Changing Cam belt on a Ford

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mickandbee

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I want to change the cam and timing belts on a Ford 1.8 XLD engine. It is an Endura model (stamped on the rocker cover). There is a mark on the timing belt but I can find nothing for the cam belt. Has anyone on here done this on this model engine and can they give me any useful pointers, other than removing the rocker cover? Please don't make it too technical as engines are up there with the theory of relativity as far as I'm concerned....

Thanks for any help

Mick
 
I have done this and it's fairly straight forward if you can get to the front of the engine. However, if you have one of these and a Halfords nearby, it would make sense to nip in and buy the Haynes manual for the Ford 1.8 Diesel. They do one which covers the 1.6 and 1.8 versions, with having to buy one for a car etc. It will then be useful for other things like tappet settings etc.
I am not at home right now or I could have scanned and e-mailed you the relevant pages.
 
Carefully mark the position of the sprockets with a dab of quickdrying white paint, a car touch up brush for example or even Tippexb before you start. Make sure all the marks line up when you have finished.

Thats the easy way, although some engines have some fairly complex arrangements but they are really intened for setting it all up when rebuilding from scratch.

The most difficult bit is getting the tension correct!
 
Thanks for the replies so far. Have a Haynes (the car one) but it doesn't appear to cover this engine but it could be me. The engine is out of the boat at the moment. Have a Gates cam belt kit so will attempt to overcome the nerves and try it!
 
I strongly suggest, as others have pointed out, that you get the Haynes diesel engine manual. You will need some old drill bits to insert into the cambelt sprockets to ensure that they are properly aligned. It also helps that you use Tippex to mark the present setup so that you have a second check that the belt has been correctly fitted.
Most "kits" should include idler gear as well. As an other poster has indicated it is important that the belt is tensioned properly.
Are you changing the injector pump belt as well?
 
OK the deed is done and "appears" to be fine. The timing belt had a mark on it and a mark was made on the other cog and throughout the operation neither moved. The idlers and belts etc were replaced and the tension feels, well, tense for want of a better expression. The engine has been turned over, by hand, the required number of times and both marks line up as before. Tomorrow we will run it and providing nothing goes bang I can return to browsing and leave you kind people in peace. Many thanks for your help
 
Ouch,

1800 XLD Endura.

I think you may be risking it a bit there. Tension is important.

Normal practice is to replace the tensioner as well as the belt.

You can get a kit of all the bits.

The timing can be set using a 6mm drill and a home made timing pin.

All the details are in the Haynes 1600/1800 diesel book.

No need whatsoever to remove the cam cover.

Much easier on an Endura as the front pulley can be removed with four small bolts instead of the single larger nut on the crankshaft on earlier engines.

I was very pleased that the 1800 Endura engine I fitted in my yacht two weeks ago started up first time.

Iain
 
Re: Ouch!

The Gates kit had a tensioner in it( a cog on an eccentric cam?) and that was also replaced along with two other "bits" and two belts. I was slightly economical with the truth in that I had someone with me who is experienced with engines and was later joined by a third who added his tu'ppence worth so hopefully between you all the job should be ok............

Can you give me the ISBN of the Haynes manual referred to?

Tx

Mick
 
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