Crank turns but cams dont.

Tiny
CORKY88
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  • 2006 FORD ESCAPE
  • 2.3L
  • 4 CYL
  • AWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 75,000 MILES
I can turn over the motor by hand and the crank will turn but the cams dont move at all. I have look at the timing chain and its in good shape. So what would could this be?
Monday, February 29th, 2016 AT 9:50 PM

16 Replies

Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,757 POSTS
The sprockets can be loose on the cams. They do not use a keyway.
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Tuesday, March 1st, 2016 AT 2:12 AM
Tiny
CORKY88
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Ya but when I turn the crank the chain does not move at all.
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Tuesday, March 1st, 2016 AT 6:19 AM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
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OK, then the problem is at the crank then.
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Tuesday, March 1st, 2016 AT 8:08 AM
Tiny
CORKY88
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Ya thats what I thought but the only thing that had me was the pistons still move. So would say it would be best to take off the oil pan and look to see whats up from there.
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Tuesday, March 1st, 2016 AT 8:23 AM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
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I don't know what the oil pan has to do with a crank pulley. Either the pulley stripped the keyway or the crank is broken right off.
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Tuesday, March 1st, 2016 AT 8:26 AM
Tiny
CORKY88
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I dont have the pulley on right now.I just put the bolt back on and turn the crank that way and thier is no key on this pulley.
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Tuesday, March 1st, 2016 AT 8:38 AM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
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OK, if you're turning the crank from that bolt and the sprocket is not turning, the keyway is stripped and the crank is likely ruined.
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Tuesday, March 1st, 2016 AT 8:46 AM
Tiny
CORKY88
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Ya but I dont have the sprocket on right now and on this crank there is no key to hold the sprocket and no spot on the sprocket for a key.
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Tuesday, March 1st, 2016 AT 9:03 AM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
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Apparently the gears are held in place by the pulley. Timing it requires special tool tolock the crank at the correct position.
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Tuesday, March 1st, 2016 AT 1:08 PM
Tiny
CLARENCE KING
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Did you ever figure this out. I'm having the same problem. With the head at TDC the crank will turn all day long but timing chain, oil pump chain, cams don't move. I can turn one cam and both sides turn along with chains but crank does not move. Why are they turning independently of each other and how do I stop it?
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Friday, May 21st, 2021 AT 1:27 PM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
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More than likely they will not get back to you as this was from over 5 years ago.

If you can get a video of this that will help. However, if I understand the cams and chain are turning but the crank is not turning?

I am not sure how this would be happening other then the fact that the
sprocket is broken or the crank is broken in another spot.

As you can see from the diagram below, the chain directly connects them so I suspect the sprocket or the key way has broken allowing it to spin but not turn the crank.

Getting a video of this will really help. Thanks
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Friday, May 21st, 2021 AT 2:05 PM
Tiny
CLARENCE KING
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It was a shot in the dark at this point. Yes if I put a wrench on the cam and turn it the chain works and spins both cams and even oil pump chain turns but crank does not. I can turn the crank around and pistons go up and down but neither chain moves nor does the cams. Had no problems out of the motor and ran perfect before I took apart. Took out to swap transmission.
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Saturday, May 22nd, 2021 AT 6:44 PM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
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Okay. There should be a key way that goes in the snout of the crank. Then the gear has a cut out that goes over that key way and locks the crank snout to the gear.

I believe these are "removable" meaning the key way can come out of the snout. If this happens the crank snout and gear will no longer be locked together.

See the picture below of an example of this. I tried to find your crank but could not find one. This is just a picture of the key way with the slug missing as an example. Ignore the note about the damage. I did not make that.
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Sunday, May 23rd, 2021 AT 4:12 PM
Tiny
CLARENCE KING
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That's what I thought but no dice. Crank is smooth and sprocket isn't keyed.
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Tuesday, May 25th, 2021 AT 2:03 PM
Tiny
CLARENCE KING
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I can now spin the gear around and around freely. I can also turn the crank and the gear still doesn't move. Would that be pressed in by chance? It slid right off with little to no effort and doesn't appear damaged in any way.
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Tuesday, May 25th, 2021 AT 2:20 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
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On that engine there is no keyway to retain the sprocket and pulley in position, it uses only the friction between the parts and the crankshaft coupled with the torque specification on the crank bolt to hold it in place. Ford wanted to save the money from cutting the keyway in the crank and broaching the pulley and gear to match. It has not been a good thing.
From the FSM - The crankshaft, the crankshaft sprocket and the pulley are fitted together by friction, using diamond washers between the flange faces on each part. For that reason, the crankshaft sprocket is also unfastened if you loosen the pulley. Therefore, the engine must be retimed each time the damper is removed. Otherwise severe engine damage can occur.

To repair it you will need to place the crankshaft into position and then set the cams in place and lock them both so they cannot turn. The factory special tools are the best items to use for this but it’s possible to make them if you are handy with some pieces.

It’s a very poor design that has caused more than a few engine failures when the bolt would stretch enough from heat cycling and the crankshaft gear would turn and the end result was valve damage from the now out of time condition. What I normally do isn’t listed in the book but it can help, I clean all of the surfaces very well with brake cleaner, then apply Loctite bearing and sleeve retainer compound to the crank snout. Then put the crank sprocket in place, then another dab and install the front pulley. Then torque it down. Without anything else to hold the parts that compound will help hold it in position.

The attached show the tool list and where they are used. They hold all the parts with the crank at TDC and cams in time.

Turn the crankshaft clockwise to position the No. 1 piston at TDC. Only turn the crankshaft clockwise.

The camshaft timing slots are offset. If the special tool cannot be installed, rotate the crankshaft one complete revolution clockwise to correctly position the camshafts.
Install the special tool in the slots on the rear of both camshafts. (303-465)

Remove the engine plug and install the special peg tool (303-507)
The special tool will contact the crankshaft and prevent it from turning past TDC.

Failure to hold the crankshaft pulley in place while loosening the bolt can result in damage to the engine.

Install a standard 6 mm x 18 mm bolt through the crankshaft pulley and thread it into the front cover. With the bolt at 6 o'clock the pulley will be in time at TDC.

Now install the pulley locking bar. (205-126)

Now with everything in place and locked in position you the torque the crank bolt to 74 ft lb for the initial step, then torque it an additional 90 degrees.

Now remove the special tools and rotate the engine over twice and back to TDC, try to install the cam tool and the front pulley bolt and the locking pin. If they all drop into place easily the engine is in time and you should be done with that part of the process.
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Wednesday, May 26th, 2021 AT 6:04 AM

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