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ZETEC Timing Belt Replacement

421K views 274 replies 82 participants last post by  amc49 
#1 · (Edited)
How-To-ZETEC Timing Belt Replacement

ZETEC Timing Belt Replacement

I am putting this together for the weekend mechanic who has some skills and tools or believes they can do something with outside help such as this procedure. It contains pics, notes, and tools used. I will do my best to stay within the requested limit of 15 pics but may stray over some. Keep in mind this is what worked for me, your mileage may vary.

A bit of an intro. It’s a 2002 ZX5 and my DD with 155k, and sees 100 miles per day. Throw in several long road trips and you arrive at my mileage. Barring any major repairs that just won’t make it cost effective, this car will be around for several more years. So far I have changed the oil every 5-7k miles, replaced the front brakes at 100k, end links at 145k, and at least 3 batteries and 1 alternator. Somehow the timing belt replacement was missed, old age maybe (mine). I was hoping it would last until November’ish when temps cool down out here in the desert. I have been reading up on the change out, printed a procedure from the net, linked here, and ordered the bar and timing pin kit last March.

So anyway the wife is driving down the road about 65’ish when it looses (in only a wife’s description) all the power. I was in Vegas [headbang] , she called, and I told her to either call AAA or drive it home. She was 3 miles from the house and drove it at 25mph which turned out to be about all it would do. I get home the next day (Monday) at 1000 (military time), change cloths and hit the garage. I wanted to take it for a short spin around the block to get a feel for what’s going on. Upon starting it up the engine visible shook pretty good. Took it around the block and could tell it had lost power and just did not have the exhaust sound I am used to hearing after 155k miles. Still didn’t really have an idea yet so hooked up the laptop into the PCM and immediately saw the timing jumping from 25 to 35 degrees and moved with the engine. That’s when the light came on, timing belt. Crap. [bigcry] [bigcry]

I have a garage, air compressor, 2 hydraulic jacks, 6 jack stands, blocks of wood, and lots of metric tools, pneumatic tools, a refrigerator, stereo and a partridge in a pear tree. So I’m set to go.

As for my mechanical skills. I can tear down an engine to parade rest but have never put one back together. I have replaced brakes, rotors, wheel bearings, cylinder head gaskets. Swapped out a carburetor on my CJ7 to a chevy throttle body fuel injection. So I have some skills.

New parts:
Timing belt kit from NAPA, contains the belt, idler pulley and tensioner
Water pump
Serp belt tensioner
Serp belt idler pulley bearing, no one in town had the assemble but found the bearing.
2-O2 sensors
P-side motor mount
Oil and filter

Labor was free but still, all told about 17 hours. In the end the timing belt had slipped and jumped on the crank pulley 2 teeth or 36 degrees of timing. I did not see the importance of installing the timing pin. So I had to take it all apart twice.

Here are some links of interest.
http://www.aa1car.com/library/2004/eb90428.htm
http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/...ation/Ford%20Manual%20Files/Cam%20Timing.html This is the write up I followed
http://www.handsontools.com/OTC-648...or-20L-Zetec-Engines_p_38-6302.html?iorb=4764
http://www.focushacks.com/index.php?modid=56
 
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#31 ·
I did my timing belt over the winter using this thread. There are a few differences and things to note:

1) I used an electric impact gun to break loose the bolt which holds the harmonic balancer to the crankshaft. If you're doing your own timing belt be aware that you'll have to get that bolt loose somehow.
2) I didn't use the special Ford bolt that you use to find TDC for the engine. I couldn't figure out where the access hole for it was. The bolt that I thought was the correct one was behind the exhaust manifold and virtually impossible to get to without removing the manifold. I simply set the cams using the Ford cam locking tool, then marked the timing belt at each cam sprocket and at the crankshaft sprocket using some wite out. I took the old belt off and lined it up with the new belt using the teeth and transferred the marks over to the new belt. I then used those marks on the new belt to line everything up when putting the new belt on the crankshaft and 2 camshaft pulleys.

