All this info is great, but what about the source of my problems? Issue number 1, the very first post in this thread. I still cannot figure out why the belt moved to the very back of the pulleys. I had everything aligned correctly in respect to camshaft vs. crankshaft (remember it ran like a sewing machine). Could one of the tensioner pulleys for the timing belt be a little off kilter and have pushed the timing belt back? I am having fits trying to figure this one out. Thanks for all the great info already.
The valves have not hit the pistons on anyone's zetec on here due to a broken timing belt. (Though it's never been fully proven to not be a possibility, it hasn't happened to any of us)