How do you properly time the crank and cam shafts on a 95 ford contour with a DOHC 16 valve 2L?

Answer 1

It requires special tools There are no keyways or timing marks on the cam gears. The carnk gear has a key way, and a small mark that looks like a nick in the pulley that gets lined up with the angled side of a mark in the block that looks like a wedge. There is also a spaecial tool you can use on the crank gear, but I always pull the #1 spark plug out and stick a long screwdriver on top of the piston and rock the engine back and forth and watch the screwdriver handle go up and down to find TDC, then use the mark on the block to get it dead on. The cams use a flat bar that is a tool made just for that engine across the groves cut into the back of the cam shafts. The cmas and the tool are made so that when they are lined up, the bar will also be laying across the top of the head. I have heard that a standard flat file is also the right thickness, but I am not sure. To get the engine to time right, you have to loosen the bolts that hold the gears to the cams. The gears will freewheel. With the gears loose, set you bar across the cams, line up your crank, put the belt on, and set the tensioner. Then after everything is in place and the belt is fully installed, double check your crank, then tighten down the cam gear bolts. DO NOT ALLOW THE SPECIAL TOOL TO BEAR ALL THE TORQUE WHILE YOU TIGHTEN THE CAM GEAR BOLTS! You will break the cams if you do! Each cam has a place for a wrench. Use a wrench to hold the cams while you torque down each bolt. And dont forget to remove the special tool before you try to crank the engine over for the same reason.