Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Zetec Maintenance timing belt

HELP! I just replaced the timing belt on my '99 mistique but got the timimg off the CEL came on & the code says thats it is retardedcany anyone help me with tips
djhedge64

to be blunt, get a shop to fix it or look in the repair/serivice manual you have and time the engine. should be marks on the crank and the cams to line everything up


gl

If you use the 'ford' tool for setting the cams (a piece of angle iron) to set your cams, the only spot you can mess up is on the crankshaft. Just make sure you get the mark lined up on it when you install the belt. It shouldn't take more than 1 1/2 - 2 hrs to do a t-belt. But I do have to agree with Brapple about taking it to the shop or looking in the repair manual. The Zetec engine is a VERY simple engine to replace the T-belt on.

May have messed up the VCT solenoid.

Yeah your off on timing. I don't think you damaged the VCT unless you tried to preload it. Usally people see it move when they pull the belt and think it has to be set (preload), but find they can't move the gear very easy. Or it's unplugged.

Did you loosen your cam gears. You can loosen the VCT gear. Use the 55mm torks bit to get the oil plug off the VCT then use a 16mm 12point to loosen the torks looking bolt inside (it looks like a torks socket)

I can't stress getting a locking kit it will lock the cam and the crank and it's 25 dollars online. And get the complete timing belt kit for 120. Still will beat the 400-800 shops try to charge for this job.

Follow instructions to the "T" no short cuts. Don't take it to a shop, you did it once (it still runs) you can redo it. But get the belt kit first (rockauto.com) and full locking kit OTC 6486.

Here is what happens to a roller at 82k


Here is some pics just for the heck of it.

Hey jd28, was your exhaust cam oil plug and cam gear bolt really tight, and did it take the funky shaped star thingy? The cam bolt on my exhaust cam was so tight that I couldn't get it, and that was with my dad holding the cam with a huge wrench. But I had also left the alignment tool in, and I chipped a little of my camshaft doh! I gave up about that time, and it all lined up correctly, and works fine, although if I could do it again I'd do it differently.

And did you get a new oil plug thingy?

I know I sound like an idiot, but I was very frusterated, and working alone in a poorly heated poorly lit garage in february, and had to wait a week because the dumb shop gave me the wrong parts, and I didn't find out until I tore my car apart, those were the days

The plug on the VCT isn't (or shouldn't) be really tight because of the "O" ring on it. It's a torks 55MM (star) on the plug. The one inside the VCT Gear is a inverted torks (looks like a torks (star) bit itself) I used a 12 point MM socket to grab that sucker because I couldn't find a socket like that. I think it was a 16mm 12 point (has to be 12points to slip on and a deep well socket) in the photo it's a adjustable wrench on the flat spots on the cam (put there for a wrench so it's safe) and the socket going inside the cam gear. I would recommend getting the correct size wrench to hold the camshaft, (find a long one for leverage) have someone hold it, and use a breaker bar on the internal VCT camgear bolt. That should free it right up.

No I didn't replace the plug, just made sure I didn't over-tighten and damage the o-ring.

Hey guys thanks to all the merc is up & running strong with everybodys help I am in awe to all

haha, I win...

What did you win? How fast you can pull a broken timing belt...

JD