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Thread: New Timing belt

  1. #1
    FEP Super Member gr79's Avatar
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    Default New Timing belt

    Procedure is same for 2.3 n/a but this is a 2.3T engine sooo.

    Fortunate it broke when and where it did. Not on eway, in isolated or bad area, on a rainy, cold day, night time, etc.
    Was stumped at first why engine quit. Engine stalled driving 35 mph.
    Tach was jumping trying to restart and sounded funny cranking over.
    First checked coil connection, then overall look for blown engine or something read bad.
    Then checked the timing belt by pushing back the timing cover. Way loose. Diagnostic done. Call for tow.
    To Ford dealer? Local shop?. Nah tow it home. 10 miles, 100.00. Been there, done it. Had new belt in tool box.

    Old belt i believe was Ford Motorsport M-6268-A221, lasted about 155k.
    Pic of it is in 'What did you do to your 4 eye today 2019'.
    New FMS belt is M-6268-A221 square tooth, stamped E5RE-6268-A2A GATES. Merkur p/n.
    Replacing belt today. After opening hood, took 1/2 hour to get old belt off.

    Hardest part was removing the fan to allow shroud removal to access everything better.
    Fan bolts were no problem. Unbolted and pushed back shroud to get at them from front
    Forgot to use antisieze on these parts. Fan, spacer, pulley, frozen to wp center bump.
    Used Cyclo Breakaway overnite. Sprayed connection points, inside all holes from the front of fan.
    Also backside of pump pulley at the wp hub.
    Today, tapped all areas with short 2x4 block and rubber hammer. Success.

    The crank pulley was next. Oh boy.
    But 22mm bolt zipped right off with impact gun and pulley slid off by hand.
    Thankfully, finer check confirmed i put anti sieze on the crank nose when rebuilding engine 20 years ago.
    Total time to remove bolt, pulley, old belt was 60 sec.

    Now to clean up engine area and parts, install belt. Repaint parts.
    And use anti seize on the pulley-wp-fan assy, especially on the water pump button area. Just like on a rear drum axle hub.

    All the belt sprockets still have my yellow index marks from rebuild in 1999, used to help align them for timing.
    Belt tensioner is Cloyes brand and seems fine. Will change next time.
    Am removing spark plugs to help time belt correctly per internet tips.
    Last edited by gr79; 09-17-2019 at 09:07 PM. Reason: changed lucky to fortunate

  2. #2
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    It’s pretty simple if you have done it once before. The hardest part I find is removing the cover bolt behind the thermostat housing. A flex joint socket helps with that one. As long as you have the right belt (round tooth vs square tooth) you should be good.

    Mine failed on me right after fixing a fuel pump problem so I wasted time rechecking that first. I found the original belt failed after 35 years! Fortunately, I had one on hand.
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  3. #3
    FEP Super Member gr79's Avatar
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    It is simple. Got out the worn Ford 79 shop manual only for torque values and to refresh memory on procedure.
    On this engine, there is no cover bolt near the t-stat, nor any indication of a hole for one on the front timing cover stamping.
    Maybe an later EFI 2.3 addition?
    Four bolts. One near the sight plug, one at bottom. Two bolts between them have 'steps' and go into rubber standoffs.

    This engine uses square tooth belts. Used a big screwdriver to quickly pry the tensioner off line.
    OEM belt lasted 122k 11/9/84. Was towed few miles to a dealer who had a midnite shift. Drove it to work next day (aft shift).
    Second belt was replaced at engine rebuild 100k later. This one is #3.
    Had one break on my 1985 Ranger 2.3 on the way to the family garage to replace it. 15 miles short. Had belt, tools with me.
    Did that one during backyard party. Had plenty of help. Oops dist timing way off first time. Exh manifold glows when that happens.

    My 93 Ranger 2.3 uses round tooth belts. That one is due. Have now learned a timing belt past 100k is a ticking time bomb.

