Timing belt trouble '97 Ford Ranger

[nadsab]

Hi,

I am trying to help out our regular mechanic who installed a new timing belt - the old one broke. Apparently he can not get the correct information from the factory specs.

The problem is, we have a '97 Ranger, 2.3 L 4 cylinder, step side, short bed. They installed the timing belt OK but I guess they can not get the crank shaft synchronized into the correct position with the camshaft.

Mechanic said the problem is with the timing markings on the engine block itself. He said there are apparently three different sets of symbols - there are triangles, there are I believe numbers and also lines. And everyone he has checked with tells him a different story as to which symbols to use to properly sync the crank shaft to the cam shaft.

Because when running, the engine is not running property and is not getting enough power so apparently the valves are not opening and closing at the correct crank shaft location.

Can anyone give me any insight on this?


Thanks so much.

 

[brinker88]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQDAhLS-NAQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-d-aX-GcKg&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBWYwu0ZWhc&feature=relmfu

 

[nadsab]

Oh gosh I just started watching the first vid this is scary.

Is it possible if the belt was not synched correctly with the camshaft that the engine could have been damaged? Valve or piston or block damage? Maybe a piston slammed into a valve?

 

[nadsab]

It was a pretty good demo for the three pulley markings maybe it would help the mechanic...

Can anyone confirm that a 2.3 liter 4 Cyl auto trans '97 ford ranger stepside short bed came with a Mazda engine?

 

[nadsab]

So basically from what I am seeing in the third vid, is match up the diamond on the outer timing belt cover, to the diamond on the crank shaft pulley.

Then remove the timing belt cover and match up the two diamonds on the inner timing belt cover, to the the diamonds on the oil pump and camshaft pulleys.

Then install the timing belt as per the vid.

Can anyone confirm this?

If so, curious what are the other markings and numbering for? Timing strobe light?

 

[Captain Ledd]

Crankshaft Keyway straight up.

Oil pump/Cam position sensor Diamond to Diamond.

Camshaft pulley Triangle to Triangle.

Make sure it stays that way when you release the tensioner.

In case I have the tirangle/diamond thing backward, there are the marks on the back cover, they will correspond to the marks on the gear, they are different, just make sure to match the shape.

Both the crank and oil pump pulleys will have triangles and diamonds (they use the same pulley), ignore the extra mark.

 

[nadsab]

From the vids, I am thinking the alignment was OK but there was slack in the tensioner when it was released and that threw it off.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

It was a pretty good demo for the three pulley markings maybe it would help the mechanic...

Can anyone confirm that a 2.3 liter 4 Cyl auto trans '97 ford ranger stepside short bed came with a Mazda engine?

The "Mazda" engineered engine was introduced in 2001. A '97 would have the Lima engine. They are very different. The guy in the video has the Lima engine, he just doesn't know it. Mazda never had anything to do with that engine other than use a early version of it in some of the Courier pickups.

If the mechanic failed to check the marks AFTER he tensioned the belt and spun the engine thru, he isn't much of a mechanic. It only takes a moment and will confirm if the belt is in the correct notches, if not, it only takes another moment to re do it.

Charles

 

[nadsab]

OK thanks Charles,

...
If the mechanic failed to check the marks AFTER he tensioned the belt and spun the engine thru, he isn't much of a mechanic. It only takes a moment and will confirm if the belt is in the correct notches, if not, it only takes another moment to re do it.

Charles

Well, I have no reason to assume that, we have been working with them for over ten years and they have been good to us during that time, and I am assuming benevolence in that regard. I'm just trying to figure out what to do here - if this is fix able or not - because we have been without our truck for two weeks now and apparently they don't know what to do next. I realize folks can make mistakes everyone is human. Just not sure if we should get a new engine, or take it home and try to fix it myself over the summer or just scrap it I don't know. I have a cherry picker but not a huge tool set. It was running fine until the belt broke so I just don't know.

It is my understanding that if the timing belt was not set correctly to the marks that it is possible that the valves could slam into the cylinder head. The mechanic said however, that there is enough valve clearance between head and valves in this particular engine, and that this would not happen even if the belt was out of sync.

Not sure what is true - is there enough valve clearance there - in the Lima engine - such that the valves (or anything else in the block) would not get damaged due to the timing marks being set incorrectly?

 

[HAPPY+RANGER+GUY]

"Not sure what is true - is there enough valve clearance there - in the Lima engine - such that the valves (or anything else in the block) would not get damaged due to the timing marks being set incorrectly?"

There is clearance, nothing should have gotten damaged with what you've described. There are some pretty basic checks that can be done to ensure valves are not an issue and probably a good idea to check there if the belt is in fact set correctly.

 

[HAPPY+RANGER+GUY]

180 out

Be sure they don't have it 180 degrees out (but marks lined up).

 

[nadsab]

I just spoke with an old friend about this - he claims that the engine in this particular Ranger is rare has dual overhead cams and that it's known as an "Interference Engine". Has anyone ever heard of this phrase and what does it mean?

He is suggesting either a rebuild, or swapping in a decent used engine and putting on a new timing belt - because these engines are hard to find and if the timing belt breaks in a used engine I would have the same situation unless I had a new timing belt put on when swapping it in. He said there is no clearance between the head and the valves @ TDC, and once the belt broke - the engine is instantly shot... once the timing belt goes - putting a new timing belt on it won't fix it - engine needs to be replaced or rebuilt...any insights on this?

Had this truck for years - don't think we can afford to fix or replace engine for a while

I might end up letting it sit @ home in driveway till we can come up with the cash in a couple of months to swap in a decent used engine - a rebuild costs a small fortune can't do that.

 

[HAPPY+RANGER+GUY]

Non-interference motor

No...this is untrue.

Check this out.
http://www.therangerstation.com/foru...d.php?t=140813

 

[HAPPY+RANGER+GUY]

Your 2.3 should be a dual plug but not dual overhead cam.
Again...non-interference.

 

[nadsab]

No...this is untrue.

Check this out.
http://www.therangerstation.com/foru...d.php?t=140813

Not sure what you mean...that link you posted above is dead.....I get a 404 not found error...