When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Hi The fiber camshaft gear stripped on my 1986 E150 4.9L engine. My question is: If the gear stripped, it stopped and the crankshaft gear kept moving. Then when I tried to start it the crankshaft spun even more. Does this matter as to the timing alignment? Do I need to align the marks before I take the old gears off?
Thanks
IIRC the 4.9 is a non interference engine so the valves should be fine. There should be timing marks to align between crank and cam sprockets. Something like this -
Just line up the marks on the timing gears when you install the new gears.
Also if you stripped the teeth off a timing gear you should also drop the oil pan and clean it out. Also clean out the oil pump pick up tube screen. If you don't, the pick up tube screen could get plugged up and starve the engine oil supply to the bearings. Then you go from a bad to a really bad situation with the engine.
Okay, thanks guys. I have a Chilton's manual but it doesn't mention anything about it. It also doesn't say anything about the timing settings. It only had a #32 under settings for that year of the van, which said I have to check the inside of the engine compartment for the label that lists the settings. Problem is, there is no label. Anyone know what the timing setting is for a 1986 4.9L engine? The engine has been rebuilt. 38,000 miles on it now. I'm wondering why the gear would stripped after only 38,000 miles. The timing marks on the camshaft gear right now is at about 4 o'clock and the mark on the crankshaft is at about 8 o'clock. So, I can pull the gears, install the new ones and line them up.
Here's a photo of my 89 F250 4.9L engine with a new all steel timing set. The 4.9L I6 engine is the same on both E and F series trucks/vans.
I got the all steel gear set as I don't want to replete this again. With a all metal gear set it will howl loudly for a few months till gear set wears in, but will never be quiet as the fiber gear set. It sounds like the engine has a blower on it some people have said.....
And here's the failed crap gear set before replacement and had only 25K on them after that engine was rebuilt.
Looks exactly like my gear, about the same amount of teeth missing. How's it running now? Did you drop the oil pan and clean it? I read where the steel gears are noisy. Are aluminum gears good?
I pulled the camshaft gear without much of a problem. The crankshaft gear is another story. There are no threaded holes for the puller on the gear and the clearance behind I can hardly get a fingernail behind it..
I'm wondering why the gear would stripped after only 38,000 miles.
Hi-volume oil pump, higher lift cam, higher ratio rocker arms, to tight of tolerances on the timing gears, or just crappy quality replacement gears. I never run fiber timing gears when I replace them.
Clean out your oil pan, or you are just wasting your time.
Looks exactly like my gear, about the same amount of teeth missing. How's it running now? Did you drop the oil pan and clean it? I read where the steel gears are noisy. Are aluminum gears good?
I pulled the camshaft gear without much of a problem. The crankshaft gear is another story. There are no threaded holes for the puller on the gear and the clearance behind I can hardly get a fingernail behind it..
Its been about 2 years after I replaced the timing set and camshaft. No issues at all. Yes all metal gear set is noisy, Not sure if there was a aluminum timing set for these engines.
I did not pull oil pan as its a PITA to do, I flushed it out with diesel and got alot of gear crap out the drain. When the big gear stripped the camshaft quits turning and oil pump driven off cam will not pull oil, so most if all gear crap drops into the pan.
To pull crank gear off I used 2 chisels and carefully tapped in between gear and block. As the gear will get replaced if can get damaged but don't mess up the area behind that gear!!
I replaced the camshaft as the one in the engine was wrong cam. I got the engine from a friend who had it rebuilt, but the rebuilder put a racing cam in and that caused alot of engine ping, **** poor power and MPGs unless you wing engine over 4K RPM! with a engine rarely sees over 3K rpm it was not good. So when timing gear failed(which should of been a all steel set from rebuilder as requested from my friend) I replaced the cam with a RV spec torquer cam. BIG TIME improvement.
Yeah, I can see that the oil pan would be a PITA to remove. How did you flush it out with diesel? To my surprise I have been able to drill a hole in the gear. It's hard but can be done, I'm going to try and tap the holes and use my puller but I think I will try the two chisels first- would be a lot easier. Right now I have one one started about half way through.
I poured diesel through the front opening of the oil pan under crank gear with the oil plug removed. Filtered diesel and repeated a few times. Afterwards I used a bore scope to look around in the oil pan and seen nothing was inside after.
When you assemble the timing gears use alot of assembly lube on the gears. Don't dry start them.
Also a good hint is put the crank timing in correct location before pulling it. Then install cam gear so you can time it. Then install crank gear and make sure its all aligned.
Assembly lube- something like lithium grease?
Putting the crank timing in correct location would be turning the shaft until #1 piston reaches the top?
I may try and take the oil pan off. I don't know if I need to lift the engine, if so I may go with flushing it out. When you say diesel, you mean diesel fuel?
Assembly lube- something like lithium grease?
Putting the crank timing in correct location would be turning the shaft until #1 piston reaches the top?
I may try and take the oil pan off. I don't know if I need to lift the engine, if so I may go with flushing it out. When you say diesel, you mean diesel fuel?
Assembly lube is a really thick sticky oil, can get it from auto parts stores.
Yep you turn the crank till the #1 piston is TDC and the gear timing pointer will be in posistion as shown in above photo drawing.
Once you have crank at TDC, then pull off crank gear. Install camshaft gear and rotate it till the timing marker is in correct location. Watch out turing camshaft as the valve springs will cause it to snap over and that can hurt you. After that, then install crank gear, you will have to tweek crank posistion so the gears can match up. THEN DOUBLE VERIFY timing marks are correct. If all is good, apply good amount of assembly lube to gears and put back together.
Good luck on oil pan, last time I tried on my 84 F250, I got mad and pulled the engine out to replace bad oil pan gasket.
Yes Diesel fuel, get a gallon and it will flush out the oil pan. While it was draining from oil pan I had a coffee filter in funnel to catch the ate up cam gear and any other crud that was in the pan. Diesel fuel is much cheeper than cans of cleaner plus you can pour alot in to flush junk out.
Rotate the cam gear until it lines up with the timing mark on the crankshaft gear - correct? What about the crank shaft pulley, use a timing light for that? Do you know what the timing is for the 1986 4.9L? I have a Chilton's manual but it only tells me to refer to the label under the hood, but there is no label.
I definitely don't want to pull the engine. I think I'll go with the diesel. Did you pour it where the oil pan comes up under the crank gear?
Rotate the cam gear until it lines up with the timing mark on the crankshaft gear - correct? What about the crank shaft pulley, use a timing light for that? Do you know what the timing is for the 1986 4.9L? I have a Chilton's manual but it only tells me to refer to the label under the hood, but there is no label.
I definitely don't want to pull the engine. I think I'll go with the diesel. Did you pour it where the oil pan comes up under the crank gear?
Here's a youtube video showing how to install the timing set. About 16 min in shows how to move camshaft to get it in proper timing with crank gear.
If the distributor was not moved on the engine then ignition timing probly be Ok, but its best to check with timing light. Most 4.9L I6 engines need to be set at 10deg BTDC for ignition timing.
Yes, I poured the diesel fuel into oilpan under crank shaft and filtered it and flushed again a few more times
I pulled out the distributor to make sure the gear was okay before I started taking the the front engine apart. I just checked and replaced it. The rotor should be pointing to the #1 plug- right?
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalytic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Slideshow: Called the Fortress, the 850-horsepower pickup combines Raptor underpinnings with military-inspired features, survival equipment, and a starting price of $285,000.
