The cam rotates in the direction of normal travel until VCT slack taken up, in other words, hold VCT unit and rotate cam by the hex shape molded into the cam itself. Rotate the cam toward you until it stops as you stand at front of car. It must be in that state at the same time the tool is inserted in ends of cams to check lineup. That bar MUST fit tightly, no slop allowed! I cut a piece of 3/16 keyway stock (about .187" thick) plus a .012-.013" feeler gauge added at both cams to that to make the total .200" thick, it would just slip/snug fit. I cut the length of key stock to go all the way across valve cover surface (8.5 inches long) on outside. There is a molded line on oilpan passenger end somewhere around 4:30-5:00 o'clock that as you turn balancer clockwise, you use the SECOND mark on balancer that lines up with that molded line or "knorb" on pan. First mark is timing advance I think, second mark is TDC. The two sets of marks on balancer are hard to see, you may have to sand with fine sandpaper to find them. If you are marked right the pin spoken of will hit crank on that second mark lined up when you rotate crank clockwise. The blanking plug that goes in pin hole is behind cat toward the right side as from front of car. I made my pin out of M10 size I forget the thread count, use the blanking plug for it. Pin is 63.4 mm. long not counting the head. It MUST be threaded down ENTIRE length except last 1/2 inch of tip which has threads ground off down to the level of bottom of thread, in other words, thread ONLY is gone body of bolt below that stays. Look in Haynes Focus manual for example. It's VERY easy to forget about this pin and turn engine against it thus breaking/bending it and causing untold grief. The tensioner itself should be set where it reads to the high side of the tension range on it so that you still have some as the belt wears in use. When belt has high time on it, will have hardly any tension at all, looking at the tensioner before you pull old belt. I have actually slid belt off one before that had virtually none on it. Don't put back together like that unless you're using old belt and what are you doing that for?? Once timed and tight, roll around (DON'T FORGET TO PULL THAT PIN!) several times, remark and recheck that tool still fits in back of cams snug. I also made a cam sprocket holding tool which was a great aid to holding cams in place while tightening sprocket center bolts. DO NOT USE THE CAM BAR TOOL TO HOLD CAMS IN PLACE WHILE TIGHTENING SPROCKETS! Will wrap that tool up like a pretzel and scar up the valve cover sealing surface. If VCT has run dry of oil, you will hear it make a repetitive snapping noise on engine startup until it fills with oil, should stop in like a second or so. You should be good and confused by now, I know I was first time I did it. It seems to me they have made it unnecessarily complicated for no freakin' reason whatsoever. I've done it now on 98 Contour and 00 Focus both run great.
