Transit timing chain

[aspenarb]

Way to many factors determine chain life but one thing is for sure is they do have a service life and that if its got that rattle on start up it needs changing. Its not a big or expensive job and may well save you from a lot of grief/expense at a later date. Internet is rammed full of inaccurate shite and myths on these subjects, chains do stretch and tensioners do fail/wear irrespective of engine type, a lad that works here has just had a timing chain fail on a 60k from new BMW, apparently a common problem . Ignore a noisy chain at your peril

 

Bob

[tree-fancier123]

On 14/05/2018 at 21:17, aspenarb said:

not too bad a job if you take the front of the van off first , its only a mornings work if you dont fanny about.

just spent at least 10 hours fannying about, kept on looking up stuff on Youtube and getting my Haynes manual covered in oil, didn't use genuine Ford parts, hope it lasts. Was rattling on some cold starts and not firing on  the key, fires up straight away now

One thing I did which I thought was good is not bother to take the crank sensor out - I got the two cam sprockets and the fuel pump sprocket(2.4Di) lined up and locked with the timing pins, at this point I noted the crank position and the torx head for sprocket, pointing about 11 O'clock, in the video below the guy says 2 and half teeth from that should be at 12 O'clock (at least it is for 90PS. Because there are only so many links after the coloured link is on the mark for the fuel pump sprocket it means the crank sprocket can only be in one or another chain link. So I pulled it tight between the fuel pump sprocket and crank sprocket, with the 2 and half teeth from torx head at 12 O'clock, then released the tensioner, fitted rest of guides and much to my relief when all sealed up it started on the key. As a precaution I did make sure I could turn the engine over on the crank by hand to see if the valves caught. A bit long winded explanation, but was worried about disturbing the crank sensor, or not being able to release it, so didn't bother. With all that heat insulation around the sensor, seems a lot of effort. Maybe it can go wrong sometimes missing that step out and I just got lucky.

Took almost three times as long as the pros, even with my 'shortcut', but am happy to have saved at least a couple of hundred garage labour.

 

Edited October 28, 2019 by tree-fancier123