, is not pushing on the tensioner.

The ACTIVATED has an inner cylinder which pushes the tensioner therefore, causes a groove to appear when activated. When I looked at mine, it looked identical to the "ACTIVATED" picture so, if yours does not match, I would recommend having a second opinion before driving it.

 

[toothdkdr]

Just started the car and let it run for a few and looked again. The grove was clearly visible now. Feeling much better

 

[patriotsgm]

Just started the car and let it run for a few and looked again. The grove was clearly visible now. Feeling much better

I’m going to do the same.

 

[Chris2020GT500]

Compared to mine, I don’t think I see the groove on yours. It could be the angle of your pic though. There maybe the groove at the very bottom.
Have you tracked the car or pushed it really hard? How many miles on the clock?

There should be a wide lower cylinder and a slightly thinner second cylinder. Looking at yours, it does not appear to be activated. I rechecked mine a few minutes ago and compared to yours, I suspect yours is NOT activated. For a sanity check, you can try setting your motor from the 12 o'clock position to the 8:30 and check again.

I believe Ford will send someone to your house, I would push for that before even starting the car again. Hopefully, yours is ok....good luck!

Also, if you can take a video and move the mirror up and down along the side of the tensioner, that will also help. I moved mine so that I could see everything to confirm.

 

[Goose17]

I enjoy your videos Well to be honest all but one. I’ll just say Mach E. Lol. Just messing with you.

Funny! Thank you sir! The wife will probably end up with a 2022 Mach E!

HK and Goose: Many thanks for the photos and videos. The wife was in the dental business awhile back and I know I have some of those mirrors. I'm just short of the start date so fingers are crossed.

Thanks KB!

 

[-RAC-]

Compared to mine, I don’t think I see the groove on yours. It could be the angle of your pic though. There maybe the groove at the very bottom.
Have you tracked the car or pushed it really hard? How many miles on the clock?

I have just over 1200 miles and zero track time. I do not think I've gone past 6K revs. I have not really pushed the car yet.

 

[patriotsgm]

There should be a wide lower cylinder and a slightly thinner second cylinder. Looking at yours, it does not appear to be activated. I rechecked mine a few minutes ago and compared to yours, I suspect yours is NOT activated. For a sanity check, you can try setting your motor from the 12 o'clock position to the 8:30 and check again.

I believe Ford will send someone to your house, I would push for that before even starting the car again. Hopefully, yours is ok....good luck!

Also, if you can take a video and move the mirror up and down along the side of the tensioner, that will also help. I moved mine so that I could see everything to confirm.

Just ran the car for a few minutes and it looks good now. Top picture from last night and the actuator shaft doesn’t show the two different segments with the groove. I took the bottom picture this morning after running the car for a few minutes and now I can see the two separate segments with the groove on the actuator shaft. I think I’m good now!

 

[kilobravo]

Obviously, none of us trust Ford's build date window, (10/21/19 here) so I got out the dental mirror, a good light, and had a look. Mine has the extension but photographing it without removing the filler stem is impossible. Even with it out I think it would take three hands. :-) A relief nonetheless.

 

[Snoopy49]

Compared to mine, I don’t think I see the groove on yours. It could be the angle of your pic though. There maybe the groove at the very bottom.
Have you tracked the car or pushed it really hard? How many miles on the clock?

Maybe this will will help.

 

[Calif-GT500]

Would it be too much to ask you guys to post "who built your motor"? Maybe we can narrow it down once we start getting more "activated" vs "non-activated"

Mine was Shane Grant
TBD on checking later today or tomorrow when borescope and mirror arrive from Amazon

 

[Chris2020GT500]

Maybe this will will help.

Nice! Good to see yours is ok. While it is annoying, I am going to still have Ford perform the check so it's recorded just in case anything were to happen. Of course, being in N. Va means a 5 minute job will mean sitting at a dealership for hours....

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