Hi all,

I've posted this on turbosport forum but haven't managed to get a reply and I need to get the car sorted asap.

Anyway water pump started to get noisy so as the car is just over 100k I decided to order a full timing and pump kit, its a Focus 1.6 Zetec SE (2002).

Stripped the car this morning to find that the back of both the cams have been snapped where the locking bar slots in.

Is there anyway around this without replacing the cam shafts.

I've not undone the crank bolt yet so that was a stroke of luck but the belt still needs replacing and I really can't see away to get around locking the cams in place so have come here to ask you guys in case there is a way I can still replace the belt.

Thanks in advance,

Po79.

[Edited on 17/6/18 by po79]

I have used an adjustable spanner accross some cast flats on the camshafts to lock them when removing the pullys. Not sure how you can re-time them without the proper slots though.

I guess you could use a DTI and time them old school.

Friend of mine had the same problem on a 2 Ltr.
He made a plate that rested on the bottom section of the slot as only the top piece was missing. This plate was big enough to be bolted down using some of the cam cover bolts.

This was only to lock the cams relative to each other. You should hold the cams via the pulleys when undoing the bolts.

HTH

Dave

Someone has used the cam timing tool to loosen the cam bolts rather than a sprocket holding tool. As already suggested it's possible to retire the cam using the remains of the slot

As above, there is usually enough left that you can time it carefully. If its taken that much off that you have no idea at all then its new cams or if the engine / car is of limited value I would leave the cams locked and mark the pulleys with tipex ect.

If all else fails you could do the "stanley knife" trick. i.e.. cut the existing belt longways in half, remove outer half. slide new belt on, cut old belt remaining half off, push new belt fully home.

There is a guy on PassionFord forum that did this to his ST170 (underdog) when preparing it for track days. good thread, and has some pictures to paint the required number of words

A point to note is the crank sprocket is also free floating, usually when you fit a belt to these you have the cam sprockets loose enough to rotate freely and have the belt fitted and tensioned while tightening the crank pulley bolt - this is because the crank pulley/sprocket tends to rotate with the bolt at it is tightened (due to friction with the flanged bolt head), only then are the cam pulleys tightened.
The damage you have can also be caused by the cam pulleys not being slackened before tightening the crank pulley bolt (whick would also stress the new belt).

I can't remember if the crank pulley can be counterheld in any way while tightening the bolt to stop this, but if you're looking to mark the cam pulleys and change the belt you will need to counterhold to not knock the timing out at the crank. On the volvos with this engine it is done in this way, however they use a different crank pulley bolt with a large spreader washer and a smaller headed bolt which does allows the bolt to tighten without affecting the sprocket position (unfortunately this bolt does not work with the ford crank).

There is no way to remove the belt without removing the crank pulley, so it's not possible to do the belt with the stanley trick.

So long as there is enough remaining to align the camshaft plate you should be ok to slacken the cams and retime as per the manual. Also if you have plastic cam pulleys then you need to counterhold on the camshaft flats not the pulleys, as the plastic pulleys can break from being counterheld directly.

Dave

Thanks for the replies,

I actually looked at using the lower part of the cam slots yesterday and then using the locking tool on the lower flat of the slots (top sections completely gone) and hold it down using flat bars each side with holes drilled in them to hold the lockng bar in place using the rocker bolt holes but I wasn't sure as the cams still had some movement under the locking bar.

If others have done it without issue then it's good enough for me.

I've actual changed just the water pump today and got the car back together so I'll have to do the timing belt later in the month.

Mash, I'll take a look at that thread. I had also wondered about that method but couldn't see if it would work once the crank bolt was out and the crank pulley loose.

Thanks for the helpfully replies guys,

Po79.

Dave ( obfriper),
I didn't see your post before I posted my reply.
I didn't think cutting the belt would work on this engine, I got the full timing belt and water pump kit which comes with the crank bolts and two new cam bills so was going to be slackening the cam pulleys.
Good advise on leaving them free whilst tightening the crank.
Thanks,
Po79