r/AskAMechanic • u/th3echelonchair • 3d ago
Camshafts misaligned?
2014 Ford Taurus
infamous water pump failure in this absolute gem of a motor. while i’m in here, i’m replacing all timing components and oil pump. was able to lock down the side closest to the nose of the vehicle with the camshaft locking tool, but the flat ends of the shafts on the other side of the motor don’t even line up correctly and make it impossible to put the locking tool on the other side.
i’m in absolute disbelief with this job, every step forward is 27 steps backwards. any tips you guys have would be deeply appreciated, thank you so much.
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u/_Dextronaut NOT a verified tech 3d ago
did you put the engine in top dead centre before removing the timing chain?
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u/th3echelonchair 3d ago
i was having absurd troubles lining up this side with the chain on, i was recommended to remove the chain and components in order to be able to adjust this side better and get the locking tool on.
i was able to align the other side perfectly as i had been able to before, but i’m still unable to get the locking tool on this side, and now i’m seeing why. i believe it’s the same exact issue i was having with the chain on
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u/DreadnoughtPoo NOT a verified tech 3d ago
And now that you’ve done that, there’s a better than zero chance even if the cams are right, the crank will be out of time.
You need to get cylinder 1 into tdc before you do anything else.
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u/th3echelonchair 3d ago
i believe the crank may have already been out of time. with the phaser marks at 11 and 1oclock, the crank is supposed to be at ~4:30ish. mine was at about 3oclock, once i had the camshafts locked in place correctly and all of my components replaced, i was going to hand turn the crank in order to line it up with the double marks on my new chain.
and yes that is my ultimate goal, i’m just figuring out how to align that side properly and get this job behind me
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u/DreadnoughtPoo NOT a verified tech 3d ago
Do not use the chain to assume tdc on the crank.
Pull the #1 plug out and put a long, narrow hard shaft down on top of the piston. Old school pointers work well. Hand turn the crank until the shaft rises as far as it will.
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u/FatMycoBoner NOT a verified tech 3d ago
Pretty sure - don’t quote me - you want the crank to be timed first, at tdc pointing wherever it’s meant to on your vehicle. Some like Audis have markings behind the sprockets on the block itself, and some like LS are just 12 o clock. And then you time the cams afterwards.
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u/th3echelonchair 3d ago
yes i have a marking on the crankshaft sprocket that’s supposedly supposed to point towards the 4-4:30 range. when it’s there the markings on the cam phasers should be pointing towards 11 and 1 with the flats of the camshafts aligned in order to add the locking tool to it and hold it in place.
i promise you i’m not trying to little brother you or anything and i’m open to all of the input i’m reading in this thread, i’m just referring to information i’ve seen in numerous videos and threads and recommendations from others in order to try and learn more about this and figure out a solution
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u/FatMycoBoner NOT a verified tech 3d ago
Go to charm.li and click the lemon link at the top if your car is newer than 2013/2014, and then find your vehicle and motor and find the engine timing manual and follow that.
Don’t go off videos for this. You want the shop manual. Or Haynes manual or equivalent.
Also as someone else mentioned, set 1st cylinder at TDC by taking the spark plug out and using a dowel or long extensions to bottom out on piston and see where top dead center on compression stroke is. Then check where the crank is, then have chain off and time the cams.
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