2016 3.5l timing question

[Jpparkerjr]

I have cam locks on 3 dots aligned. This is my second attempt I marked everything and somehow after water pump change was getting p0016. It was running fine just every so often gave bank 1 sensor 1 out of phase . So took it back apart bought new chain. I just want to make sure that if the locks are on, the crank is at 4 ish and the phasers dots match chain dots it’s in time. I do not want to take it apart again

 

[ProjectSHO89]

I just want to make sure that if the locks are on, the crank is at 4 ish and the phasers dots match chain dots it’s in time.

Supposed to be.

I found that when I did mine a couple of months ago, it was super easy for the chain to slip by one link on the crank sprocket while trying to get everything lined up and before the tensioner was released. Had to redo it 3-4 times before I solved the problem with a well-placed zip tie around the chain above the crank sprocket to keep the chain in place until the tensioner could take over.

 

[The D]

I have cam locks on 3 dots aligned. This is my second attempt I marked everything and somehow after water pump change was getting p0016. It was running fine just every so often gave bank 1 sensor 1 out of phase . So took it back apart bought new chain. I just want to make sure that if the locks are on, the crank is at 4 ish and the phasers dots match chain dots it’s in time. I do not want to take it apart again

How many miles on the vehicle and what are you trying to re-use?

This is just my opinion but I’m sure it will be pretty agreeable here. Unless you have a very low mileage water pump failure, you might as well replace all the timing components as well. Trying to “save” on the job by only doing the water pump is false economy, as it seems like you may be finding out. I’m not 100% sure but maybe a camshaft adjuster could be failing?

Another thing that you may need to do is position the chains so all of the slack is in the section that rides on the tensioner.

If you need any pointers and/or pics to help, I wrote up a diy thread with a ton of pics. Hope this helps

How to: - Step-by-step water pump replacement

Alright, it took a while but I’ve finished a water pump and timing stuff replacement on my ‘13 xlt. I didn’t really find a one-stop resource for the process so I thought I’d write one up. This was done in my driveway over the course of about 3 afternoons. This can be done much quicker though...

www.explorerforum.com

 

[Jpparkerjr]

How many miles on the vehicle and what are you trying to re-use?

This is just my opinion but I’m sure it will be pretty agreeable here. Unless you have a very low mileage water pump failure, you might as well replace all the timing components as well. Trying to “save” on the job by only doing the water pump is false economy, as it seems like you may be finding out. I’m not 100% sure but maybe a camshaft adjuster could be failing?

Another thing that you may need to do is position the chains so all of the slack is in the section that rides on the tensioner.

If you need any pointers and/or pics to help, I wrote up a diy thread with a ton of pics. Hope this helps

How to: - Step-by-step water pump replacement

Alright, it took a while but I’ve finished a water pump and timing stuff replacement on my ‘13 xlt. I didn’t really find a one-stop resource for the process so I thought I’d write one up. This was done in my driveway over the course of about 3 afternoons. This can be done much quicker though...

www.explorerforum.com

135k mileage

 

[Jpparkerjr]

 

[Jpparkerjr]

The pictures attached is with tensioner installed

 

[The D]

Do you have the locking plates?

 

[mguy13sport]

Can you take a picture of the secondary chains? There is some etching marks on the head that should line up with the phaser/secondary chains like this:

Screenshot-2023-04-19-16-40-32-22-965bbf4d18d205f782c6b8409c5773a4 hosted at ImgBB

Image Screenshot-2023-04-19-16-40-32-22-965bbf4d18d205f782c6b8409c5773a4 hosted in ImgBB

ibb.co

Really all the chains and sprocket + tensioners should be replaced at same time. Don't forget those bolts are torque to yield so they can only be used once. If u take them out again they won't torque properly

 

[The D]

^^^ Yes, this too

 

[Jpparkerjr]

Do you have the locking plates?

Yes it’s locked

 

[Jpparkerjr]

Can you take a picture of the secondary chains? There is some etching marks on the head that should line up with the phaser/secondary chains like this:

Screenshot-2023-04-19-16-40-32-22-965bbf4d18d205f782c6b8409c5773a4 hosted at ImgBB

Image Screenshot-2023-04-19-16-40-32-22-965bbf4d18d205f782c6b8409c5773a4 hosted in ImgBB

ibb.co

Really all the chains and sprocket + tensioners should be replaced at same time. Don't forget those bolts are torque to yield so they can only be used once. If u take them out again they won't torque properly

Did not touch secondary chains main chain and water pump

 

[mguy13sport]

Everything else was reused?

I remember when I put my main chain on I had to barely turn the left cam ever so slightly with a 22mm wrench to get it lined up perfectly.. You need to be very careful and not let it turn it too much. The cam can easily rotate if you don't hold it steady. While I was doing this i had the right cam locked with the plate. Another thing you want to make absolute sure of is those plates are flush with the head at all times. If they are uneven or lift at all you need to stop and readjust them.

