i was just wondering how do you tell then the timing belt is broken? i have a 97 ranger 2.3. I was driving home early this morning and i heard a sound and the oil pressure dropped of and when i tried to crank it back nothing happend. is it hard to replace if this is the problem? and i was reading that the ford 2.3 is a non interference engine so i dont really have to worry about ben valves? can someone please answer and let me know.

 

yes the 2.3 is a non-interferance engine. but with a broken belt the motor should still spin. timing belt replacement isnt hard, dealing with the tensioner is the worst part. put a socket on the crank pully and try to turn the engine that way. i could be wrong, but it sounds like youve got bigger issues.

 

That actually sounds just like what happened to my 92 Ranger. Daughter was driving and the motor quit. Turn the key the engine turns over but will not start.

There is an inspection plug in the front of the timing belt cover. Pull it and then turn the crank ans watch the cam pulley and oil pump pulley. If they turn, belt is on, then check the timing marks at TDC.

Is it difficult to replace? Not really, very time consuming for me because I check, rechecked and then triple-checked every step. The two biggest speed bumps were 1) finding the last freaking bolt that holds the power steering pump and AC compressor bracket (there is a fifth under the bottom and takes a 13mm wrench) 2) How to loosen the bolt on the crank pulley (put a 36" cheater pipe on the handle of the ratchet wrench and rest it against the ground then just BUMP the starter... amazing but it worked).

I also replaced all tensioners and Idler pulleys for the serpentine belt and of course the thermostat.

The Hanynes manual was marginally helpful some help came form the AutoZone website and an AMAZING parts guy a the local Ford dealer who printed anything and everything I needed or thought I needed. If you want better and have time to order, go to Helm Incorporated: Search Results

Hope that helps

Rick

 

That cheater is a great way to break off the crank shaft bolt in the crankshaft-IF you ARE going to do this , why not invest in REAL tools like an impact wrench-NOT a cheapie, but a decent one capable of 400# plus torque rating(you'll need a decent compressor-borrow one if you don't have)-this job is a time consumer-give yourself the weekend, end to end..get a Chiltons manual for your truck-lots of good info....

 

Most times the belt doesn't break, but loses a few teeth. When that happens, the valves aren't timed right, and the spark timing may be off a bunch. Sometimes the engine will crank over very fast because it doesn't develop any compression pressure.
The hardest part, IMO, is getting the crankshaft damper/pulley off the nose of the crank. I pity those that have lived in Cleveland or Chicago and have the pulley rusted to the crank. Or, Lugansk, too. I had the emergency brake on, the truck in 4th gear, blocks by the tires, and the engine still turned trying to break the bolt loose. Though it slid off nicely w/o using a puller once it broke loose.
tom

 

...by the way, when i said to use a breaker bar on the crank pully, i did mean for you to do it completley by hand, dont have the starter "bumped" by a helper when your doing this. things could go bad quick. the motor should turn with a breaker bar fairly easily. to remove the bolt, a air impact works best. if the motor will turn with the starter, pull one of the inspection plugs and have someone watch while you turn it over, if the gear isnt moving, its most likely a belt.

 

thanks to all who replied....it was the timing belt. replaced it today along with the therostat housing which had a hole in it and the thermostat. all i had to pay for was parts. my step father did the rest. best part....hes free!

 

I hope you put in a water pump while you had it apart?? That WOULD have been the BEST time to put one in!!! Anybody thats EVER put a timing belt on this or any vehicle knows to put in a water pump at that time, whether its leaking or not, unless you had it recently replaced-less than three years-much easier with all the brackets and whatnot out of the way....

 

water pump was replaced last year should have replaced everything but money for parts was short then.

 

year, fortunatly old 2.3 is non contact. it is a european thing to drive water pump with timing belt. failed WP brakes belt.... but engine does not overheat.....

potentional problem - to loosen tigtener... not enought room... you need a pice of bar ore tube....

 

To get off a crank pulley, you do really want an impact wrench, even an electric one will do. I fought with the crank pulley bolt for hours on my sisters car. we had a 24" breaker bar with an extra foot cheater bar and either it wouldn't budge. Al the while we had to jam the flywheel gears, and that was hard to do, screwdriver just wanted to pop out. Put an electric impact wrench on there and it had it loose in about half a second. The impact wrench was useful elsewhere too.

I learned the hard way, always replace the idler pulley, I didn't when I replaced my Dad's timing belt on his Prism, it broke 3 weeks later when the pulley seized.