Camshaft timing

Tiny
APAC408
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  • 2001 FORD ESCAPE
  • 140,000 MILES
The car is a 2003 FORD ESCAPE v6 so it has a timing chain I go to crank the engine and it cranks for a couple of revolution and than just stops i'm thinking that maybe when I was putting it back together I didn't set the timing correctly
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Sunday, September 9th, 2012 AT 3:10 AM

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Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
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If you did it incorrectly, you may have bent the valves. Remove the covers and inspect the gears.

Here are the camshaft timing marks and how to do the chains (below)

Roy
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Sunday, September 9th, 2012 AT 3:21 AM
Tiny
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Another question I only removed the LH timing chain so does that mean I would have bent all the valves on both camshafts reason why I only did the LH side is one of the valves was cracked and had to be replaced and the head gasket was blown
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Sunday, September 9th, 2012 AT 3:30 AM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
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CAUTION: Failure to verify correct timing drive component alignment will result in severe engine damage.

Install the crankshaft sprockets with the timing marks out.

If timing marks in the timing chains are not evident, use a permanent-type marker to mark the crankshaft and camshaft timing marks on the LH and RH timing chains.
1 Mark any link to use as the crankshaft timing mark.
2 Starting with the crankshaft timing mark, count 29 links and mark the link.
3 Continue counting to link 42 and mark the link.

Verify that the LH camshafts are correctly positioned.

Align the LH marks on the timing chain with the marks on the camshaft and crankshaft sprockets.

Install the crankshaft damper bolt and rotate the crankshaft clockwise 120 degrees until the crankshaft keyway is in the 3 o'clock position.

Verify that the RH camshafts are correctly positioned.

Align the RH marks on the timing chain with the marks on the camshaft and crankshaft sprockets.

CAUTION: Failure to verify correct timing drive component alignment will result in severe engine damage.

Rotate the crankshaft counterclockwise 120 degrees to top dead center (TDC).

Verify the timing with the following steps.
1 There should be 12 chain links between the camshaft timing marks.
2 There should be 27 chain links between the camshaft and the crankshaft timing marks.
3 There should be 30 chain links between the camshaft and the crankshaft timing marks.
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Sunday, September 9th, 2012 AT 3:40 AM
Tiny
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Okay thank you question though how do I know when number 1 piston is at tdc do I just rotate the crankshaft until the keyway is at the 3 o clock position or can I stick a screw driver in the spark plug hole and once it pushes up that when I know which is a better way
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Sunday, September 9th, 2012 AT 3:56 AM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
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The screw driver method is ok but look for marks on the pulley.

I believe the keyway goes straight up.

Roy
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Sunday, September 9th, 2012 AT 4:02 AM
Tiny
APAC408
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So every time I turn the crankshaft all the way around and put it at the 11 o clock position number one piston is suppose to be at tdc and than turn it to three o clock and that sets the RH camshafts to neutral rotate two more times to the 11 o clock position and this sets the LH camshafts in there neutral position. So I'm just redoing the LH timing chain since this is the only one I took off and messed up after I'm done putting that one on do I still have to rotate the crankshaft and put the RH timing chain in its neutral position before I put everything back together and start the car even though I didn't take the RH timing chain apart or touched it at all for that matter.
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Sunday, September 9th, 2012 AT 4:10 AM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
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I would start from scratch and follow the directions. Once again, the damage may already have been done. After you set the chains. You need to do a compression test to verify no issues or the heads may have to come off.

Roy
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Sunday, September 9th, 2012 AT 4:33 AM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
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Do not install the spark plugs and manualy turn the crankshaft a few revolutions after you have everything installed. When you are sure the valves are not being bumped by the pistons, you can try cranking.
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Sunday, September 9th, 2012 AT 10:58 AM
Tiny
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Question when rotating the crankshaft I have two marks on it one is the keyway slot that the crankshaft pulley goes into and another mark that looks like a timing mark which one do I go by
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Sunday, September 9th, 2012 AT 5:19 PM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
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For LH the keyway should be at 11 o'clock position and for RH it should be at 3 o'clock position when the cam shafts are aligned correctly.
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Sunday, September 9th, 2012 AT 5:42 PM
Tiny
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Okay I got the camshafts aligned properly but my question is for the chain I know I mark any link as the crankshaft mark and than count 29 links mark as exhaust than count to 42 mark as intake but when I go to put the chain on its doesn't match up do I go buy the keyway mark or do I go by the this other timing mark
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Sunday, September 9th, 2012 AT 6:56 PM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
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The chain should have the links marked. Follow the marks if possible.
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Sunday, September 9th, 2012 AT 7:01 PM
Tiny
APAC408
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Okay so I matched the the links that were marked to the timing marks on the camshaft. Everything looks good but when I go to start to start it up I feel it wanting to catch but it doesn't go is there any vehicle theft device I need to disable or anything I missing I have spark, I have fuel, and I have compression checked them all.
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Monday, September 10th, 2012 AT 12:25 AM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
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If the security indicator is not flashing, there is nothing yoou need to do to disable it.

Try some starting fluid to see if it works.
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Monday, September 10th, 2012 AT 12:33 AM
Tiny
APAC408
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If this helps any I had somebody crank the engine and out of the tail pipe was black smoke not a lot just enough to see it and it smelled like just fuel coming out
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Monday, September 10th, 2012 AT 12:41 AM
Tiny
APAC408
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Another thing I discovered is when I pulled off the air intake in the throttle body there was oil in it is this why when I go to crank the engine black smoke comes out mixed with the fuel smell
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Monday, September 10th, 2012 AT 1:00 AM
Tiny
APAC408
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Another thing I don't understand is before I did all this work to it, it would start up fine and just have a misfire in cylinder 4, after replacing headgasket, headbolts, a cracked exhaust valve, etc. It doesn't want to start and the thing is I only took off the chain to the LH I did not even touch the RH timing chain at all so wouldn't it start and run rough since the RH has cylinder number 1 which is the main one I need to start. A
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Monday, September 10th, 2012 AT 1:08 AM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
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First thing you need to do is to confirm you have sparks.

If sparks are available, recheck your timing chain installation.
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Monday, September 10th, 2012 AT 1:28 AM
Tiny
APAC408
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I confirmed spark as far as timing chain installation I set the keyway at ll 0 clock rotated clockwise to three o clock to position the RH in neutral rotate the crankshaft clockwise two times to the 11 0 clock position again putting the LH chain in neutral marked crankshaft timing mark 1 counted 29 chains exhaust marked counted to 42 intake marked made sure the camshafts were pointing in the right direction the intake one was point towards the left and the exhaust was point up it looked like a 90 degree angle
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Monday, September 10th, 2012 AT 1:35 AM
Tiny
APAC408
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When it cranks it cranks several times and than it gets stuck like it trying to get over something and than it cranks again normal and than repeats the process please help i'm going crazy
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Monday, September 10th, 2012 AT 1:41 AM

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