Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Zetec Maintenance Timing with the hydraulic camshaft sprocket

Originally posted by Dec1000:

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When you time it, both of the cam sprockets should be loose. The cam on the right has a plug in the end for oil. You should remove that plug so you can loosen the cam sprocket. There are slots on the cams to hold them with a wrench. Make sure #1 is at TDC and use the Cam tool to put in the slots on the back of the cam to line them up. It is also nice to have the crank pin to make sure you are exactly at TDC. The crank Pin and Cam holder can be bought in a set for about $25. Put the belt on and then adjust the tensioner to take the slack out of the belt. That is why the sprockets need to be loose. They are not keyed and spin freely when loose. Hold the cams with a wrench and tighten the sprockets up. Use a wrench to hold the cams, don't think the cam tool will hold it, it can break. You should be good to go then. It is very important to get the timing correct because you have the VCT solenoid. You didn't say if you had the crank pin and the cam holding tool but it is well worth the $25 to get it right.

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