Has anyone rebuilt his engine (4.0 sohc) without the OTC-6488

[afbryant]

My son and I have been working on this engine for a couple of weeks now. It is a project car he found pretty cheap. Has anyone of you tried this without the special tools to lock the cams and set the timing chain depth?
I know there are ways to lock down the cams and crank to keep them from moving. I see no way around using the tensioner tool. Please enlighten me if there is. I am pretty sure it has been done in some way.
he will have to save up and buy the tools if there is no other way around it, but have any of you had success without it?

 

[imp]

My son and I have been working on this engine for a couple of weeks now. It is a project car he found pretty cheap. Has anyone of you tried this without the special tools to lock the cams and set the timing chain depth?
I know there are ways to lock down the cams and crank to keep them from moving. I see no way around using the tensioner tool. Please enlighten me if there is. I am pretty sure it has been done in some way.
he will have to save up and buy the tools if there is no other way around it, but have any of you had success without it?

@afbryant
Quite some time ago, a thread appeared dedicated to this question. Reviewing, I believe the problem is that loosening of the camshaft sprocket allows the valves which happen to be open at the time to rotate the shaft out of it's position which was "locked" by the drive chain. Seems someone had recommended a way to lock the shaft without the bolt-on tool. Try searching 4.0 camshaft timing. imp

 

[Tech By Trade]

Streetrod2000 did it. He epoxied a tensioner to hold the thing open before tightening the gears.

 

[afbryant]

Is the tensioner tool the same length as the tensioner installed? Also, is the tool solid instead of spring loaded like the tensioner? I have been reading a lot on here the last couple days trying to find the threads you guys mentioned. Have not found them yet. Did the search and there are a LOT of threads referring to timing and tensioners

 

[scott9050]

Ford 4.0L V6 Cam Alignment set Tool # 6488, Specialty Auto Tool Rentals

 

[Tech By Trade]

All you ever wanted to know and more. SOHC V6 Timing Chain Inspection & Repair

 

[mic98xlt]

Afbyrant, are you in the North East by any chance?

 

[afbryant]

lower NC

 

[mic98xlt]

Afbryant PM sent to you.

 

[afbryant]

Thanks guys,you have been so helpful. Does anyone know why timing kits only come with one metal gasket for the tensioners? I found the part # to get another from this website. Just wandering ...The factory originals (I think) did not have any gaskets when I took them off

 

[Tech By Trade]

There is no gasket from the factory. Most aftermarket kits come with 2 gaskets I thought? So do the tensioners when you buy them separately, at least the cloys ones I used did. When I did mine one was missing and engine tech paid the difference for one from Ford. They were around 15 bucks each up here.