Timing belt replacement - Bent valves?

[TourDeForce]

'98 Contour 2.0 Zetec VCT ATX vin '3' mfg 11/97

I guess I got lucky. Not only did the idler pulley let go but I then drove it home (slowly) had a car full of kids. No major damage done. I Didn't have the kit to time it and couldn't get one around here without a wait so I eyeballed the timing and let Ford finish it off. About $250.00 for the parts I put on (idler-pulley kit, timing belt, serp belt, serp tensioner, valve cover gasket and plugs) and another $450.00 for them to get the timing right. I guess you could call that 'lucky'.

I had no timing tool kit, just the Gates timing kit. For the cam alignment tool I just used a 1/4" metal dowel I had layin' around. It didn't even fit in the groove, but when pressed against the alignment slots I was able to straighten them out & align just fine.

That reminds me. Gotta prep for hurricane season.

 

[pbullis]

I had no timing tool kit, just the Gates timing kit. For the cam alignment tool I just used a 1/4" metal dowel I had layin' around. It didn't even fit in the groove, but when pressed against the alignment slots I was able to straighten them out & align just fine.

That reminds me. Gotta prep for hurricane season.

What did you use to stop the crank from rotating? I can get around the cam alignment tool with metal stock but haven't seemed to loosen the crank pulley without it. I was hoping to find a thread/bolt size for the special tool to save the $25, but did not want to do the screw driver in the flywheel.

 

[TourDeForce]

What did you use to stop the crank from rotating? I can get around the cam alignment tool with metal stock but haven't seemed to loosen the crank pulley without it. I was hoping to find a thread/bolt size for the special tool to save the $25, but did not want to do the screw driver in the flywheel.

I used a strap wrench for oil filters. Wrapped it around the pully & loosened the crank bolt. I was concerned that I would break the plastic wrench or rubber strap, but it worked out OK. You can also use a chain wrench, but be sure to wrap the pully up with a strip of rubber tire or something similar so you don't damage the grooves in the pulley.

 

[AliasJerk]

Hmmm. I've done this job 3 times. The way I like to do it, is as follow. Loosen both intake and exhaust cam sprockets. Do this as.

1. timing belt can be on or off. Remove your locking bar (so you don't put pressure on the cam ends or head surface) You will note a spot in the cam that a wrench will fit on, iirc it's around 24mm or so, adjustable might be ok but will be a big one.

2. Have a helper hold the wrench on the cam. Then use a 55T bit on a 1/2inch drive breaker-bar. Push with your palm of your hand on the bar where the bit is installed to help prevent the torxs from trying to slip and push the bar with other hand to loosen the bolt.

3. The exhaust cam is done the same, however it is a oil-plug you are removing. You will then need a 12point 16mm deep-well socket to loosen the bolt inside the exhaust cam sprocket.

4. Now I do like to stress the 2.0L Zetec locking set for like 22bucks or so. It has both cam and crank locking. With the engine locked up, crank is stopped against pin, cams locked with bar. Start the belt on the right side of crank gear. Going up over the exhaust cam gear, and over the the intake then back down with tensioner and back to crank.

5. Then set the tensioner. Now the tricky part. Really you don't want to use the locking bar while tightening the cam bolts back up. Even with someone holding a wrench on the cams, the bar will get pressure and stuck.
Pull it out and tighten. Then check, it might take a few tries. After spinning it over by hand 2 times, reinstall crank lock, and then cam bar. you might find that the cams seem only a hair off and the bar just barely won't go back into the slots, the engine is close enough.

Just some ref pics. Hope this info helps you. There is lots of good info, but will take some searching.

Not to hijack this thread or anything. But I don't see how loosening the cam gears can make any difference in creating the right tension.

I am having some issues with my belt walking myself, but my feeling is that its because the tensioner is messed up, I can see the middle part bouncing back and forth.