LH crankshaft keyway position?

Tiny
DR. AUTO ADLER
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  • 2012 FORD F-150
  • 5.0L
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 123,000 MILES
Hello I'm Kevin,

So, this is going to be a very odd one for you possibly or for many mechanics in general, including myself as I am a very seasoned one as well.
I took a 2012 Fx4 and decided to replace the coyote with a Gen2 and went very well except I forgot about camshaft difference because I was very impressed with the price, I got this engine for with 60k on it and that detail flew right over my head. Hehe.
But everything (including oil pan, intake manifold ect, ect.) That its swapped, got new or engineered myself seems like it'll all work but I got stuck just a few mins ago on the LH timing chain/ marks/ keyway. So I looked back on my notes from last coyote and I notice I never wrote down or expressed where the keyway needs to be from the absolute beginning because the position of keyway currently just after I put the LH lower timing chain guide and all the marks line up including the links is at 5 o' clk but the crank gear notch is at 12 o clk. 1. Where did I get 5 o clk from? I know I got that from ford timing somewhere. Before I touch anything else help back me up a little if I started my clock off wrong since I'm pretty sure the chain link and the gear notch should be at 5 o clk not the keyway, correct? Thank you much. Haven't asked for advice really in 25 yrs I don't think but im getting old and chatting now a days is heck of a lot more entertaining than reading old greasy fingerprinted pages.
Thursday, June 26th, 2025 AT 7:16 AM

7 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
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Hi Kevin,

I will help you; it sounds like you need the timing marks for the camshaft and VCT units, correct? If so, I found these for you. Check out the images (below). Please upload pictures or videos in your response.
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Thursday, June 26th, 2025 AT 12:13 PM
Tiny
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Hello Ken, thank you for the quick response.
Now the pictures that you sent me are for the 2015 timing and the other question I have is since the camshafts and all the hardware from the 2012 I have swapped over that should not affect where the timing marks need to be no matter what on this 2017 5.0, correct? Or no?
The D- slots are all in the same location for all the camshafts in thought? I didn't look to compare. I was kind of going by memory.
I'll send some pics here shortly.
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Thursday, June 26th, 2025 AT 12:54 PM
Tiny
KEN L
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You are welcome, yes, these images are for a 2015, you didn't say what year the engine was, so I found these. The marks should be the same on a 2017 5.0. I look forward to the images you send.
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Thursday, June 26th, 2025 AT 4:47 PM
Tiny
DR. AUTO ADLER
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  • 2012 FORD F-150
  • 5.0L
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 123,000 MILES
I asked about this over a week ago buuut im still kind of iffy on it. Im putting (2012 f150 5.0 camshafts in a 2017 f150 5.0 engine). Since I had gotten it completed and started it with factory cams from 2017 in it it was just misfiring or let's say it didnt sounds very good because the 2012 ecm couldn't correct the timing.
My question is since the only difference in the 12 & 17 engines is the duration ( 2012-.472 & 2017-.511) and the D slots are positioned differently where is a happy medium starting point when putting the 2012 camshafts in a 2017 5.0. Where should the crankshaft be 12, 5, 7 o clock. I get different answers but I cant have a valve hit the piston, I dont have the money to replace anything else.
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Saturday, July 5th, 2025 AT 5:04 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KEN L
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Don’t “split the difference.” Ford’s Gen-2 (2015-17) F-150 method is the cleanest way to put Gen-1 cams into your 2017 long-block while keeping piston to valve clearance safe.
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Saturday, July 5th, 2025 AT 5:09 PM
Tiny
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Thank you again Ken!
So when I put the exhaust camshaft in ( it says D slot at the 7 o clk position) it doesn't seem to be in a neutral position and the R mark on phaser doesn't want to fall into the 1 o clk position. Is the because im using the 2012 phasers, chains and everything? Or do I need to rotate crankshaft until it lines up?
Right now the keyway is at 5 o clk and the gear mark on crankshaft is at 11 o clk. Thats with just the cams sitting in the head with no cam caps on or anything. Its all loose. BTW you have given me more info than anyone, Including ford tech performance dep., Has in 3 months.
Understandably nobody has really done this either but im one mechanic that takes on anything challenging and havent let mechanical issues beat me in 30+ yrs.

Listening/Reading = 100% Knowledge that Legends were & are built from!
K. Adler 2025

P.S. Do I donate from the home page?
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Saturday, July 5th, 2025 AT 9:42 PM
Tiny
KEN L
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You are using Gen-1 phasers (2012) with Gen-2 heads/block (2017), and the crank is at 5 o’clock (50 degrees BTDC). That’s why the exhaust cam (RH/B1) won’t sit in “neutral” and why the R mark won’t line up. You’re trying to time the right bank at the wrong crank position.

To get the “R” mark to land in the 1 o’clock position and the D-slot to point 7 o’clock (which is neutral for Gen-1 RH exhaust cam), you must rotate the crankshaft clockwise to 12 o’clock (TDC on #1 cylinder). Thanks for the consideration for the donation.

https://gofund.me/c7d318ad

or

https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/VTBAJSABCQ2CN

Thanks again!
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Sunday, July 6th, 2025 AT 10:32 AM

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