Engine swap advice needed

[harold]

I just picked up a Zetec from Al. I'm thinking about what I want to do before I put the new engine in. I'll definitely be swapping my newer alternator and my new starter onto this engine. I've got the following questions, though:

1) I may as well do the water pump and timing belt. Do I need to do the tensioner?

2) What special tools will I actually need? Do I really need a special tool for pulling the water hose clamps and adjusting the shift cables?

3) Do you really need to back off the strut top nuts 5 turns?

4) Do I need a new bearing cap and nuts for the intermediate shaft?

5) The directions in the shop manual say to drop the engine and transmission out the bottom of the engine bay. Are there any issues with using a hoist to take it out of the top?

I wouldn't be surprised if I have some more questions later.

[Pappy]

I just picked up a Zetec from Al. I'm thinking about what I want to do before I put the new engine in. I'll definitely be swapping my newer alternator and my new starter onto this engine. I've got the following questions, though:

1) I may as well do the water pump and timing belt. Do I need to do the tensioner?

If you feel you need to do the belt, you definately better do the tensioner and the idler

2) What special tools will I actually need? Do I really need a special tool for pulling the water hose clamps and adjusting the shift cables?

No and No. I had to buy a few tools along the way, I did mine with all hand tools. You'll need a socket for the axle nut, clutch alignment tool (for putting the clutch back on), the TDC tools if you do the belt, and a big ass breaker bar You shouldn't need to many special tools....

3) Do you really need to back off the strut top nuts 5 turns?

I didn't.

4) Do I need a new bearing cap and nuts for the intermediate shaft?

New nuts for sure, its your call if you do the cap. I replaced a ton of stuff with new bolts and such as I went with mine...

5) The directions in the shop manual say to drop the engine and transmission out the bottom of the engine bay. Are there any issues with using a hoist to take it out of the top?

I pulled mine straight out the top with the tranny attached and had zero issues. Put it back in the same way also.

I wouldn't be surprised if I have some more questions later.

If you need anything else, don't be afraid to call. I'll help ya if I'm free, but I'll at least be able to be a resource for you.

651-307-4049. - Nils

[harold]

2) What special tools will I actually need? Do I really need a special tool for pulling the water hose clamps and adjusting the shift cables?

No and No. I had to buy a few tools along the way, I did mine with all hand tools. You'll need a socket for the axle nut, clutch alignment tool (for putting the clutch back on), the TDC tools if you do the belt, and a big ass breaker bar You shouldn't need to many special tools....

I figured I'd need the alignment tool since this engine didn't come with the clutch. Do the axle nuts actually have to come off? I don't recall seeing that in the manual. Any idea off the top of your head what size that is? I'm assuming it's different that the one in the rear (which I've already got).

Are the TDC tools available from Ford or is it something it'd be better to find as a rental? How about a special tool to remove the CVs? There's mention of that, too.

[Redlineracer12]

2) What special tools will I actually need? Do I really need a special tool for pulling the water hose clamps and adjusting the shift cables?

No and No. I had to buy a few tools along the way, I did mine with all hand tools. You'll need a socket for the axle nut, clutch alignment tool (for putting the clutch back on), the TDC tools if you do the belt, and a big ass breaker bar You shouldn't need to many special tools....

I figured I'd need the alignment tool since this engine didn't come with the clutch. Do the axle nuts actually have to come off? I don't recall seeing that in the manual. Any idea off the top of your head what size that is? I'm assuming it's different that the one in the rear (which I've already got).

Are the TDC tools available from Ford or is it something it'd be better to find as a rental? How about a special tool to remove the CVs? There's mention of that, too.

You have axles in the rear? The axle nuts he's referring to are the ones holding the CV shaft to the hub assembly. I think on my car I used a 1 1/4" socket that fit pretty decent, not positive the focus is the same. You can probably get the cv shafts out without any other "special" tools unless you need a 3 jaw puller to press the spline out of the hub but that can be substituted for a few light taps with a mallet if it's not real stuck in there. That being said I've never done it on a Focus actually but it can't be that much different than my car.

[zurno]

1) I may as well do the water pump and timing belt. Do I need to do the tensioner?

I don't honestly know if the water pump is worth doing now or not, as you should be able to do it later without too much trouble. It is driven by the accessory belt, so it isn't too hard to get to. Timing belt, tensioner, and idler I would do though, since those are a little bit more of a pain in the ass.


Nick

[harold]

You have axles in the rear? The axle nuts he's referring to are the ones holding the CV shaft to the hub assembly.

I meant I'm assuming the axle nut on the front is a different size than the spindle nuts on the rear. On my XR, they're the same front and rear (1 5/8 or 42mm both work), but on most other cars I've seen they're different. I'll probably just go see if I have any sockets that fit the fronts anyway.

Also, I've never had to pull a CV out of a transaxle before and the manual shows a special tool. The only CVs I've pulled were on rear-drive cars with the type that use 6 bolts for attachment to a stub shaft. No worries on that type. With these, I don't know exactly how to go about it and the last thing I need is to destroy a CV while I'm pulling it.

[harold]

I don't honestly know if the water pump is worth doing now or not, as you should be able to do it later without too much trouble. It is driven by the accessory belt, so it isn't too hard to get to. Timing belt, tensioner, and idler I would do though, since those are a little bit more of a pain in the ass.

I'd assumed it ran off the timing belt. Obviously I need to go have another look. If it's run off the serpentine belt, there's no pressing reason for me to do that, then.

[Redlineracer12]

I meant I'm assuming the axle nut on the front is a different size than the spindle nuts on the rear. On my XR, they're the same front and rear (1 5/8 or 42mm both work), but on most other cars I've seen they're different. I'll probably just go see if I have any sockets that fit the fronts anyway.

