Ford Focus 1.8 16v zetec estate - Timing Belt changed - Now the engine runs lumpy

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Wed 26 Jan 2011 21:14
Ford Focus 1.8 16v zetec estate - Timing Belt changed - Now the engine runs lumpy - pbirch123

Hi,

I fitted a new cambelt to my car today as it has done 99000 miles and at the same time replaced the shims on the cam followers to correct the valve clearances in an effort to cure a tappety sound

After re-assemling the car and running it it was struggling to idle over 800rpm and the engine almost stalled if you revved it. Unfortunately the tappety sound remained but was quieter.

I dis-assembled the engine again and checked the timing and the exhaust cam was 1 tooth out. I adjusted this, re-assembled again and ran the engine and now the engine bounces between 1000 and 600rpm every second or so. Oh and the tappety sound is now louder!!

is it possible the timing is still out and if this was corrected would it cure the tappety sound? I have had to stop investigating as its too dark.

Any advice or ideas would be good.

Thankyou

Paul

btw, its a 1999 Mk1

Edited by pbirch123 on 26/01/2011 at 21:15

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Wed 26 Jan 2011 21:46
Ford Focus 1.8 16v zetec estate - Timing Belt changed - Now the engine runs lumpy - unthrottled

Valve timing isn't really critical give or take a couple of degrees-you can play around with it if you fancy moving the torque curve around! But there should be a camshaft sensor for one of the cams and that does need to be timed correctly-could it have been displaced/contaminated while you were changing the belt? You can't really gauge the tappety noise until the engine reaches operating temperature, because that's what clearances are set for. Hunting idles? MAP sensor? Did you disconnect it for any reason when the timing belt came off? Easy to miss in these crowded engine bays!

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