    Timing belt is on and indexed. Finish up tomorrow. Taking my time, enjoying great late summer midwest weather working outside.
    Same deal as before. Cam and aux sprockets either +1/2 or -1/2 tooth, with crank at TDC. My choice.
    Went with +1/2 on both so if belt stretches a tiny bit, will be closer to the index marks rather than further away.
    Pretty sure that's what i did last time, so engine should run the same. Would rather keep the timing as it was for 20 years.
    Wish i would have recorded the aux setting rather than a mental note. Do remember i would bias for bottom end.
    Going with + 1/2 on the cam gives more low end for the 4 cyl. Not worried about top end. Plenty there for a dd.
    Same with the aux. +1/2 only advances timing a bit. If anything, could back it down -1/2 tooth and adjust that out.
    Crank is real close with keyway up, sprocket index at notch in front cover, pointer at TDC.

    Removing the spark plugs made turning the motor over by hand much easier.
    Second gear and chocks worked well to lock down motor when dealing with the crank bolt.

    Read lots of others driving different brands run into the same 1/2 tooth off thing.
    Last edited by gr79; 09-20-2019 at 11:59 AM.

  4. #4
    FEP Super Member gr79's Avatar
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    Looking closer today, seen that bolt back in there by the t-stat.
    For the back timing cover. Forgot it was there. That one does not need to be removed on mine, nor the rear cover.

    Final recheck of belt indexing, the 1/2 tooth variation may be half that. Close enough.
    Moving the belt on the crank one tooth either way would put the timing marks at the pointer pretty far from TDC.
    Cleaned and painted pulleys, timing cover, fan spacer, touched up fan, water pump, brackets, and hidden engine areas.
    Added a tiny bit of silicone paste to the timing cover bolts that were squeaking in the rubber standoffs.
    Checked for dist rotor at #1 position was easy with alternator out of the way.
    Reinstalled spark plugs. The tip worked good.

    Pulleys are Ford Gray as before. Gray is better than black for spotting oil leaks. The front cover seal may be leaking.
    Marked TDC on crank pulley with permanent black Sharpie.
    Final torqued crank bolt to correct number by hand, not impact tight, with trans in gear and front wheel chocked.
    Installing both v belts to wp pulley and setting final tension before reinstalling fan and space worked good.
    Kept the wp pulley from moving around.

    Antisieze was applied to crank nose and keyway, wp flange and pulley, spacer, fan to spacer contact point, bolts.
    No more stuck fan assy i hope.
    Kevlar sleeves prevented arm abrasion from radiator when reaching down in between it and the loose fan shroud to reinstall the fan bolts.
    Everything is done. Did not start. Hopefully drive car tomorrow see how it runs.

    This time took close up pics of the final sprocket indexing at TDC before buttoning them up.
    Documenting hidden areas of assembly with notes and pics while they are visible can be of value down the road.
    Last edited by gr79; 09-20-2019 at 04:06 PM.

  5. #5
    FEP Super Member gr79's Avatar
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    Default 2.3T back on the road

    Engine runs fine again like nothing ever happened.
    Waited until today to pretend nothing ever happened and start engine.
    Like Alan Sheppard quote: "Enough of this- light the candle".

    Quick start same steady vac readings. Did note idle rpm was now at 1200.
    Sat and idled in driveway first. Smooth and quiet. Under hood and car check ok.
    Only adjustment needed was to re tension the v-belts. Did that before setting sail.

    Drove around neighborhood slow for a mile, then ventured out, car in grocery gitter mode.
    Drove to Kroger to get gal of ice cream, added reward to having the car back on the road.
    Idle stayed at 1200. Need to drive car more to see where that goes.

    Total cost, minus my labor, about 125. Tow, prior purchase of FPP timing belt.
    The 79 Ford Engine Vol 2 shop manual and every tool used paid for themselves again.

    Thanks for patience reading all this. Notes for those who have not, will, or refresh memories of having done this job.

  6. #6
    FEP Super Member gr79's Avatar
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    Tuned out the high idle from 1200 to normal 1000.
    Moved secondary throttle plate stop screw a tiny bit CW toward open.
    Opening or closing secondary a bit also affects how fast the rpm's drop when shifting.
    Slight off idle hesitation seems to be gone.
    Car will cruise around neighborhood in 2nd gear, 8 mph, foot off gas idle 900 rpm.

  7. #7
    FEP Super Member webestang's Avatar
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    When I changed mine in the 85 (NA) I also replaced the tensioner and spring with new. I did mine at 133,000 a couple of years ago before it failed.....it was starting to crack.

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