I did a Fiesta ST Timing Belt, Here are my observations (and problems)

[rallyrabbit]

Parts Needed:

• Timing Tool Kit with all pins and flywheel lockout via starter
• Right Axle Bear Clamp (YS4Z-3N324-AA)
• Crankshaft Bolt (BE8Z-6A340-A)
• Timing Belt (BE8Z-6268-C)
• Timing Belt Tensioner (BM5Z-6K254-A)
• Water Pump (7S7Z-8501-C) and gasket

Recommended to change while in there:

• Right Motor Mount
• Serpentine Belt
• Serpentine Idler Pulley

Parts I thought I needed but did not:

• Thermostat (it's on the other side of the engine)
• Valve cover gasket

First observations. I have 6 hours in:

1. Getting the starter out was NOT easy or by the book. It is cramped, there are nuts that come off and could fall into the bell housing. TERRIBLE DESIGN
2. Getting everything off was lengthy but not hard.
3. Be prepared to break clips and clamps at 125,000+ miles
4. The toolset sucks to use. A pin in the block? And a flywheel hold? And a vibration dampener alignment all because you didn't want to key the crank pulley and vibration dampener. TERRIBLE DESIGN

Now the bad.

• I got the timing belt on. Tightened a brand new pulley bolt (90nm + 90 degrees +15 degrees) OMG
• Pulled the tools, rotated and it lined up. Rotated again and it lined up. Rotated again and it lined up.
• Put it all back together

Start the car. Idles high and throws a P0016 (Cam/Crank alignment is off). Which means, either the timing belt is off a tooth (which rotation by hand didn't show) OR the vibration dampener moved while installing. I look at the tool that holds it in place and.... IT'S BENT. It bent while torqueing this thing down. So I have a valid installed belt and a dampener I can't align.

This is the least serviceable design I have ever seen.

 

[ShakenCoffee]

Thanks for the info. If you had the funds to do so, would you rather take it to a shop to do it? I'll need to do mine next year (10 years old), and I've been debating. I've done a few timing belts before (on non-Ford cars), so I know I can do it, but it is the one job I absolutely despise doing on cars. On the other hand, I always feel wary of having someone else work on my car.

 

[Downsy]

I've done timing belts before on easier cars, like a 1st gen Miata. If what I'm finding for pricing to have the dealer do the job I'm probably just going to farm it out to them when my car turn 10 next year.

 

[rallytaff]

That's one of the reasons I took mine to the dealership. The mechanic there has over 20yrs experience building engines and mine runs perfectly. I'd rather pay to have it done correctly by a qualified mechanic. It was costly, but being retired I'd rather spend the money and have it done properly.

 

[rallyrabbit]

I don't know, I was so disgusted this morning that I was about to take it to a shop. The dealership wanted $2000 for it and local shops were just below that (and I trust them less than I trust myself).

I have halfway through the teardown and re-time it and put it back together. Either way, I have to wait til next week to get a new stretch bolt and c-clamp for the half shaft since they are one time use after stretched. Thing is, turning by hand is showing the timing belt is lined up, so, IMO, this has to be the harmonic balancer pulley that's not lined up with the crank sensor properly.

My gosh y'all, this is a JOB. I've done this on numerous VWs and Honda since the mid-90s and this is by far the most complicated, risky, and time consuming a timing belt job that I've ever seen.

BUT, I can say this, taking the timing belt off. I'm at 9 years/125k miles; and the original belt did not look great but it wasn't compromised yet. And the water pump was developing some play in it. 150k miles for this job in the cars feels way too much given what I saw.

 

[Downsy]

BUT, I can say this, taking the timing belt off. I'm at 9 years/125k miles; and the original belt did not look great but it wasn't compromised yet. And the water pump was developing some play in it. 150k miles for this job in the cars feels way too much given what I saw.

This makes me feel better about having it done next year.

 

[rallytaff]

I had mine done at 10yrs with 107,000 on the clock. Now I don't have to worry about it for the next 100,000.

 

[Volumetrik]

I recently did mine and documented my process. I share all of your frustrations. I had trouble with the starter motor and the pulley holding tool too. The last 15 degrees of the torque to yield bolt on the crank is quite intense, close to scary.

What toolkit did you use? My OTC kit was good quality. The pulley bracket looked beefy on my kit. At least you know that the crank did not move, so mechanically it cannot hit the valves.

I entirely agree, it's a pretty complicated job and it's not ''fun''. If I were to do it again, it would be much faster, but I would not want to do it again... Once every 10 years is plenty enough for me.

 

[Mega ST]

It's the dumbest design ever. I've done several Fiesta non turbos, but no ST's. I fixed a leaky water pump on a 2016 Explorer and that really sucked. Have to take off the timing chain to get to the water pump. C'mon Ford! WTF? I can do Honda's and Toyota TB and chains in my sleep. Much easier design.

 

[Intuit]

Thanks for sharing the information/experience.

Prior engine I did a timing belt on had a non-interference design so didn't have to worry about breaking anything.

Didn't have a helper around to hold the brake with the transmission in gear so had to rely on a strap wrench to hold the damper while I tried to put the crank/damper bolt to torque spec. Dunno why the Haynes book recommended a strap wrench when a strap wrench won't hold that kind of torque but whatever. I got it as close as I could.

Later that year it started gradually developing an issue with cold start/run. Idled really rough. Once it got a little heat in the engine it was golden though. Eventually I started having to nurse the accelerator a little to keep it from stalling on a cold start but same deal with getting a little heat in the engine. Once it had some heat in the engine, it as better than golden. Kind of Jeykl vs Hyde, it was PISSED off; would take off from traffic lights like a bat out of hell. Didn't think much about it; I just enjoyed the torque/power. Ran this way for some weeks if not longer.

One day all torque just suddenly went from gorilla to goose. I had to run 4,000 RPM just to barely get moving off the line with a manual transmission. (slipping the hell out of the clutch)

Made it to the driveway and popped the hood for inspection. As it idled, I noticed the damper (aka harmonic balancer) rocking back and forth with a slight wobble. Light bulb then went off.

The crank sensor reads timing from the damper. Took awhile but the damper bolt eventually loosened and backed off because I failed to follow torque spec. The crankshaft key then began to slowly widen the notch in the damper. It wore it in a way that dynamically advanced the engine's spark timing. This explained the rough start and run on open loop. This explained the wildly enhanced torque/power output on closed loop. But eventually that groove widened "too" far. Spark timing was probably occuring on the backend of the piston stroke at that point... so barely any torque. Having made the mistake myself, I later began noticing others with open vs closed loop behaviors that could be attributed to the same oversight.

The lesson I learned: FOLLOW THE TORQUE SPEC

Fast forward a couple of decades and eventually learned, there can be exceptions. *cough* YAMAHA *cough*

 

[lemonjs]

The lesson I learned: FOLLOW THE TORQUE SPEC

I learnt this the hard way too. I didn't follow the torque procedure on there crank bolt and my timing slipped on track (fortunately not enough to cause interference).