eddytheexpy
Well-Known Member
I know the timing job has been beaten to death on this forum but here's my notes on the job (my model: 2011 EL Limited 4x4) to help others out in the future. Some of this may seem like a no-brainer but this is geared towards settling an apprehensive novice's mind before starting the job and allow for planning. The most involved thing I've done before this job was a radiator replacement so I was super scared of having the engine torn apart and having an "uh-oh, what do I do now!?!?" moment. A vast majority of this list I learned on the fly since there wasn't a heads up about it and a few things on this list I picked up from this forum or elsewhere and found it incredibly helpful so figure that I'll put it here so it's all in one place. So, let's get into it!
1) Oil Pan?: just plan to pull the oil pan at the end. This will give you peace of mind knowing that the oil pan and pick-up tube is clean considering all the debris you'll be generating and it also gives you a much better angle to confirm the torque on the pick-up tube bolts if replacing the oil pump. More on this topic later.
2) Tools: here's a breakdown of tools I used that are specific to this job or isn't a common item to have around. This list shows: what I used, if FTM recommended, if I found a cheaper alternative, what that alternative was and my notes on it.
3) Busted Fasteners: Buy a variety pack of fasteners (the kind with the zip tie integrated to the fastener). You will likely break every fastener you touch.
4) crankshaft pulley bolt: if buying the ford timing kit that FTM recommends (quick note on that kit: check the seals of the chain tensioners, one of mine had a huge bump in the bead of the sealant so I contacted the seller and they sent me a new one that was way closer to flush), it comes with the crankshaft bolt even though it's not on the itemized list of parts included. That bolts costs $20 by itself. if me getting it with that kit was a fluke, just order it a la carte afterwards and you'll have it by the time you need to put it in
5) Power tools: I did this entire job with zero power tools (excluding an air compressor which you WILL need to clean dust and debris off the engine). A tip for getting the crankshaft pulley bolt on/off is plan to replace the accessory belt and use the old one to pin the crankshaft in place. theres lots of videos out there on how to do this but you'll be dead in the water if you plan on re-using the accessory belt and don't have an impact driver.
6) Gasket Ambiguity: if you've never done a gasket before (like me) you'll find there's no DIRECT instructions on how to clean the mating surfaces. Everything just says "clean the mating surfaces" and they don't show you how. It seems everybody has a different opinion on this one and making a video on it will just start WWIII in the comments section. All I'll say based off my research is: avoid using scotchbrite on the surfaces of the heads/block. its not so much about being too rough on the surface material but more about the abrasive aluminum oxide debris that comes off the scotchbrite pad and then that winding up in the engine. for the covers it seems like it's totally fine for 2 reasons: 1) you can hose those down with brake cleaner and compressed air to get all that debris out, 2) the covers are cast aluminum and the grooves for the gaskets aren't finished so it already has a rough surface anyway.
7) Advanced overthinking and overplanning, but peace of mind: get a big ol piece of cardboard and draw a 2X4 grid on it. Label each square for its corresponding cylinder and pop holes in it with a pick tool to feed zip ties through. these zip ties will hold all your cam caps and cam shafts when you take them out. As soon as you pull one out, retain its orientation and place it on its corresponding zip tie and zip it down. this way there is zero confusion or thoughts in the back of your head whether you put it back exactly how it came out and there's no possibility of mixing anything up even if you trip over the board and kick it or something.
8) oil pump priming: watch the YouTube video from Melling on how to prime the oil pump if you're upgrading it. I couldn't get oil pressure at all until I stuffed a pile of oil into the outlet that feeds into the oil filter.
9) Pulling the oil pan: I couldn't find anything about taking off the oil pan and the timing cover at the same time. In the Haynes manual for oil pump replacement it says: remove oil pan, remove timing cover, replace oil pump, then the rest of installation procedure is the reverse of the removal procedure. cool, right? well there is an "important" note on the timing chain cover installation. it says to rest the bottom of the timing chain cover on the front of the oil pan and carefully line everything up as you tip it into place. this is impossible with the oil pan off. So do the oil pan at the end, just wait 24 hours for the RTV on the timing chain cover to cure.
10) pulling the oil pan continued: the process FTM shows is pretty straight forward. However on my model there's this extra finger in the support mount for the front diff that won't let it rotate far enough to let the pan out. OK well let's see what the Haynes manual says... nope, that doesn't address my model's configuration and is wayyyy off. So, I dropped the entire front axle. however, that annoying top bolt that FTM says he usually never touches, needs to come out. The issue with that is, to fully remove it, the spot where the steering shaft and steering rack meet is in the way. DO NOT remove the steering rack, it's way too much effort. just remove the steering shaft (good opportunity to replace it btw if you're interested). Once that lower knuckle clamp of the steering shaft is out of the way, that bolt has just enough clearance to sneak out.
