Author: Dave Williams; dlwilliams=aristotle=net
Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1999 19:27:00 -0500
From: [email protected] (Dave Williams)
Subject: Escort timing belt adjustment - info
To: [email protected]
How To Adjust The Timing Belt On A 1986 Escort
1) jack front of car way up
2) crawl under car and loosen power steering pump from underneath
3) crawl back out
4) lower car to working height
5) loosen alternator bolts
6) remove alternator/AC and power steering belts
7) remove 10mm nuts holding plastic timing cover
8) remove plastic timing cover (you can't see the cam timing marks with
the cover in place)
Ford method:
9) use special Snap-On tool to reach crank bolt and turn engine from
underneath
OR
(you can tell I did this before seeing the light?)
9a) purchase a 19mm socket
9b) cut socket to 3/4" long
9c) cut a piece of 3/16x1-1/2 steel bar
9d) weld socket to one end of steel bar
9e) crawl under right front side of car
9f) put 19mm wrench on crank nut, mark so it can be bent to clear
sway bar when turning motor
9g) crawl back out, bend new 19mm wrench as needed
9h) keep crawling back out from under the car to see how close you are
to the timing mark
OR
(the easy way...)
Dave's shortcut:
9a) remove air filter and air inlet tube
9b) remove spark plugs
9c) use a 15/16 socket on the alternator to turn engine until timing
mark on cam sprocket is close to required position
10) reinstall plastic timing cover
11) align left (small) timing notch on pulley with large sawtooth ridge
on plastic timing cover (TDC)
12) remove plastic timing cover
[Ford procedure - remove air filter, a zillion vacuum lines, air pump,
and power steering pump to get to passenger side motor mount, which
blocks access to the left hand tensioner bolt]
[Dave procedure]
13) use a 10mm deep well socket and loosen right hand tensioner bolt
14) bend a cheap 10mm box end wrench into a Z shape
15) use special wrench to loosen left hand tensioner bolt
You are now at TDC with the cam sprocket near its mark. Take a look at
which way the cam needs to move to line the mark up.
16) use a 12-18" long screwdriver or pry bar to lever the belt tensioner
to the left
17) snug one of the tensioner bolts back down to hold it in place
18) work belt off the cam sprocket, idler pulley, and water pump
sprocket. The tensioner can't move far enough to unload all the
pressure from the belt, so you may have to work at it for a while
19) get a 1-5/8" socket to match the hex on the cam sprocket. Turn the
cam left or right to line up with the timing mark. Ford says not
to use the 19mm bolt in the end of the cam, as it is installed with
sealer and will leak oil if you break the seal.
20) loosen the 10mm tensioner bolt and let the tensioner snap back
against the belt
21) turn engine over for two revolutions. Ford says use the crank bolt;
I used the starter.
22) reinstall plastic cover
23) turn engine until timing mark lines up. Remove cover and check cam
timing. Repeat previous steps as required until all marks line up.
(due to the way the belt tension works, you'll probably have to do
it at least one more time)
24) loosen 10mm tensioner bolt
25) put 1-5/8" socket on cam sprocket. Attach torque wrench. Pull belt
tight (counterclockwise) with torque wrench to 120 in-lb (10 ft-lb).
While holding torque, tighten the 10mm tensioner bolts
26) reinstall plastic cover
27) install accessory belts
28) jack car back up
29) adjust power steering belt tension and tighten bolts
30) lower car
31) adjust alternator belt tension and tighten bolts
32) reinstall spark plugs, wires, and air inlet tube
There! Wasn't that easy?
Actually *changing* the belt requires removing the starter to jam the
ring gear so you can pull the crank bolt, etc.
Every now and then, I'm forcibly reminded of why I hate to work on
cars... I'd like to meet the moron who put the timing marks on the belt
cover in a dark alley some night.
