[slipangle]

Thought I'd see if anyone else thought this isn't going to work right but here's what I'm up to:

2004 SVT Focus timing belt change. 113k miles, preventative maintenance. Runs fine, but I'm selling and more than a few have asked if the timing belt has been changed.

I have everything apart up to the point I take off the balancer and remove the old belt.

My first thought for improvising the alignment tool was to go to Home Depot and get the longest available M10-1.5 fully threaded bolt I could, which was 40 mm long. That turned out to be not long enough, so instead I'm using 1/4" drive extension.

For the cam alignment tool I'm using a 12" steel ruler, 6" would've worked okay but the cheapest option was the 12" combination square I bought. There was a 6" stainless steel ruler but that was thinner. 2 thicknesses of the ruler might be ideal, but I can eyeball centering it.

Whatever the result is, the old belt is worn but no obvious loss of teeth or anything. Probably stretched, and the new alignment should be better than the existing alignment.

Let me know if I'm off base... The $5 investment sits a lot better in my wallet than the $113 I found searching online for the FoMoCo tool, plus I couldn't figure out the right keyword search to find it on Fordparts.com.

 

[sailor]

$29.97 from Massive:http://d5otzd52uv6zz.cloudfront.net/093a0ef3-eaa6-4f35-a151-d48dd3d113d4-800.jpg

Isn't it worth it?

There are other sources, like CFM, Massive catalog even lists OTC tools parts numbers for comparison (avail. locally in many cases).

1/4 extension isn't going to do the trick. making a proper screw in pin is the only way to use that method. Determining TDC by another method is more useful, and better used when you're making marks & counting belt teeth instead of trying to do the full adjustment method of replacement.

The way you're heading right now is only going to result in "timing" codes & more work/expense to do it again. (best case)

 

[slipangle]

Adjusting later wouldn't be such a bad thing, I was inclined to count teeth and only readjust cam gears if they really looked like they were off after the new belt was installed so I'll go with that and see. This has to be back together today because I'm not going to have time for this for another 2 weeks, readjustment I can handle.

My problem is today any place that would carry the tool isn't open.

 

[150mphzetec]

the tool i use was made from a piece of steel stock sold in the hardware department. I cut it to length (about 8 inches) sold the other two parts to recoup the cost for the part. The part was originally about $5 and helped a couple other people in the process

 

[amc49]

Home Depot 3/16" keyway stock long enough to make like 8-9 inches long with a .012" or .013" feeler gauge added to it on both cams. Perfect.

You need that crank pin tool too, your method there WILL be making you redo it since you can easily make a 10-15 degree error there or even more. The 1/4 extension idea is abysmal. And redoing it? Waste of time, you will still have the same issue the second time.