2000 4 cyl 2.5L Ford Ranger Trying to remove cylinder head

[johnrhadfield]

It may be that the power steering assembly was setting against the plastic cover. I will put new belt and tensioner back on now that I am hanging suspended the power steering and AC.

I will check for dirt or anything touching plastic backcover.

Could it be the milling on the cyl hd? If that was the case could I use very thin washers on behind tensioner to try to line it up?

John

 

[johnrhadfield]

Wait a minute, isn't the crankshaft harmonic balancer pulley supposed to help keep belt on? I don't have the harmonic balancer on. I guess I'll try to dig an answer out of Ford. I may have to act like I am going to hold the place up to get an answer.

Just kidding don't FBI me.

Timing is lined up. I think I put a few miles on the engine the amount of times I rotated it.

If harmonic balancer isn't the answer, what about making a front cover guide plate for the camshaft?

John

 

[Duane867]

NOTHING keeps the belt on those sprockets but the belt, the tension created by the tensioner and the teeth on the belt. The guide is not a guide. Its a shield to keep your fingers and debris out, not to keep the belt in place. It sounds to me like you do not have the tensioner adjusted properly and the slack is not out of the belt. I think mine and your and very few others on here are the only ones left in the country that still have the timing covers and guards still in place LOL ! Most of them are removed and never put back in place. They run just fine with out them and do not serve any purpose what so ever in keeping the belt in place. Simply a safety feature.

If the head was warped 6 thou then they milled 10 thou off more then likely.
Which means you probably need a thicker gasket if more then 10 has been removed.
That is information that should have been well documented and handed to you at the time you paid the billed honestly. It should have literally been listed on the bill so you could get the correct fit. Doesn't boast well if they didn't know. I would DEFINITELY get that information immediately before continuing any further. And spend the $30 on a new gasket with out a bend or a crack in it ;-) It wont swell and fill in. Just the opposite will happen.

A reman head would be fine to fit to another block.

 

[johnrhadfield]

NOTHING keeps the belt on those sprockets but the belt, the tension created by the tensioner and the teeth on the belt. The guide is not a guide. Its a shield to keep your fingers and debris out, not to keep the belt in place. It sounds to me like you do not have the tensioner adjusted properly and the slack is not out of the belt. I think mine and your and very few others on here are the only ones left in the country that still have the timing covers and guards still in place LOL ! Most of them are removed and never put back in place. They run just fine with out them and do not serve any purpose what so ever in keeping the belt in place. Simply a safety feature.

If the head was warped 6 thou then they milled 10 thou off more then likely.
Which means you probably need a thicker gasket if more then 10 has been removed.
That is information that should have been well documented and handed to you at the time you paid the billed honestly. It should have literally been listed on the bill so you could get the correct fit. Doesn't boast well if they didn't know. I would DEFINITELY get that information immediately before continuing any further. And spend the $30 on a new gasket with out a bend or a crack in it ;-) It wont swell and fill in. Just the opposite will happen.

A reman head would be fine to fit to another block.

I don't have the proper Ford tool to put the timing belt on. So how do I make sure all the slack is out and that the belt is on correctly? Right now I am putting tensioner pivot bolt(75% tight) and spring on (spring needs a lot of space initially to install pivot bolt). Then using a pry bar to pry tensioner over to put adjustment bolt in. Once adjustment is tightened down I put on timing belt then I loosen adjustment bolt it springs the belt tight. Then since I don't have the proper Ford tool I use pry bar to add some extra pressure and tighten adjustment bolt. Then I tighten pivot bolt down 99%. Then I torque down the both bolts 100%.

I will use the remand cyl on another block if this doesn't work or retry this block with a thicker gasket? Now I know what to do and to look and ask for next time I get a cyl hd worked on.

Which thicker gasket do you recomend? Does Felpro still sell the asbestos gasket?

I have already torqued down the cyl hd which makes those "one time use" bolts garbage(50 or so bucks) and the gasket would be a waste also. I am almost there and I am getting faster(believe it or not). Do I hurt anything by proceeding?

