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Zetec exhaust cam alignment.

i found its not necessary to loosen the cam sprockets at work. A lot of cars say to do it and we simply dont and havent really ever had a problem. I did with the contour i was working on because i didnt rotate the crank so that it rested on the pin so i was a few teeth off, but once i figured that our it ran like a charm.
 
95_Mystique said:
i found its not necessary to loosen the cam sprockets at work. A lot of cars say to do it and we simply dont and havent really ever had a problem. I did with the contour i was working on because i didnt rotate the crank so that it rested on the pin so i was a few teeth off, but once i figured that our it ran like a charm.
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Again: You do not loosen cam sprockets/gears for non-VCT, but for VCT, you HAVE TO.
 
zorrex said:
Again: You do not loosen cam sprockets/gears for non-VCT, but for VCT, you HAVE TO.
Click to expand...


I noticed after I loosened BOTH sprockets, slipped on the belt and adjusted the tension wheel against the belt, that the sprockets would both move slightly. Together as the belt was pulled tight.

It wasn't easy as I knew nothing about this engine. The first thing I got lost on was the lack of timing marks on the sprocket... I was like "where are the timing marks lol" Then I was told I need a special too/tools to get the timing right..

Then it was the exhaust cam....the sprocket would turn, but the cam wouldn't until about an inch of sprocket rotation. Again I was like "WTF"?
So I had to figure that out lol..

It was a frustrating project..I knew nothing and thank god I found this forum, because it is still running like a bear.. I must of done something right and BOY did I learn a lot! lmao.

If anyone here needs some help on timing belts..just ask me... I am now a Zetec timing belt pro lol.
 
Not trying to say who is right or wrong, but I found this on Just answer.com from a pro Mercury expert. This is a quote.

"
you have to release the oil pressure on the vct solenoid, to release the pressure remove the center plug on the sprocket, then loosen the bolt inside the vct sprocket, it is very tight after you loosen it set your timing and tighten the timing belt then tighten the sprocket bolt and reinstalll the plug and you will be good to go.

So basically it says Loosen the vct cam sprocket to relieve the oil pressure. Then time the cams as normal..THEN re tighten the vct sprocket.


 
makes no sense is this guy pulling your leg?

makes no sense is this guy pulling your leg?

Removing the plug lets the oil out and when I have done it there was no pressure. The only time there is oil pressure on the VCT is when the engine is running and the solenoid is 'open'.

Loosening the bolt also does NOT release oil pressure, it merely loosens the pulley from the VCT and cam assembly.

Turning off the engine pretty much drops the oil pressure to zero as there are clearances in the VCT assembly that will let the oil pressure leak down pretty fast.

But just in the very unlikely case I am wrong, why do you want to release the oil pressure in the VCT anyway?
 
TBH I don't know anything about the vct only what the instructions told me to do..I followed them exact to the tee and my engine seems to work properly.

One thing though... It almost quit from a cold start tonight...It was idling cold and started to chug. I had to add gas to keep it going then after a minute or so it started to smooth out and ran fine. I hope it's just the computer re- learning things. If it does it again then I will have a shop take a look.

I only had about 3 runs on it so hopefully the computer is just tuning things in.
 
Andreslobo is right, there is no residual pressure in that cylinder. It bleeds off as soon as motor stopped. There IS circumferential pressure to go one way, the way the internal assist spring loads.
 
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