Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Zetec Performance Head removing progress, pics...and come help me !

How does impossible sound. At least for my Post98.
Now as for the marks, I was too looking for some lines or something, but what I found is kinda disappointing. There are 2 VERY small Dents in the edge of the crank pulley, yes dents. No lines or numbers, it looks like someone took a chunk of metal and banged away at the pulley. So when you find them, Mark the 2nd one, with gold or whiteout, which is about 2 inches to the right of the 1st one.

2econdly, there is a raised bit at about "5 o'clock" on the oil pan that looks like an airplane wing pointing down. Now don't line the pulley mark with the right or side going straight down, but with the angled side of the raised metal.
(Have you gotten that Haynes manual yet?

you have to remove the bracket and the serpentine belt to get to the center cover. put a jack under the oil pan to support the weight of the motor, but dont lift the motor up, just keep it there for a just in case thype of thing. then remove the brakcet. then the top tensiuoner pully just above and forward fo the alternator.if you need pix, PM me, i can snap a few while my bro is here to help.

I do actually have a ford cd that I just got in today, but it shows me all this sh!t. Its just that when I actually go out there and look for marks myself I don't see a damn thing. I got pissed off and fell asleep and now I've got to register for school so I think I'm done til Sunday/Monday. I found the little plane wing flipped down now I just need to find the dent marks, it was too dark for me to see anything though.

But basically what I do is loosen the bolt on the crank pulley and move the crank to the right spot and tighten it back up. Then on the belt tensioner i loosen the bolt and move it to the farthest right and then tighten it back up? Then take the belt off? This is how it goes to my understanding...let me know if thats not right.

Also do the cams need be lined up before the belt comes off? I'm assuming the same procedure is needed to move the cams for alignment.

Man I gotta admit this is the scariest part of the whole damn job, I wish I had someone actually here to help me on this part. If I really didn't care I could just rip everything apart and worry about my timing once I have the head back on.

When you start a project like this, there is always a point where you get frustrated. But you can do it.

You have to take your time, and read the manual over and over again until you get a feel for the whole job. Then follow the manual, step by step, no improvising. It all falls together if you study the manual and follow it step by step.

You are trying to figure out too many things at once (timing belt removal, manifold stud removal, engine mount removal, timing belt cover emoval, cam removal, etc.). That's what happens when you are not following the manual's steps. It gets overwhelming.

I recommend that you read the manual again (the whole head removal process, from start to finish) before you do any more work on the car. Then, when you are ready, start at Step One in the manual. Just like you are starting the whole job from the beginning. Don't move on to Step Two until Step One is sucessfully completed.

Zetecninja, I know what you're going through, I just went through the same ordeal about 2 weeks ago. I had a blown head gasket, and I did all the work myself. Thanks to the help of my trusty Haynes manual, I must have read it like 3 times to make sure I got everything right. One thing I would highly recommend if you don't already have the head on is to take it to a machine shop and have it pressure checked to make sure it's not warped. I had mine pressure checked for 25 bucks, had it resurfaced for about 33. I also had them do a valve job which set me back 138. I think it was worth it, they left the head looking like brand new, there was no carbon build up in the ports and the valves looked like new, they also installed new valve stem seals which came with the head gasket set. If you need any additional help you can ask me whatever since everything is still fresh in my head. Good luck.

Ok I think I'm going for it now today.

I've been looking over the instructions on auto zone as they are the easiest to follow (to me).

I am still kind of confused about one part of the instructions though...how exactly do I turn the crankshaft? Obviously it doesn't turn just from me using my hand.

I was reading through the instructions and from my impression, I need to remove the crankshaft pulley and then insert a special tool (crankshaft bolt or something to that effect, which I don't have btw) to turn the crankshaft, then once it is in the correct place I reinstall the crankshaft. This will get it into correct alignment and then I continue to follow the rest of the directions, is this correct everyone?

Can you not turn the pulley?

All i do is use the bolt that holds the main crank pully on. Use the approprate socket and a breaker bar to turn the engine clockwise to the approprate position.