 

[The D]

If the cam plates are on the cams and everything lines up correctly you can try taking the tensioner off and rotating everything clockwise a tiny bit, just enough that the right side(as you’re looking at the front of the engine) of the plates themselves don’t have any slack against the heads. This should give you about as much slack in the section of chain that is tensioned as you can possibly get. Once you have that done, remove the plates and rotate the engine several times and place the engine at base timing. Double check the secondary chain positions like mguy says, as well. If everything lines up correctly and the plates fit over the cams and sit flat on the heads the engine base timing is set. If you put it together and you still get a code I’d say you have an adjuster that’s faulty. I know they don’t fail as often as the 3V engines but they do fail

 

[mguy13sport]

This is the video I used (I Also used the Cloyes kit which has worked well). He mentions you may need to turn the cams slightly to get it perfectly lined up

 

[Jpparkerjr]

Yes it’s locked

If the cam plates are on the cams and everything lines up correctly you can try taking the tensioner off and rotating everything clockwise a tiny bit, just enough that the right side(as you’re looking at the front of the engine) of the plates themselves don’t have any slack against the heads. This should give you about as much slack in the section of chain that is tensioned as you can possibly get. Once you have that done, remove the plates and rotate the engine several times and place the engine at base timing. Double check the secondary chain positions like mguy says, as well. If everything lines up correctly and the plates fit over the cams and sit flat on the heads the engine base timing is set. If you put it together and you still get a code I’d say you have an adjuster that’s faulty. I know they don’t fail as often as the 3V engines but they do fail

It’s just odd that no p0016 before but had it afterward which makes me think it’s timing but it did run just fine drove it for about 30 mins with no code then I looked in pending and it was there so took it all back apart got new chain so I could see timing marks. I think it takes 17 turns to get marks to line back up

Everything else was reused?

I remember when I put my main chain on I had to barely turn the left cam ever so slightly with a 22mm wrench to get it lined up perfectly.. You need to be very careful and not let it turn it too much. The cam can easily rotate if you don't hold it steady. While I was doing this i had the right cam locked with the plate. Another thing you want to make absolute sure of is those plates are flush with the head at all times. If they are uneven or lift at all you need to stop and readjust them.

you are correct I had right locked and crank has never moved I had to move left clockwise with no chain to get marks right. Both cam locks are on and sitting flush on head

 

[The D]

You don’t need to turn it a million times to try to get the dots and links to line back up. Just turn the crank a few times to get everything moving in the same direction. If the crank sprocket dot is at 4 o’clock and the cam plates fit, the base timing is set.

I bet the pending code was set just because it was started without any oil pressure in the adjusters and the timing was slightly off because it was taken apart

Put it together, start it, check for any leaks just like you would after any big repair. Before you road test it, make note of any codes but erase everything. Go drive it and then re-check for codes

 

[Jpparkerjr]

You don’t need to turn it a million times to try to get the dots and links to line back up. Just turn the crank a few times to get everything moving in the same direction. If the crank sprocket dot is at 4 o’clock and the cam plates fit, the base timing is set.

I bet the pending code was set just because it was started without any oil pressure in the adjusters and the timing was slightly off because it was taken apart

Put it together, start it, check for any leaks just like you would after any big repair. Before you road test it, make note of any codes but erase everything. Go drive it and then re-check for codes

You don’t need to turn it a million times to try to get the dots and links to line back up. Just turn the crank a few times to get everything moving in the same direction. If the crank sprocket dot is at 4 o’clock and the cam plates fit, the base timing is set.

I bet the pending code was set just because it was started without any oil pressure in the adjusters and the timing was slightly off because it was taken apart

Put it together, start it, check for any leaks just like you would after any big repair. Before you road test it, make note of any codes but erase everything. Go drive it and then re-check for codes

You don’t need to turn it a million times to try to get the dots and links to line back up. Just turn the crank a few times to get everything moving in the same direction. If the crank sprocket dot is at 4 o’clock and the cam plates fit, the base timing is set.

I bet the pending code was set just because it was started without any oil pressure in the adjusters and the timing was slightly off because it was taken apart

Put it together, start it, check for any leaks just like you would after any big repair. Before you road test it, make note of any codes but erase everything. Go drive it and then re-check for codes

Yeah I did that had plenty of oil reset codes drove for 8 miles came home and it came back was running fine. Turned off back on a few times and got code. When I put it back together the first time I had marked chain with paint made lines with paint on head and crank then lined everything up and cam locks was on and flat against head. So I have no idea why it was giving p0016 and sometimes p0018 Evryone said off a tooth so I went and got new chain from ford took back apart put on locks flat on head crank at 4 lined up new chain on right phaser pink mark center of dot and crank dot in middle of double color I had to move left with no chain clockwise some to get dot and yellow mark on chain to align now to me from pictures right looks right but every picture or video I look at it looks like left phaser is to far to right but I have no slack and if I move it back to left it will be where I was getting p0016

 

[Jpparkerjr]

First 2 is left side cam lock facing motor hard to get both sides the way it sits in vehicle. 3 is right cam lock. 4th is crank and 5 is picture from top unless if anyone sees anything wrong let me if not I’m putting it back together and seeing if p0016 going away

 

[The D]

Everything looks fine. And if you didn’t mess with the adjusters or secondary chains there’s no reason to start messing with them. If you put it all back together and still get codes you’re probably looking at a problem with the solenoids and/or adjusters.

** I’m not a Ford-specific mechanic. I was a Mercedes mechanic several years ago and am still a mechanic, just not on cars anymore. If someone has more specific info than me and can prove it’s something else, definitely listen to them**

 

[mguy13sport]

The chain looks aligned properly. If the guides and tensioners are working properly then it should stay aligned. What part number is that chain? There are several different variations depending on the year/engine.