Thanks,
John

 

[Duane867]

The proper tool is a socket, a ratchet, and a small pry bar.
Loosen the tensioner with the ratchet slightly, use the pry bar to pull the tensioner back and then re tighten the tensioner. It will hold it out of the way while you work.
Take all the slack out of the straight side of the belt 1st as you slide the belt on. ( IE opposite side of the tensioner pulley )
Pay special attention to the timing mark on the cam at this point. Slide the belt on so that the arrow on the cam sprocket is just above dead nuts on the mark. Then loosen the tensioner bolt with the ratchet so that the tensioner spring springs the tensioner into the belt and take sup the slack. The tension the spring provides is all that is needed do not force it further. Then simply tighten the bolt with the ratchet.
Rotate the crank by hand with a breaker bar two full revolutions and it will remove the remaining slack by its self. The remaining slack is why you leave the timing just above the mark a hair so that after it has made two full revolutions the slack taken out will tighten the belt up and will have brought the timing marks into damn near perfect alignment.

The bolts should be ok to use again since they have not seen any heat yet but I would ask a Ford mechanic if I were you. Just call the dealer ship and ask to speak to the service department and they will tell you over the phone.
The gasket thickness needed is yet to be determined since you do not know yet how much exactly they milled the head down.
I have no idea what felpro still sells honestly. I would halt work until I knew exactly what was taken off and determined if the gasket thickness you bought will work or not.
I would say you might be fine with the current thickness if they didn't take that much off but you want to make absolutely sure Jon. Thats a LOT of work to risk it like that with out knowing for certain. Generally above 10 thou and you have to use a thicker gasket. Some times even double stack if a lot has been shaved.

 

[johnrhadfield]

The proper tool is a socket, a ratchet, and a small pry bar.
Loosen the tensioner with the ratchet slightly, use the pry bar to pull the tensioner back and then re tighten the tensioner. It will hold it out of the way while you work.
Take all the slack out of the straight side of the belt 1st as you slide the belt on. ( IE opposite side of the tensioner pulley )
Pay special attention to the timing mark on the cam at this point. Slide the belt on so that the arrow on the cam sprocket is just above dead nuts on the mark. Then loosen the tensioner bolt with the ratchet so that the tensioner spring springs the tensioner into the belt and take sup the slack. The tension the spring provides is all that is needed do not force it further. Then simply tighten the bolt with the ratchet.
Rotate the crank by hand with a breaker bar two full revolutions and it will remove the remaining slack by its self. The remaining slack is why you leave the timing just above the mark a hair so that after it has made two full revolutions the slack taken out will tighten the belt up and will have brought the timing marks into damn near perfect alignment.

The bolts should be ok to use again since they have not seen any heat yet but I would ask a Ford mechanic if I were you. Just call the dealer ship and ask to speak to the service department and they will tell you over the phone.
The gasket thickness needed is yet to be determined since you do not know yet how much exactly they milled the head down.
I have no idea what felpro still sells honestly. I would halt work until I knew exactly what was taken off and determined if the gasket thickness you bought will work or not.
I would say you might be fine with the current thickness if they didn't take that much off but you want to make absolutely sure Jon. Thats a LOT of work to risk it like that with out knowing for certain. Generally above 10 thou and you have to use a thicker gasket. Some times even double stack if a lot has been shaved.

Duane,

Would you explain further: "The remaining slack is why you leave the timing just above the mark a hair..."?

I start by wrapping it at the crank just a bit (1150-55 so when the spring tensions the belt its at 12). Cause there are only 3 sides. I took the slack out from crank to oil pump out first, then I took the slack out of the oil pump to cam side(you say that should done first). The 3rd "side", from cam to tensioner to crank, I let the spring go. The crank jumps to 1200 without any revolutions when I let spring go. I usually just tighten it down(last time I added a little force with pry bar then tightened it down)

Ok so I am supposed rotate it 2 full crank revolutions. Which I already said I put a few miles on the engine.

My marks line up. All sides seem tight, I'll doublecheck. Is there a "finger push on belt test"?

Maybe I'll buy a new spring at Ford. I am getting concerned about the amount of times I am putting bolts in and out. I don't want to where them out nor the threads.

I already asked Engine Pro offhand what the thickness was. I will make a more serious attempt, maybe they have it on paper.

I am trying to get this done before Thanksgiving. I may not be successful, but I am trying.

