Contents: Removal ↳ Installation ↳
Note: When replacing the timing belt, a new head cover gasket, some special tools, a tensioner spring, and a spring retaining pin are required.
Removal
Remove the ground cable from the battery. Loosen the water pump pulley mounting bolts.
Remove the cylinder head cover. Unscrew the spark plugs. Remove the auxiliary drive belt.
Set the piston of cylinder #1 to TDC in the compression stroke. Unscrew the bolt and remove the water pump pulley and the auxiliary idler pulley of the drive belt.
To lock the camshafts, use the Ford 21-162 tool or a metal strip 5 mm thick, 80-230 mm long and 20-30 mm wide. Check that the piston of cylinder #1 is at TDC in the compression stroke, and push the tool or plate into the groove on the left end of both camshafts. The tool should fit tightly into the grooves of the camshafts and rest on the mating surface of the cylinder head; if necessary, tighten the camshaft with a wrench to install the plate in the groove (see Fig. 2C.12)
If both camshaft grooves are below the cylinder head mating surface, rotate the crankshaft one full turn clockwise and install Ford Tool 21-162.
After fixing the camshafts, remove the crankshaft pulley. Remove the lower and middle toothed belt covers.
Loosen the tensioner bolt and, using a spanner inserted into the center, turn the tensioner clockwise as far as possible and retighten the bolt to secure the tensioner offset from the timing belt (see Fig. 2C.14). If the timing belt is to be reused, mark the direction of rotation of the belt with white paint. Remove the timing belt. Do not rotate the crankshaft until the timing belt is installed.
Check the condition of the belt and replace it if necessary. Also check the tensioner spring and the condition of the pulleys
Installation
When installing, temporarily install the crankshaft pulley, check that the crankshaft pulley is in the No.1 cylinder TDC position in the compression stroke, and both camshafts are fixed with a special tool. If the engine is reassembled after a major overhaul, both pulleys should rotate freely on their respective camshafts, if the timing belt is just replaced, both pulleys should still be securely fastened.
To tighten the pulley mounting bolts, a special Ford tool 15-030A is required to prevent the camshaft pulleys from turning, or fabricate a suitable replacement tool.
Caution: Do not use a camshaft locking tool.
Install the timing belt tensioner mechanism by tightening the mounting bolts to the required torque (see Fig. 2C.15, 2C.16).
In all cases, loosen the tensioner bolt and use a wrench inserted into the center to turn the tensioner clockwise as far as possible and retighten the bolt to secure the tensioner (see Fig. 2C.17).
Install the timing belt first on the crankshaft pulley, then counterclockwise around the camshaft pulleys and tensioner, and finally on the rear pulley. The front branch of the belt between the crankshaft and the exhaust camshaft pulley should be tensioned without changing the position of the crankshaft or camshaft(s). If necessary, the position of the camshaft pulleys can be changed by rotating each pulley on the camshaft (which remains fixed with a special tool).
After installing the timing belt, loosen the tensioner until the spring turns the tensioner, stretching the belt (see Fig. 2C.18).
Tighten the camshaft pulley bolts (or check that they are tight) and remove the camshaft locking tool. Temporarily install the crankshaft pulley and rotate the crankshaft two full turns clockwise to tension the timing belt, returning the crankshaft to TDC. Install the camshaft locking tool, making sure it fits snugly into the camshaft grooves.
If one camshaft does not allow the installation of the locking tool, unscrew the pulley mounting bolt and install the camshaft in the required position. Rotate the crankshaft again two full turns clockwise, check the position of the camshafts by installing a special tool or a metal plate in the grooves.
If the camshaft is out of line, secure the pulley from turning and loosen the mounting bolt - the camshaft can be turned (gently and carefully, using a double-ended wrench) until the camshaft locking tool is in place (see Fig. 2C.19).
After installing the timing belt and its correct tension, and installing the special tool or plate in the camshafts, check that the crankshaft pulley marks are accurately aligned, tighten the tensioner bolt to the required torque (see Fig. 2C.20).
Further installation is carried out in the reverse order of removal.