timing marks?

[cetroutt]

i need to set the timing on my zetec and i'm just wondering if anyone has a picture of the timing mark on the crank pulley and where i'm suppose to align it. my pulley has two nicks in it. one is ever so slightly larger than the other and look nothing like the timing marks on anything else i have ever worked on. alsoi've looked on the oil pan and don't really see anything to really align the marks with on it either. my car is running like crap, help please.

[striker2]

the best way to set the timing is to use the kit which has the cam tool and the crank pin. using both tools will guarantee that the cams and the crank are all at TDC.

[cetroutt]

i know how to find TDC and i know how to line the cams up i don't need a over priced tool kit for all of that, i'm just wanting to know about the timing marks.

[striker2]

ive found that the timing marks arent necessarily correct, and that there really isnt a mark on the block or oil pan. and the tool kit is only about $20-25. it makes it so much easier, you slip the cam tool in, put the crank pin in and turn the crank till it stops on the pin, done.

[cetroutt]

so, so long as #1 is at TDC and i have the cams allinged thats all that matters?

[cetroutt]

what about the exhaust cam? i still don't fully understand that cam gear. someone told me it was spring loaded but it doesn't seem to be it seems more hydraulic. when i previously set the timing the exhaust cam gear seemed like it wasn't right, because while the cams were locked in place the exhaust cam gear could still be moved a forward or back a tooth or two. will this make a difference? is there a cam gear that dosen't self-adjust that can be used instead?

[amc49]

Putting both marks facing up, the left one is TDC and right one is for timing advace. That's only to show you which mark is which, if you truly know how to find TDC, then locate #1 there and you will see that the left mark of the pair does indeed line up with a small bump on the oil pan casting. I made the pin and cam tool for a total cost of like $5. The VCT exhaust cam is indeed spring loaded. That is to assist hydraulics in bringing it back advanced as engine rotation works against it in that direction. Main function is however hydraulic, with 'mechanical spring assist in one direction' let's say. Your statement about having tool in place and engine at TDC is correct, on VCT you go through one extra step by making sure the exhaust cam is rotated as far advanced as it will go till hits internal stop, THEN tool must fit in it. There are flats cast into cam to allow putting a wrench on it to rotate it toward the FRONT of car to get it in proper place. If exhaust sprocket loosened and that rotation step not taken during tool check there is possibility of mis-indexing, and resulting DTCs from not having proper VCT timing. That's why I say there is no need to loosen exhaust cam sprocket, that saves losing that critical positioning. If you just roll belt around 2-3 times in normal rotation direction, you will not have any slack troubles from not loosening the sprocket. Any slack will run out to the tensioner side and tensioner should be rechecked for possible readjust if not in range. Belt should be hand rolled around and cam tool slipped back in again to recheck your work anyway, many don't and cry about belt loose this or that. Most of it failure to do the work right. Whatever you do, do NOT turn belt backward at any time. I've now gotten to where I don't even loosen either cam sprocket and have no trouble getting tool to fit right and motor runs fine. Ford manual procedure unnecessarily complicates things to me, if cam/sprocket not loosened and tool does not fit, then slack not run out right to backside or belt is crap and does not repeat tooth to tooth distance, meaning get rid of it.

[cetroutt]

Putting both marks facing up, the left one is TDC and right one is for timing advace. That's only to show you which mark is which, if you truly know how to find TDC, then locate #1 there and you will see that the left mark of the pair does indeed line up with a small bump on the oil pan casting. I made the pin and cam tool for a total cost of like $5. The VCT exhaust cam is indeed spring loaded. That is to assist hydraulics in bringing it back advanced as engine rotation works against it in that direction. Main function is however hydraulic, with 'mechanical spring assist in one direction' let's say. Your statement about having tool in place and engine at TDC is correct, on VCT you go through one extra step by making sure the exhaust cam is rotated as far advanced as it will go till hits internal stop, THEN tool must fit in it. There are flats cast into cam to allow putting a wrench on it to rotate it toward the FRONT of car to get it in proper place. If exhaust sprocket loosened and that rotation step not taken during tool check there is possibility of mis-indexing, and resulting DTCs from not having proper VCT timing. That's why I say there is no need to loosen exhaust cam sprocket, that saves losing that critical positioning. If you just roll belt around 2-3 times in normal rotation direction, you will not have any slack troubles from not loosening the sprocket. Any slack will run out to the tensioner side and tensioner should be rechecked for possible readjust if not in range. Belt should be hand rolled around and cam tool slipped back in again to recheck your work anyway, many don't and cry about belt loose this or that. Most of it failure to do the work right. Whatever you do, do NOT turn belt backward at any time. I've now gotten to where I don't even loosen either cam sprocket and have no trouble getting tool to fit right and motor runs fine. Ford manual procedure unnecessarily complicates things to me, if cam/sprocket not loosened and tool does not fit, then slack not run out right to backside or belt is crap and does not repeat tooth to tooth distance, meaning get rid of it.

okay, i've read and reread this fifty times.
to set the time i need to bring number one to TDC, line up my cams and put in the block in the notches and then rotate the exhaust sproket towards the front of the car? and then i put on the belt?

or do i just number one to TDC aling the cams, put the block in the notches and then put the belt on and then rotate the exhaust cam towards the front of the car?

and if the later is the case what keeps the cam from rotating back to where it was to begin with?

[amc49]

Read it 51. Geez how hard can you make it? Post clearly states WHEN tool must fit. Nothing said about moving exhaust sprocket forward, only cam itself, BUT you gotta READ IT. If you 'put the block in the notches' as you say and then rotate exhaust cam you will TEAR UP THE TOOL AND YOUR CAM. Once up and running cam held in place by engine oil pressure and hydraulics. If VCT cylinder is dry, cam will snap a bit on startup but noise will go away in a second.

[zorrex]

OK.

Easiest way to set TDC:

Remove all timing belt/pullies, and make sure to remove the spark plugs (avoids creating compression). Put the crank pulley on the crank (by crank pulley I mean the one for the accessory drive belt), and you'll see a tiny notch in it. Line up this tiny notch with an arrow on the block. Line up each cam with the cam alignment tool or something similar so that way the ends of the cams on the driver's side line up. Install the belt first on the crank, then tightly pull it up to the front cam, then over to the rear cam, then over the tensioner. Set the tension so there is about 1/4" play up and down on the belt between the cams and tighten the tensioner.