Thanks,

John

 

[4b316]

Jon,we take 60-70 tho off our heads and still use a regular gasket.(we do use a adjustable timg gear but not nessasary up to 20.)The guide/shield that is behind the pulley is also a shim that keeps the gear out far enough to line up the belt.Milling the head shouldn't of created a problem unless they milled at an angle.The belt is coming off the front or the back?

 

[johnrhadfield]

Jon,we take 60-70 tho off our heads and still use a regular gasket.(we do use a adjustable timg gear but not nessasary up to 20.)The guide/shield that is behind the pulley is also a shim that keeps the gear out far enough to line up the belt.Milling the head shouldn't of created a problem unless they milled at an angle.The belt is coming off the front or the back?

To 4b316:

Off the front. After about 20 crankshaft revs it's abour 1/8th in off the front.

Timing stays right on.

Thanks,

John

 

[johnrhadfield]

I decided to keep going. I tried to clean the lower intake manifold with Berrymans carb cleaner and rods/soft cotton from my gun cleaning kit and paper towels. Wow that was dirty. I suppose some sort of solvent soaking would be better. Still a little dirty. I will work again this afternoon.

John

 

[johnrhadfield]

Everything is reversed now for re-installing. Any tips on putting lower intake manifold back on?

Chilton's says to use light gasket sealant to hold gasket in place.

Also, I had already dumped the bad oil/radiator fluid, a while back. I put 5 quarts of good oil in and just let it set, didn't turn engine over. I'll dump that too when I change the oil for real.

I guess it's mostly cleanup and re-install.

I marked most of the wires, hoses and bolts.

I should wire brush all bolts and oil them, before installing?

John

 

[4b316]

You can put a thin coat of gasket maker on the intake or silicone.I just start a bolt in the front and middle and hold the gasket down in the back and start a bolt thur it,take out the middle and front and slip the gasket down and put a bolt thur that hole then the rest.Brake cleaner or carb cleaner works good to clean the intake.Get the bolts clean and WD.I,d start it up ,run for 5 minutes,then change oil and filter.Run it again for 20 minutes,getting everything warm then change again.

 

[johnrhadfield]

You can put a thin coat of gasket maker on the intake or silicone.I just start a bolt in the front and middle and hold the gasket down in the back and start a bolt thur it,take out the middle and front and slip the gasket down and put a bolt thur that hole then the rest.Brake cleaner or carb cleaner works good to clean the intake.Get the bolts clean and WD.I,d start it up ,run for 5 minutes,then change oil and filter.Run it again for 20 minutes,getting everything warm then change again.

To 4b316:

I had no time to work yesterday. I may have to take a vacation day.

Once I clean up fuel injectors and put them back in and mount the fuel rail, do I need to "unbleed" the fuel? Or just turn ignition switch and fuel pump will repressurize?

Thanks,

John

 

[4b316]

Just turn the key on and off a couple times.If you have the injectors off the rail,be careful you don't get debris down in it,Don't immerse them in your cleaning fluid.Will be putting my 2.5 back together as soon as it gets home from the machine shop

 

[johnrhadfield]

Just turn the key on and off a couple times.If you have the injectors off the rail,be careful you don't get debris down in it,Don't immerse them in your cleaning fluid.Will be putting my 2.5 back together as soon as it gets home from the machine shop

When do you expect your it back? What did you have done?

Little mistake. I got Berrymans cleaner only on my lower intake bolts labeling(duck tape with permanent marker).

Well the Berrymans erased the permanent marker.

Can I get help locating where these bolts go on the lower intake. The one with the ground cable goes all the way to the back on the lower row. I am not sure where the other 6 go. Shouldn't there be 8 total?

http://www.4shared.com/photo/rBJ2DxdX/IMG00321.html


Thanks,

John

 

[fang619]

im doing this exact same project almost, my head gasket just went out also on my 99 and i just put in the bolts your talking about hours ago so you might have just lucked out!
your right about your lower intake taking 8 to hold it on
i drew up this diagram to the best of my knowledge but i think the bolt with the ground wire on it goes on the very top left on the head and the nut on it holds on the metal piece you attatch a chain to in order to pull your engine but im not 100% sure
im trying to figure out how to set up the distributor coil pack after i get it tdc so let me know if you have any info on that
i hope this helps!