97 2.3l timing belt question

Boomers13 · Feb 26, 2013

I'm in the middle of changing the cam position sensor and timing belt on a 97 ranger 2wd 5sp I just picked up. This is my first time doing anything like this. It barely ran and threw a code for cam position sensor. It was still drivable enough to get from the back yard to the driveway. I got everything pulled off including the front cover and when I try to line everything up at tdc ( crank key way at 12 o'clock, diamond to diamond and triangle to triangle) either the cam or oil pump is 180° out. If the diamond for the oil pump lines up then the cam is out and vise versa. What do I need to do to fix it? Set the cam right and spin the oil pump 180° after I remove the belt? Any help will be greatly appreciated, I need this truck running asap.

RonD · Feb 26, 2013

With belt off you should be able to move everything into it's correct position, then install the belt.

And just as a heads up:
The cam and oil pump gears are twice the diameter of the Crank gear, this is on purpose.
If you rotate the crank 360deg(one rotation) with timing belt on, the cam and oil pump gear will have only rotated 180deg, that is correct.
Rotate crank one more full rotation and all the marks should line up again.
I recommend you do this just to check that tensioner is working and the marks are correct.

so crank and cam are 2 to 1 ratio

This is true for all 4-stroke engines, piston has to go up and down twice for one complete cycle(4-strokes), so twice around for the crank, intake and exhaust valve each only open once per cycle, so cam only needs one rotation.

Boomers13 · Feb 26, 2013

I knew about the 2:1 ratio and everything I just wasn't sure if I could take the belt off and just spin the pump gear without messing anything up. Thanks for clearing everything up. Hopefully I'll have it up and running and able to drive in the next day or two.

RonD · Feb 26, 2013

Trust your instincts.......what's the worst that can happen

Any engine with a timing "belt" instead of a chain will be a non-interference engine, this means even if install incorrectly or if it breaks while driving the valves can not come in to contact with the pistons.

The oil pump shaft on this engine also runs/ran the distributor, this is why the oil pump gear has a timing mark, on most engines with a belt driven oil pump there is no timing involved, it just pumps the oil.
This is also why the cam gear and oil pump gear are the same size, so distributor is in time with valves(cam).
So to avoid confusion they should call the oil pump gear the "distributor gear", lol, and the "distributor gear" also powers the oil pump, same as almost all other engine if you think about it

And if the "distributor gear" was out of time it wouldn't hurt anything, just wouldn't run, firing cylinders at the wrong time.

So spin away and line up the marks, you are on safe ground.

Mirage · Feb 27, 2013

RonD, your statement -

"Any engine with a timing "belt" instead of a chain will be a non-interference engine, this means even if install incorrectly or if it breaks while driving the valves can not come in to contact with the pistons."

Is incorrect, but I know what you are saying. The 2.3L (and perhaps other Ranger engines) are non-interference engines and do use a timing belt. But many other manufacturers, especially Japanese and Korean imports are interference engines, run timing belts, and cost big $$$ to repair when they break and tear up the cylinder head.

I'm not picking on you, just clarifying your statement for new readers that may come across this topic and be mislead. Please don't take it personally.

RonD · Feb 27, 2013

Mirage said:
RonD, your statement -

"Any engine with a timing "belt" instead of a chain will be a non-interference engine, this means even if install incorrectly or if it breaks while driving the valves can not come in to contact with the pistons."

Is incorrect, but I know what you are saying. The 2.3L (and perhaps other Ranger engines) are non-interference engines and do use a timing belt. But many other manufacturers, especially Japanese and Korean imports are interference engines, run timing belts, and cost big $$$ to repair when they break and tear up the cylinder head.

I'm not picking on you, just clarifying your statement for new readers that may come across this topic and be mislead. Please don't take it personally.

Yes, quite true, an insane practice, IMO.
Belt life is rated for 50-70k miles
Chain life is lifetime rated in most cases but generally 250k+ miles, and the chain is usually changed when engine is rebuilt for bearing and ring replacement not because of failure.

I guess the best thing is to know your engine, find out if it is an interference(valves hit pistons) or non-interference engine.
And if it is an interference engine and also has a timing "belt" then sell it ASAP, or at the very least change the belt every 30k.
Non-interference engines, no worries, change it after 70k or when it breaks.

Frank The Tank · Feb 27, 2013

I know for a fact the 2.3 97 model timing belt can go for 216k miles on the original. If I'd followed factory specs that would have been 2 extra changes. LoL.

RonD · Feb 27, 2013

And that's the nice thing about a non-interference engine with timing belt, it doesn't cost you an arm and a leg(replacing valves and maybe pistons) to make that "lets wait and see" call.

Mirage · Feb 28, 2013

Frank the Tank,
"7.3 liter gasoline. The way FE's were supposed to be. "

If you can really get a 7.3L FE block into a ranger, I'd sure like to see a pic. I've owned 3 390's in Mustangs and even that was a PITA to work on.

RonD,

I agree with your "insane practice" statement. And I'm not sure why they do it really. Maybe to keep the size and weight of the block and head down by not relieving the head more and using domed pistons. I don't know. But you're right, if you have an interference engine, care and vigilance is required.

My timing belt broke at right around 200k miles, thank God I had a 2.3L !

Frank The Tank · Feb 28, 2013

1970 F100 Ranger
It's a full size ranger and its not a pain to work on at all. Says f100 all over below my avatar. Figured it was self explanatory. If ppl can get a 6bt in a ranger. An FE wouldn't be that bad.

Back to 2.3 timing belts.

Boomers13 · Feb 28, 2013

I know all about the whole interference vs. Non interference engines. I've done quite a bit of research and have had first hand experience with it. My Nissan 240sx had a timing chain guide break and get lodged in the chain and cam sprocket. Bent every exhaust valve and 2 intake valves And snapped the end of the exhaust cam off. Luckily its just a project car and I have a spare engine sitting around that's getting built for 550+ whp. I plan on finishing the truck this weekend. Autozone gave me the wrong cam sensor so I had to hold off on finishing it til I got the sensor. Hopefully it runs decent enough to drive afterwards so I can go on some parts runs. Its an old fleet truck with 368,000 miles on it so all I can do is hope.

dngrrangr · Mar 3, 2013

dont mean to jump in but is the 92 ranger the same way. i can just take the belt off and turn the crank to fix the timing? my truck is slightly retard. been that way think it would probly get better mpg and have a lil more hp. and if anyone knows the coil pack mod. (8 spark plugs.) on changing the wires around on the front or rear pack. (front intake rear exhaust) someone on here said the front one im just trying to figure out cause they also said exhaust side. im confused. a lil help would be nice.
:icon_confused:

97 2.3l timing belt question

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