Everything runs well. Just as a funny aside, I did the timing belt because I thought the water pump was bad and leaking coolant. I figured while I was in there doing the water pump I'd do the timing belt as well. I had planned on doing the belt this spring, I hate wrenching when it's cold in the winter. I put everything back together and started her up and she still leaked! It was the coolant hose right next to the water pump which was leaking. That hose clamp to that hose is hard as hell to get to as well. I couldn't put a set of pliers to compress it to remove it. I had to use a special tool for compress that hose clamps.

han
 
#116 ·
This post saved me. I started the job without reading that far and realized I was SOL when I needed to remove the harmonic balancer. Then I read ahead a little and found the part about the leaky hose. I got the clamp off using a pair of extended offset needle nose that I got about 5 years ago for 5 bucks at a cheapo tool place because I thought they were cool.

Now I'm off to find that hose and a tool to hold the balancer.
I appreciate the initial write up too.
 
#34 ·
is it the same for an svt?... i dont have mechanical skills really... just basic and average knowledge.? should i attempt this
This takes time and patience. Oh and numereous tools. It's take apart and put back together. Have you done wheel bearings before? Taking the brakes, calibers, rotors, bearings etc off and then put all back together? If not I'd pass.
 
#35 ·
2000 dohc zx3

I did my timing belt with the help of one of my friends using this great thread and pics. We consulted in a tank mechanic friend from the US Marines when it came to the cam ford locking tool? step' We simply used a flat file that cost nothing, and allignied the cams <which is done by turning the cams 180 to 360 and sliding the file under the space at end of two cams... and a srewdriver inside piston 1 on the passanger side and turned the engine till cylinder one was TDC {screw driver all the way to top, before going back down while turning crank shaft}

as far as the harmonic balancer bolt we simply added an extension to the socket wrench from Wal-mart / no impact wrench/and turned the starter over one time-- right off the bolt came. DO NOt HOLD THE WRENCH WHEN DOING THIS, you'll be lookin at broken bones.[thumb][slap]

Runs perfect 29.99 timing belt from auto zone 8.99 Miller 12pk
 
#246 · (Edited)
Dangerous method

as far as the harmonic balancer bolt we simply added an extension to the socket wrench from Wal-mart / no impact wrench/and turned the starter over one time-- right off the bolt came. DO NOt HOLD THE WRENCH WHEN DOING THIS, you'll be lookin at broken bones.[thumb][slap]

Runs perfect 29.99 timing belt from auto zone 8.99 Miller 12pk
You could bend your valves if you use this method (engaging the starter with a spanner on the bolt) for loosening the crankshaft bolt. On this engine the crankshaft sprocket becomes loose when the pulley is loosened - the sprocket is not locked to the shaft. I used this method and fortunately the first time, the spanner broke. I say fortunately because the engine started - I had neglected to make sure it wouldn't. If the bolt had become loose I would surely have ruined my engine. I tried it again with a more substantial impact socket and the plug leads disconnected and it worked this time. It was only later that I realised how risky this method is. I haven't got everything back together again yet: I am praying I haven't messed anything up! The thing is, with an automatic transmission like mine, you need to make a special tool to hold the crankshaft pulley stationary when you are tightening the bolt anyway - I used a piece of angle iron with a couple of bolts through it - so you might as well use it when undoing the bolt and not take any risks.
 
#37 ·
I bought a used SVT engine a few months ago and want to change the timing belt. I have the CFM timing tool. To find TDC I just insert the pin and turn the crank until it stops and that is TDC? What if the belt on the engine slipped before I bought it, does the pin guaranty TDC? What is this about the cam gear timing? Say I turn the crank and find TDC how do I know the cam gears are correct? Also, I read that getting the VCT timing correct on the SVTF motor is a pain. How is this done?

Sorry for the barrage of questions but every write-up or how-to leaves me with more questions than I started with.
 
#38 ·
Posted via FF MobileTo speed up this response, check the "timing belt tools for SVTF thread, it`s only back one page right now so you can find without a long search... references - questions and details covered more thouroughly than one post could cover... and you won`t feel alone with your questions... Check it out & post questions/progress...
 
