I think my pile is complete...

[sgtsandman]

They have medication for piles. Just saying.

 

[G8orFord]

And I thought the 4.0 SOHC was a ridiculous design...

Oh wait, it is, but it looks like the engineers were trying to top it and fell just slightly short.

 

[pjtoledo]

Thats lima 2.3.... different animal.

I'm talking about a 2.3 Duratec.

edit: multi engine kit, only the short pin fits the Duratec. the bar is too thin, needs to be 6mm

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/OTC6486A?partTypeName=Engine+Camshaft+Tool+Set&keywordInput=timing+tools

 

[Dirtman]

The 2.3 duratec is an awesome and easy engine to work on the way it was ment to be used... Sideways.

 

[pjtoledo]

Never worked on a 2.3l Duratec, but......................

If you take off the balancer to remove timing cover and that would throw off the cam timing..............
Exactly HOW would you put the timing cover back on...AND hold cams in place to reinstall the balancer?

That don't sound right to me, I think you may need to time balancer if the crank sensor uses it, but the cranks timing gear should not be effected if you remove the balancer and timing chain cover??

the crank timing gear, actually a chain sprocket, has no key. neither does the harmonic balancer, nor the cams.

it's simply clamped in place with some special diamond impregnated washers that lock into the metal when torqued.

put the cam(s) timing plate in, turn the crank until it hits the STOP bolt, put harmonic balancer timing bolt in to lock it at TDC and tighten everything.

 

[Dirtman]

I know about the redicoulus moon man insanity washers, but only ever saw the cam timing tool set as a thing that goes across the front of the cams with degree marks and locks. I dunno been a while, but more complex than what your describing.

Never done it. Been too afraid to mess with it. The kit you show from napa looks like what I use on limas though... the solid shaft is to make sure the cam is in neutral position across the lobes while the crank is TDC. (Both cylinder 1 valves shut 100% crank TDC).

 

[RonD]

OK, maybe I am dense

Its a 4cyl dual overhead cam
And it runs now, and I assumed its timed

So if you take out all the spark plugs and remove valve cover, from what was said, you should be able to see the Cams and the cam gears
And these gears or the cams WILL have timing marks
So you can turn the crank and put these marks where they need to be and then crank will be set for #1 TDC, unless "they" used another TDC

You lock the cams in place with........... I would use vise grips, but whatever you like, and now they can't move

If you want you could use a wooden dowel down #1 spark plug hole and mark it for #1 piston height, if you want, just in case crank moves which you are assuming it will I take it??
I don't see how crank would move or even want to move with cams locked, if crank could spin inside it's timing gear that easy then engine would have died long ago

Remove balancer and cover, check tensioner and replace gasket
Put cover back on
Check piston height, turn crank if needed, put balancer back on and tighten up

 

[Dirtman]

Ok Ron, now I understand what you mean... its 10pm on a friday, give me a break lol.


I still dunno, its alot more work... radiator, fan, ps, ac, ect need to come off. When i get the valve cover off ill take some pics and get a consensus. There is no timing cover gasket, just grey goop from the factory from what I see. And water pump is not part of the timing set, ill see this weekend if its worth it...

 

[adsm08]

Never worked on a 2.3l Duratec, but......................

If you take off the balancer to remove timing cover and that would throw off the cam timing..............
Exactly HOW would you put the timing cover back on...AND hold cams in place to reinstall the balancer?

That don't sound right to me, I think you may need to time balancer if the crank sensor uses it, but the cranks timing gear should not be effected if you remove the balancer and timing chain cover??

Your mind isn't even in the right century on this one Ron.

Screw it... @adsm08 explain it... its a retarded motor.

On it.

The crank sensor read the back of the crank, not the front on the Duratecs.

There is a small bolt that is removed from the side of the block and the engine turned to a certain spot. Then you install a threaded pin into the bolt hole and turn the crank around until it stops. It stops when the frontmost counter-weight on the crank hits the pin. This sets cylinder 1 at TDC.


When cylinder 1 is at TDC compression a set of off-set slots in the back of the cams will line up and a bar can be placed in them to hold them. Then the crank bolt can be released.

Neither the crank pulley nor the crank sprocket for the timing drive is keyed to the crank. On early build engines there is a diamond washer that goes between the camper and the sprocket. Later engines just have a laser-etched sprocket and delete the diamond washer. Service parts for the early engine also delete the washer. The crank pulley is interference fit to the crank, so once in place and bolted down it spins with the crank. The diamond washer and the bolt pressure create enough friction for the crank pulley to drag the sprocket along.

If you release the crank bolt without the cams locked in place with the holding tool there is now nothing to hold the timing drive still and the spring pressure from the valves will kick the cams to a neutral position without moving the crank. This makes it more likely than not to bend valves.

It is an over-engineered disaster waiting to happen of a design, but somehow millions of them don't blow up every day.

You wouldn't happen to have one of them fancy tools laying aroung right.

Well, actually......

Yeah. I do.

 

[pjtoledo]

the slot in the rrear of the cams is 6mm. it's a precise fit.

cams plus substitute tool, wrong tool but you get the idea.

crank front throw approaching the timing pin

machined surface on crank touching timing pin

the cover and balancer are out in the garage, maybe pics tomorrow.

 

[Dirtman]

If I've said it once, I've said it a million times....




Engines is goes vroom!

 

[RonD]

So even better, lock cams at timing mark(slots aligned) with vise grips and put in the crank set bolt, done and done-er

Take off balancer and cover, fix gasket, put cover and balancer back on, remove crank pin and vise grips

You guys are not trusting your instincts enough, its just a 4-stroke gas engine

The VVT's can be a stretch of reason and reality, but they are still just 4-stroke gasoline engines

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

Wooooooooooooooooooooooooow...... This makes a honda H22A4 look like a simple design....

 

[Dirtman]

Wooooooooooooooooooooooooow...... This makes a honda H22A4 look like a simple design....

Uhhh dont you want the even more sophisticated version of this thing? EcoBoosts are direct injection turbocharged with vvt. Way more nonsense.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

So honda G23 build for a four banger truck it is, then.........

Cool. Ranger with VTEC badges.