cj2013

Hi guys,

I've posted this on another Puma forum but would appreciate a wider scope.

Changed timing belt, checked timing and it's all great. Car was running fine before.

Engine seemed flooded and started once rough, then wouldn't start. Checked and saw wet plugs, so followed the manual and after 30 seconds of clutch and throttle to the floor it started and began to normalise.

The cam cover is loose in the video below so the higher pitched valvetrain noise i'm not worried about, but there's a deep hollow 'throb' noise which I'm concerned about.


Anyone know what might be causing this. I have a paranoia that whilst doing the timing I might have somehow bent a valve by hand (I did use the correct tools but before they arrived I did have a go at undoing the crank pulley nut with the usual 4th gear/brakes on method with the belt off. Stupid but hey ho) - hopefully that's unlikely, but I'm still a bit worried about it.

STeve

iTrader: (11)

could simply be the timing belt is not in the correct position as these 17's can be so precise

cj2013

Having spent all day taking it apart and retiming it again, double triple and quadruple checking it all, checked the timing a million fucking times, checked everything 200% and put it all back together.


No different.

I don't know whether to categorise it as a 'misfire' or not... any ideas welcome (don't worry about ABS/TC lights, I've got a sensor on the NS unplugged I think)

botters

iTrader: (2)

doesnt sound well in the second video do a leak down test that will show whats up if the timing is correct. if you moved the pulley with the belt off like you said chances are you have bent something

cj2013

Would a vacuum leak at the inlet cause this? That's where the ticking seems to come from and it's got a stupid thick plastic "you can't buy one anywhere" gasket there

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

So the timing is defo spot on. I know when I did my timing belt on my puma. When I used a windy gun on the bottom pulley bolt the gun turned the crank round so when I fitted the belt the timing was out.

cj2013

It's absolutely spot on, I've done it twice to be sure and that I'm 110% on.

I know out of regrettable stupidity I took the belt off before I tried to undo the crank pulley bolt, on reflection I don't know why.

As a result, I think there was probably a moment where instead of attempting to undo the bolt against the force of the gears/brakes (this is how I normally do it and how I first attempted before I got the flywheel tool as it was stuck fast), I think I must have been turning against the force of a couple of valves maybe?

I mean, is it likely that a valve would be damaged that way?

The only other possibility I can imagine is that maybe the inlet manifold gasket is leaking, or maybe a plug lead is iffy, but I can't see it causing these symptoms.. revs are smooth but I could feel the accelerator pedal vibrating under my foot so there's an imbalance somewhere.

I can't really do a leakdown test as I don't have a compressor :/

Cossie Sean

if the timing is 100% i.e you have crank locking tool, you locked the cams and cracked the cam pulleys loose,

turned crank clockwise untill it touched the locking pin,

let the tensioner pin out THEN torqued the cam pulley bolts

oil feed to the VCT pulley ok? Sounds knocky/lashy like a sloppy VCT pulley to me

trying to crack the bottom pulley off on these can also cause the belt to jump, especially "manually"

even more so if the belt was off, it would rotate untill hitting an inlet valve or 2 then pushing against them sadly.

compression test? but check plug leads and plug tips

cj2013

First time round I timed it up by the Ford ETIS method, second time I followed the Autodata one which just had a variation of whether you tighten the crank pulley after everything is locked up and ready.

Either way, the timing is 100%. I did one a few years back and it was a cinch, but this one has been a nightmare.

It has new plugs, but I put the old ones back in to check and no difference. I'd agree with the VCT but it was fine before hand, seems fine now and the tapping seems to be coming from behind the inlet manifold rather than the cams.

I think I'm resigned to the fact that the piston must have disturbed the valves when I was cracking the crank pulley...

Guess I don't know my own strength