#40 · (Edited)
Ok I am doing this now. Found the belt to be really loose. When I got in there I found that the idler pulley bolt had snapped. I don't know how it was even running. So when the cover came off the idler fell off and the belt came off. I think I also bumped the cam sprocket. So now I wonder how I am going to make sure the timing is correct with no belt...........
 
#47 ·
If the belt fell off as stated above, putting the crank pin in won't help the cam sprocket position. Slow down[angel]. Look at the opposite end of the cams, are the slots fairly close to parallel? You can't just spin them. If so you should be able to wiggle the bar into place. That's what I did. LUK
 
#44 ·
Posted via FF Mobile IF he was near TDC #1 when the belt came off! Otherwise you need to carefullt turn crank so pistons move toward center of stroke (plugs pulled) so they are away from valves. Then set cams to timing position. Then bring #1 piston to TDC . at that point you can proceed with normal timing instructions!
 
#46 ·
I would take the t-belt off, or loosen the cam gears. Then put the timing pin in, align the crank with the pin. The put the timing bar in, align the cams with it, then tighten down the cam gears.
 
#54 ·
Posted via FF MobileWith crank against pin, and bar in cams, engine is at proper timing position. The object now is to install a belt so it stays exactly that way. Follow instructions on loosening sprocket bolts (hold cam with wrench, not just bar) then install belt and tension, then lock (tighten) cam sprockets. This will lock everything in proper relationship with a TENSIONED belt. lock B4 tensioning and it all moves out of position. Reread instructions, take your time step by step and it will all make sense.Turn over by hand after complete (carefully) and see it all line up again after 2 crank revolutions. That confirns proper installation B4 buttonimng up...
 
#56 ·
Doc - Just a typo there - "buttoning" up may be a U.S. only colloquialism referring to all the sundry tasks of reassembly necessary to "close up" after completing the major task at hand. I hope you can "button up" your engine soon, once "swarf" is cleaned out and belt installed!
 
#59 ·
Being one revolution off isn`t unusual, crank turns twice for each cam turn, so you were at tdc #4 to start. That`s why I mentioned turning cams with pistons in the middle of stroke to prevent possible interference while lining up to std. timing location. Lobes of #1 should point outwards now. bring piston to TDC against locating pin (without bringing center pistons up first) and you`ll be at proper alignment for belt installation.
 
#60 ·
Well hopefully it is right. LIke I said, had to rotate the cams 360, bar went right in. Crank was against pin and the belt was installed. It went back together easily. I planned on finishing today but found that the serpentine belt pulley was bad so I had to order one at the dealer. Supposed to be in in the morning.
 
#65 · (Edited)
Here are my thoughts on this job. It isn't hard if you have some experience wrenching. I was really only confused about the timing aspect of it, but turns out it was very simple with the tools.

The bar works well to hold the cams in place. I found this out after trying to do it with a wrench with little success. You may have to turn the cams 360 degrees to get the bar inserted into the slots. Took me a bit to figure that out.

You need a good selection of tools. This took me longer than it should have because I had to order the timing tools and had to run and pick up a tool here and there. I found I was short on things like torx and star bits. I also had to find an impact wrench to remove the crank bolt. Also, I had to wait on some parts from the Ford dealer (pulley).

This writeup thread was very helpful. I recommend breaking the cam sprockets loose though. I also found it much easier to start the belt on the cams and slip it over the crank pulley. Everything I read said to start at the crank. Like I said, not that bad of a job really. I also own an SVT so hopefully when time comes for that I can do it in a fraction of the time. I think this is really only a few hours worth of work if you have everything on hand and have done it before.
 
#66 ·
Question to anyone out there:

we got pretty much everything in, new timing belt, new water pump, pulleys, tensioners etc but we made a boo-boo.... stripped the hole where the water pump screws go into the block. The hole is F'd but the screw is fine...... any suggestions on what our options are?

I was thinking of unbuttoning all 3 motor mounts, undoing exhaust manifold somewhere then hoisting the engine up high enough to get a straight drill bit into it to insert some helicoils. Suggestions please!! you can only imagine howmuch I'm freakin out over here when the water pump won't bolt in tight
 
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