Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Duratec Performance Did the SVT cam profiles change?

Did the SVT cam profiles change from '98 until the end of the SVT Contour? I'm looking at a used 98.5 set and I was curious if they were the same specs as the 2000.

I understand that the profile did not change, but that the drive sprockets did. It seems like they are thinner or something like that. Someone that has had a few more of those engines apart than I have may know. Anyone else have additional insight?

AFAIK the timing gear DID change??? Cam profiles the same though i think.......

Yes, you are all correct. The profiles have remained the same for all of the SVT engines (including the Mondeo ST200). The chain sprocket changed in 2000 to the smaller 8mm pitch drive. Same profiles though.

Next question then. Are the 98.5 cams compatible with 2000 heads?

All 2.5L cams are capatible with each other.

However like previously stated the gears & chains are different between the 2 years you state so it would not be a direct swap.

Sorry about bringing up such an old thread but I have a similar question. I recently purchased a set of cams from a 98 SVT with the part number F73E-6A267-BA.

I understand that the gears changed from 3/8" to 8mm in 2000 and that the cam lobes are identical.

I am in need of the additional timing components for installing these in a 3.0. I have some of the parts including the cam pos sensors, chain guides, and 1 timing chain, but still need the two gears and 1 timing chain.

I do not know where to look for these parts since change in pitch. Are the 3/8" gear seat only found on the pre-2000 svts or are they also on the non-svt's for a certain year. Is this the same for the cougar, contour, and mystique?


Thanks for the help.

If you have a pre-2000 cam set, you get the timing components from any 2.5L engine prior to that. Be smart and just order them from the same year as the cams you got. They shouldn't cost anymore for a 2.5L SVT/NonSVT timing set. If you don'g have the chains with the cams...which I don't understand why not...then you need two chains, total of four chain guides, two tensioners and a crank drive sprocket.
The drive sprocket should be replaced, along with the chain guides if they show any wear. The the chains seem to last a long long time and the tensioners are reliable too.

There has been no proof there ever were small pitch SVT cams made.
There was a small unsubstantiated rumor that some very late 2000 cars changed to the small pitch timing components but to this date nobody has ever seen a set.

It would be more likely that small pitch SVT/ST200 cams exist in Europe since Ford had planned to run the Gen 2 body style into 2001 but then changed their mind. (the reason there was a surpass of SVT/ST200 bits several years ago) Again no proof that small pitch SVT/ST200 cams exist though.

Oh, I think I understand now.

The timing components are the same for both the SVT and non-svt cars with the only difference being the cam duration (lobes). All the gears, chains, and runners were the same whether it is SVT or not, within the same production year.

In late 2000 non-SVT cars switched to a smaller pitch along with some undetermined SVT cars which can't really be found because the SVT contour had ended production.

Thanks for the help.