11) crank seal: use the old crank seal to beat the new one into place
12) Better lighting: Remove the hood, it's just 4 bolts, allows for better lighting and more space to work. I used a soap stone marker to mark the position of the mounting bracket so it went back on in the same place and closes properly.
13) driver's sider (left) wire harness: I really didn't want to pull that oil pressure sensor connector because it looked like the most annoying thing in the world to do. so I didn't. Sure, at certain times you have remember to be mindful of the wire harness like when putting the steering pump back on but it really wasn't in the way.
14) Zip ties: Have a bunch of zip ties on hand. they come in handy all over the place! they are great for holding things out of the way like hoses and the power steering pump to name a few. sometimes you have to connect a few of them to make a super long zip tie but I'll tell you, those made my life so much easier!
15) spark plugs/ignition coils: So while I was ripping apart the engine I figured I'd change the spark plugs and ignition coils as well. But I changed my mind. I left those alone because I knew they were good. just stick to the timing job and do those after you confirm success. If you have any issues, the new plugs and coils create new avenues of diagnostics to run down. Sure, the plugs are RIGHT THERE and asking for it plus, you have the coils out anyway but think of the possible head ache vs 2 more hours or relatively worry-free work. Also, if you are unlucky and have the 2-piece plugs, you can go for a drive to get the engine hot.
I think this is a comprehensive account of what I learned that isn't addressed across all the content I found. I hope this helps ease the mind, save a few bucks and makes for better planning for those undertaking this rite of passage for the DIY owners of a triton engine. If you've got a some tricks up your sleeve on this job, those will make a great addition to this thread!
1) Oil Pan?: just plan to pull the oil pan at the end. This will give you peace of mind knowing that the oil pan and pick-up tube is clean considering all the debris you'll be generating and it also gives you a much better angle to confirm the torque on the pick-up tube bolts if replacing the oil pump. More on this topic later.
2) Tools: here's a breakdown of tools I used that are specific to this job or isn't a common item to have around. This list shows: what I used, if FTM recommended, if I found a cheaper alternative, what that alternative was and my notes on it.
| Item | did FTM Recommend? | Did I get the same item/brand? | Substitute brand used | Notes |
| crank shaft pulley puller | yes | no | generic HF 3 jaw puller | on my model the harmonic balancer didn't have the screw holes and had 3 wings on the balancer (check this before you start the job) |
| phaser holding tool, crankshaft positioning tool | yes | no | MOEBULB kit (random generic brand on amazon) | worked 100% perfectly |
| roller follower removal tool | yes | no | ARES 15001 (from amazon) | it worked very well despite the few bad reviews. It was tough to use but that ball on top which bad reviews mentioned I think was a feature, not a bug. if everything was lined up perfectly, the screw knob would jussssst barely catch the threaded portion of the tool. |
| cat claw | yes | yes | N/A | VERY helpful |
| pneumatic fan wrench kit | yes | no | Not needed | doesn't apply to my model |
| A/C disconnect tool | yes | no | not needed | could have used it but I was definitely able to work around the A/C lines and didn't want to drain the A/C system if I didnt have to |
| 8mm flex head gear wrench | yes | yes | N/A | get it, super helpful on the oil pick up tube |
| Small forceps | no | N/A | any brand will do | very helpful to position the oil pick-up tube bolts and had a lot of varied utility where needle nose pliers would be too bulky |
| magnetic pick-up tool | yes but not a brand | N/A | Any brand will do (used one from Walmart) | lots of varied utility |
| 250 ml wash bottle | no | N/A | Any brand will do, I used valchoose from amazon | this was incredibly helpful to squirt oil with accuracy onto the cam towers, cams, roller followers, etc. |
| cheap plastic bowl | no | N/A | small 25 cent halloween candy bowl from Walmart | used as an oil bath for the lash adjusters. My fiancé and I don't really get anything that comes in a large enough plastic bottle that I could have just cut the top off of. |
| 32mm axle nut socket | yes but not a brand | N/A | Duralast (autozone) | worked like a charm for turning the crank manually |
| Paint Marker | Yes but not a brand | N/A | white walmart brand paint marker | did the trick |
| soap stone marker | no | N/A | I bought it at Crate & Barrel a while back for automotive use, it was like $2 so the cheapest thing in the store for sure hahaha | nice faint marks that just rub away. For you don't want to use an actual paint marker |
3) Busted Fasteners: Buy a variety pack of fasteners (the kind with the zip tie integrated to the fastener). You will likely break every fastener you touch.
