1996 2.3 Timing trouble

[illili]

I am changing the timing belt on my 2.3 and am having trouble lining the timing marks up. They were lined up when I took the belt off, but I accidentally moved the truck while it was in gear just a hair (I know it should have been in neutral, I've already face palmed because of this).

I can get two of the three timing marks to line up triangle to triangle on the camshaft, diamond to diamond on the oil pump, and I get the notch on the crank at 12 o'clock with the dot lined up with the notch. No matter what I seem to do, going counterclockwise from the crank to the oil pump makes it rotate either a took forward or backwards to be lined up. I got frustrated yesterday so I took a breather and left it alone for now, is there another timing mark I missed on the oil pump (similar to the crankshaft) that I'm missing?

Thanks a million to whoever helps

EDIT: I found a tutorial for doing the timing on my specific year and model (except his doesn't have power steering). It walks through most everything I can see and has pretty good quality. Let me know what you guys think of this and if its applicable to other model years.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

 

[Ramirezsergio63]

Here's a diagram of the 2.3l timing belt, maye it might help u

 

[Ramirezsergio63]

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79044

 

[illili]

Here's a diagram of the 2.3l timing belt, maye it might help u

Thanks, Sergio the diagram is helpful I haven't seen that exact one before. I know I have tdc for the crank (I can see the piston in through the hole and the tooth is at 12 o'clock. The camshaft has an easily identifiable mark on it (triangle) and that's aligned too. I found this image that looks like a triangle instead of a diamond on the oil pump pulley. I am going to try to look for that mark when I get home later today.

Also, do you have any tips for loosening the belt tensioner without the special tool?

Thanks,

--Vin

 

[Captain Ledd]

Thanks, Sergio the diagram is helpful I haven't seen that exact one before. I know I have tdc for the crank (I can see the piston in through the hole and the tooth is at 12 o'clock. The camshaft has an easily identifiable mark on it (triangle) and that's aligned too. I found this image that looks like a triangle instead of a diamond on the oil pump pulley. I am going to try to look for that mark when I get home later today.

Also, do you have any tips for loosening the belt tensioner without the special tool?

Thanks,

--Vin

The oil pump gear and the cam gear are actually the same sproket. They have each others marks and are interchangeable.

Ignore the dot on the crankshaft gear, just make sure the keyway is straight up. This will be TDC, I don't know what that dot is used for.

I had a hell of a time releasing the belt tension and having things move out of sync. Ultimately I built a lever thingy out of scrap that kinda looked like a picture I found (don't know if you have a welder), but I did get it a few times with a prybar/crowbar.

otherwise, you did have it right though:

Cam - triangle to triangle
oil pump - diamond to diamond.

 

[super91(2.3)]

With 2 people and a pry bar you can get the tensioner back and the belt on.

 

[Ramirezsergio63]

This post of mine shoul help----- http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=119165

 

[illili]

The oil pump gear and the cam gear are actually the same sproket. They have each others marks and are interchangeable.

Ignore the dot on the crankshaft gear, just make sure the keyway is straight up. This will be TDC, I don't know what that dot is used for.

I had a hell of a time releasing the belt tension and having things move out of sync. Ultimately I built a lever thingy out of scrap that kinda looked like a picture I found (don't know if you have a welder), but I did get it a few times with a prybar/crowbar.

otherwise, you did have it right though:

Cam - triangle to triangle
oil pump - diamond to diamond.

I tried again last night to time it, again to no avail. I tried lining up the triangle on the cam, and I found a triangle on the oil pump but it made not difference. What tricks do you, or anyone have for timing this; is it just a trial and error thing or is there something I'm missing?

Thanks

 

[illili]

This post of mine shoul help----- http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=119165

This does help, but it's still difficult because I'm the only one doing it. That is probably easier than my method, which involves some skillfull use of channel locks and manipulation of the spring on the tensioner.

 

[illili]

Also not sure if this is a foolish question but if the only thing the oil pump pulley turns is the oil pump(on older models it was used for distribtor timing if I'm not mistaken.) then wouldn't it only matter that the cam and crank are lined up?

 

[sid]

I could be wrong >> but >>> the one I'm working on has a sensor that comes out of were a dizzy would have gone. Also has a crank trigger, think ya need them. Not real sure about the 96.

 

[Ramirezsergio63]

try this detailed version

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=119214

 

[Captain Ledd]

Also not sure if this is a foolish question but if the only thing the oil pump pulley turns is the oil pump(on older models it was used for distribtor timing if I'm not mistaken.) then wouldn't it only matter that the cam and crank are lined up?

Not a foolish question, but a rather foolish answer.

Ford, instead of putting the camshaft position sensor on the camshaft, decided the oil pump was a better spot.

So if the oil pump gear is not in sync with the cam+crank, it'll throw off your ignition timing and your fuel injection timing.

Believe this is true for all 95+ at least until the Duratech came onto the scene.

 

[scotts90ranger]

the cam sensor is just for injection timing not spark, with a waste spark system like the DIS 2.3/2.5 all you need is crank position

 

[Captain Ledd]

the cam sensor is just for injection timing not spark, with a waste spark system like the DIS 2.3/2.5 all you need is crank position

When I properly aligned the oil pump gear to the diamond (when I eventually found the blasted mark under all the crud) and not the triangle it cleared my engine right up. I had a fancy scanner hooked up to it and it was kicking my ignition timing advanced 40-50°. sputters, misfires, very easy to stall in the lower rpm's, poor performance all the way around. After alignment, everything was good to go. The crank keyway was vertical on all attempts.

Took it apart and back together 3 times before I finally figured it out, put probably 4,000 miles on it running like shit because I had to.