Also, I've never had to pull a CV out of a transaxle before and the manual shows a special tool. The only CVs I've pulled were on rear-drive cars with the type that use 6 bolts for attachment to a stub shaft. No worries on that type. With these, I don't know exactly how to go about it and the last thing I need is to destroy a CV while I'm pulling it.

Ah I gotcha. They're usually not too bad if the Ball Joint cooperates. I usually break the axle nut loose with the car on the ground or with a screwdriver through the brake caliper to hold the rotor and a big impact/breaker bar. Then split the ball joint to give yourself enough room to push the CV shaft splines through the hub (toward the tranny) and swing it around the hub. Once it's out of the way you just have to pull it out of the tranny, usually I do that with a good size pry bar and a buddy lightly pulling on the other end. Experience makes it easier but you should be able to get the hang of it

[zurno]

I don't honestly know if the water pump is worth doing now or not, as you should be able to do it later without too much trouble. It is driven by the accessory belt, so it isn't too hard to get to. Timing belt, tensioner, and idler I would do though, since those are a little bit more of a pain in the ass.

I'd assumed it ran off the timing belt. Obviously I need to go have another look. If it's run off the serpentine belt, there's no pressing reason for me to do that, then.

It is on the accessory drive. I had decided to do it as preventive maintenance on my blue car at one point in time. We didn't use thread locker on the screws that attach the pulley to the pump, so it fell off, shredded the belt (which hadn't been replaced too recently anyways), and made me trailer the car home.

[harold]

Yeah, I don't care about the outer joint. No issues there. The inner joint is the one Ford says you can't extend past 18 degrees. For all I know, they've got captive c-clips and are impossible to remove without some special tool. I also want to know if there's a way I can do it myself. There's a good likelyhood that I'll need to do it when nobody is available to help me. If it's possible to do it by myself with a pry bar without damaging the joint, that's what I need to know.

So far I know I need a timing belt, idler and tensioner; a serpentine belt; a clutch plate alignment tool (or an input shaft if sombody has one just lying around); cam TDC tool; intermediate shaft bearing cap and nuts. I'll be calling Steve to get that stuff, I'm sure.

Can anybody else weigh in with issues I might not be thinking of? I'm just so used to my other car (which I've had for 7 years) that it's a little disorienting to not know it inside and out. We've had my wife's ZX3 for 2.5 years and mine for a little under a year and I've had to do so little on them that I haven't quite gotten a feel for them.

[focinite]

ok
1. what year is the motor, it matters, most post 01s have the water pump drivin off the timing belt.
2. the axle nut is 27,30, or 32 depending on the year.
3. you need the clutch align tool.
4. dont fuck with the ball joints, pop the strut out of the knuckle.
5. the tool you see for the cv shafts is a tulip popper. you dont need it. pop the pass side out with a pry bar, and look in the hole, you will see the other axle with the dif pin in front. take a medium pry bar and put it on the axle in the trans( it forks to go around the dif pin) ...use commen sence here, dont smak the pin or the splins in the diff. strike the pry bar with hammer and it should pop the axle if done right.
or leave the trans in and yank the motor.

[SVT-swap]

ok
1. what year is the motor, it matters, most post 01s have the water pump drivin off the timing belt.
2. the axle nut is 27,30, or 32 depending on the year.
3. you need the clutch align tool.
4. dont fuck with the ball joints, pop the strut out of the knuckle.
5. the tool you see for the cv shafts is a tulip popper. you dont need it. pop the pass side out with a pry bar, and look in the hole, you will see the other axle with the dif pin in front. take a medium pry bar and put it on the axle in the trans( it forks to go around the dif pin) ...use commen sence here, dont smak the pin or the splins in the diff. strike the pry bar with hammer and it should pop the axle if done right.
or leave the trans in and yank the motor.

I agree, taking the strut out of the knuckle is way easier to do.

[harold]

5. the tool you see for the cv shafts is a tulip popper. you dont need it. pop the pass side out with a pry bar, and look in the hole, you will see the other axle with the dif pin in front. take a medium pry bar and put it on the axle in the trans( it forks to go around the dif pin) ...use commen sence here, dont smak the pin or the splins in the diff. strike the pry bar with hammer and it should pop the axle if done right.
or leave the trans in and yank the motor.

Alright, I just came back in from the garage. I popped the right shaft out (didn't need a pry bar, it just pulled out), but I still can't get the left one to budge. I looked into the case after I got the right one out and I could see the end of the other shaft, but I don't have anything that will go around the pin and still hit the other shaft. Would it cause any problems if I were to cut the boot clamp on that joint and pull the tripod out and just reassemble and reclamp when I'm putting it back in? I figure if I keep everything clean it shouldn't be a problem, right?

I'm also having issues with a frozen nut on the flex pipe/cat joint, but I figure I can get that puppy off with enough PB Blaster, impact driver and heat applications.

Is the valve cover gasket reusable or will I need a new one after my timing belt replacement? It appears to be in good shape, but I know how that sort of thing goes.

[Steve@Tasca]

VC gasket is an easy fix later if it leaks, they run about $22.00.

I have the timing tool in my car if you wan to swing by and get it during work hours.

[harold]

I'm hoping I can get there tomorrow. I never can tell how late I'll be working (I was on the clock until 9:00 PM yesterday).

I'm going to need an exhaust manifold gasket, too. I'm guessing the manifold to cat and cat to flex pipe gaskets will also be trashed and at least a TB gasket. Man, I'm glad I don't have to pay somebody else to do this crap.