4) crankshaft pulley bolt: if buying the ford timing kit that FTM recommends (quick note on that kit: check the seals of the chain tensioners, one of mine had a huge bump in the bead of the sealant so I contacted the seller and they sent me a new one that was way closer to flush), it comes with the crankshaft bolt even though it's not on the itemized list of parts included. That bolts costs $20 by itself. if me getting it with that kit was a fluke, just order it a la carte afterwards and you'll have it by the time you need to put it in
5) Power tools: I did this entire job with zero power tools (excluding an air compressor which you WILL need to clean dust and debris off the engine). A tip for getting the crankshaft pulley bolt on/off is plan to replace the accessory belt and use the old one to pin the crankshaft in place. theres lots of videos out there on how to do this but you'll be dead in the water if you plan on re-using the accessory belt and don't have an impact driver.
6) Gasket Ambiguity: if you've never done a gasket before (like me) you'll find there's no DIRECT instructions on how to clean the mating surfaces. Everything just says "clean the mating surfaces" and they don't show you how. It seems everybody has a different opinion on this one and making a video on it will just start WWIII in the comments section. All I'll say based off my research is: avoid using scotchbrite on the surfaces of the heads/block. its not so much about being too rough on the surface material but more about the abrasive aluminum oxide debris that comes off the scotchbrite pad and then that winding up in the engine. for the covers it seems like it's totally fine for 2 reasons: 1) you can hose those down with brake cleaner and compressed air to get all that debris out, 2) the covers are cast aluminum and the grooves for the gaskets aren't finished so it already has a rough surface anyway.
7) Advanced overthinking and overplanning, but peace of mind: get a big ol piece of cardboard and draw a 2X4 grid on it. Label each square for its corresponding cylinder and pop holes in it with a pick tool to feed zip ties through. these zip ties will hold all your cam caps and cam shafts when you take them out. As soon as you pull one out, retain its orientation and place it on its corresponding zip tie and zip it down. this way there is zero confusion or thoughts in the back of your head whether you put it back exactly how it came out and there's no possibility of mixing anything up even if you trip over the board and kick it or something.
8) oil pump priming: watch the YouTube video from Melling on how to prime the oil pump if you're upgrading it. I couldn't get oil pressure at all until I stuffed a pile of oil into the outlet that feeds into the oil filter.
9) Pulling the oil pan: I couldn't find anything about taking off the oil pan and the timing cover at the same time. In the Haynes manual for oil pump replacement it says: remove oil pan, remove timing cover, replace oil pump, then the rest of installation procedure is the reverse of the removal procedure. cool, right? well there is an "important" note on the timing chain cover installation. it says to rest the bottom of the timing chain cover on the front of the oil pan and carefully line everything up as you tip it into place. this is impossible with the oil pan off. So do the oil pan at the end, just wait 24 hours for the RTV on the timing chain cover to cure.
10) pulling the oil pan continued: the process FTM shows is pretty straight forward. However on my model there's this extra finger in the support mount for the front diff that won't let it rotate far enough to let the pan out. OK well let's see what the Haynes manual says... nope, that doesn't address my model's configuration and is wayyyy off. So, I dropped the entire front axle. however, that annoying top bolt that FTM says he usually never touches, needs to come out. The issue with that is, to fully remove it, the spot where the steering shaft and steering rack meet is in the way. DO NOT remove the steering rack, it's way too much effort. just remove the steering shaft (good opportunity to replace it btw if you're interested). Once that lower knuckle clamp of the steering shaft is out of the way, that bolt has just enough clearance to sneak out.
11) crank seal: use the old crank seal to beat the new one into place
12) Better lighting: Remove the hood, it's just 4 bolts, allows for better lighting and more space to work. I used a soap stone marker to mark the position of the mounting bracket so it went back on in the same place and closes properly.
13) driver's sider (left) wire harness: I really didn't want to pull that oil pressure sensor connector because it looked like the most annoying thing in the world to do. so I didn't. Sure, at certain times you have remember to be mindful of the wire harness like when putting the steering pump back on but it really wasn't in the way.
14) Zip ties: Have a bunch of zip ties on hand. they come in handy all over the place! they are great for holding things out of the way like hoses and the power steering pump to name a few. sometimes you have to connect a few of them to make a super long zip tie but I'll tell you, those made my life so much easier!
15) spark plugs/ignition coils: So while I was ripping apart the engine I figured I'd change the spark plugs and ignition coils as well. But I changed my mind. I left those alone because I knew they were good. just stick to the timing job and do those after you confirm success. If you have any issues, the new plugs and coils create new avenues of diagnostics to run down. Sure, the plugs are RIGHT THERE and asking for it plus, you have the coils out anyway but think of the possible head ache vs 2 more hours or relatively worry-free work. Also, if you are unlucky and have the 2-piece plugs, you can go for a drive to get the engine hot.
I think this is a comprehensive account of what I learned that isn't addressed across all the content I found. I hope this helps ease the mind, save a few bucks and makes for better planning for those undertaking this rite of passage for the DIY owners of a triton engine. If you've got a some tricks up your sleeve on this job, those will make a great addition to this thread!
