I've got a haynes manual but frankly think its guide to renewal of the timing belt is useless.
It's not clear at what point the rocket cover needs removing to use the timing bar to lock the cam shafts. Also not clear where the locking pin for the crankshaft goes to lock the crankshaft.

Can somebody run me by a summary guide to doing this job?

 

I found it fine?

You need to TDC the engine (as you obviously would) the crank pin is then inserted at the back of the engine after first removing a bolt.

You need to be careful as there are no keyways, hence everything is free floating!

For this reason the crank pulley needs to be torqued down as it's a friction fit, in addition it's a stretch bolt, thus should be replaced.

Do NOT do the latter with the locking tools in place, some remove the starter motor and jam the ring gear.

This is assuming you have the Sigma engine?

Martin

 

Fly wheel locking tool is essential I find.Done a few and with the free floating crank pulley it's a must.

 

What engine?

Pics below are from when I did the belt on the Wifes 1.6. The 1.4 is the same and 1.8 & 2.0 are similar.





It is a quite straight forward process as long as you adequately plan and of course understand the process. It it vital to break the taper / have the cam pulleys free wheeling.

 

Thanks for great info guys.

What do you mean by taper the cams?

In the first image I'm presuming it's showing the actual locking tool in place right?

Finally at what point would you put the locking tools in? Haynes seems to say you need to loosen the crankshaft bolt before locking?...
Should the engine turn okay to get the cams to a position that allows me to lock them?

What's TDC mean?

 

What do you mean by taper the cams?

He means losen the cam pulleys so they are free to turn on the cam

In the first image I'm presuming it's showing the actual locking tool in place right?

That looks like the crank pin is on the back on the 1.4 & 1.6, its on the front on the 1.8 & 2.0 behind the cat near the gearbox end

Finally at what point would you put the locking tools in? Haynes seems to say you need to loosen the crankshaft bolt before locking?...
Should the engine turn okay to get the cams to a position that allows me to lock them?

you put the locking tools in when you are ready to remove the belt and the engine is at top dead centre( TDC is when piston No1 is at the top of the bore, note camshafts turn at half the speed of the crank so if the bar wont go in turn the engine over one more revolution ) yes loosen the crankshaft pulley before using the locking kit, leave the car in gear and get someone to press the brake while you undo the bolt.

and secondly the timing tools are not designed to hold shit in place while you torque the bolts up there is a cam pulley holding tool for that Clicky

Not being rude but are you competent to do this its not the easiest timing belt to do, and you sound rather inexperienced with timing belts

 

LewisT, you are right I am inexperienced. Hence doing as much research as possible. I'm planning on trying it on a SORNed fiesta we have first, at least if that goes wrong we'll just send it to the scrap heap before trying it on out family car.

There's a lot of information here guys and it's all very much appreciated. The photos are particularly useful.

How do I know if it's at TDC as when piston 2 and 4 is up I'm assuming the cam bar will fit as well?

Any other relevant information you guys have to share based on your experiences also appreciated

 

You can hold the cams with an open ended spanner, there are places on the shaft to do this!

Yes when it's a TDC the locking bar will fit, remember just because no 1 is TDC does NOT mean the engine necessarily is TDC!

Martin

 

you will know its at tdc when piston 1 is at the top of the bore and the timing bar slides in to the end of the cams, ps take out the spark plugs makes it easier to turn the engine over, and you can look down the spark plug hole to see the pistons, one other thing the crank pin only holds the crank from turning in one direction so make sure the crank is against the pin when you put the new belt on

 

I would remove the cam cover and engine mount. Then remove the top timing belt cover. I would turn the engine over and line the crank up so it locks on the pin then make sure the cam tool fits in. I always use a windy gun on the bottom pulley. Then hopefully the pulley will come off. If it does take the bottom cover off then use a spanner on the 2 cams and slacken the 2 cam Pulley bolts off.

These pulleys will be free floating now. Slacken the tensioner off and remove the belt and belt tensioner.

I did the wifes 53 reg focus and the bottom pulley wouldnt come off. I had to smash the bottom timing belt cover and mad sure I got all the bits of the cover out of the belt.


Now refit the belt then the tensioner. Put bottom t belt cover back on and pulley and tighten bottom pulley bolt. Make sure the crank is on the pin then tighten the 2 top cam pulley bolts. Remove pins and turn engine over to make sure the pistons armt catching the valves. Time engine back up and fit pins. If its all ok which it should be rebuild rest of engine.