1986 ford ranger timeing belt cover

[WildDan92]

i had to remove the timing belt cover all the bolts are 10mm bolt and one in the middle was a phillips ( star) looks like its to some spring on the back dose this do anything and how tight dose it need to be thanks

 

[racsan]

that spring on the inside puts tension on the timing belt, I always replace that phillips head screw with a hex head, dont know why they use a phillips there.

 

[WildDan92]

that spring on the inside puts tension on the timing belt, I always replace that phillips head screw with a hex head, dont know why they use a phillips there.

so i just had taken the cover off to check the belt and it was all good and put it back on is thier and just hand tight it on is that good or dose it need to be supper tight or anything thanks for the help i also fk the thermostat up too someone did t remove the pulles to change it so im gonna have to get it tapped out now
thanks for the info and help

 

[DandysRanger]

Just curious but can the cover be left off? I have an oil leak coming from somewhere in front and I'd like to see from where.

 

[Shran]

It can be left off but it has your timing marks on it... so it's going to be impossible to set the timing without it.

 

[DandysRanger]

It can be left off but it has your timing marks on it... so it's going to be impossible to set the timing without it.

Right. The timing is ok for now. I need to see where this oil is coming from. I suspect the cam seal since I just replaced the head.

 

[tomw]

The original covers were completely made of sheet metal. I think the later covers took advantage of new plastics. The only reason for the cover is to prevent wayward fingers from getting pinched, along with rocks, pebbles, etc from the road getting between the belt and the sprockets with unknowable consequences.
When you set the timing on an 85, you need to pull the shorting block from the wire harness alongside the engine, and then set to 10BTDC by rotating the distributor. Supposedly the timing is fixed for a while after startup, but don't count on it when setting the timing. Didn't know there were any other 85's near ATL still on the road.
tom

 

[DandysRanger]

Thanks for the info Tom.
Yeah, she was my daughter's first car and then became the farm truck/motorcycle hauler/parts chaser. Still going strong (well, sort of) after 230K miles.