How to Change the Timing Chain on a Ford Focus
by James MarshallUpdated November 07, 2017Items you will need
Paperclip
Socket wrench set
Holding tool for the camshaft
Torque wrench
The Ford Focus is a compact car that Ford has manufactured since 2000 for the United States. It has either a 2.0-liter or 2.3-liter engine with a double overhead camshaft. Some versions of the Focus use a timing chain to turn the camshafts with the crankshaft. The procedure for replacing the timing chain is generally the same, although some models of the Ford Focus also require you to remove the camshaft sprockets.
Disconnect the front cover from the engine with a socket wrench. Compress the tension rod for the timing chain to align the hole in the tensioner housing with the hole in the tensioner rod. Place the end of a paperclip into the holes to keep the tensioner rod temporarily in place.
Remove the mounting bolts for the timing chain tensioner with a socket wrench and disconnect the tensioner from the crankcase. Disconnect the right guide for the timing chain, and detach the timing chain from the sprockets. Disconnect the left guide for the timing chain.
Attach a holding tool to the flats of the camshaft to hold it in place. Disconnect the mounting bolts for the camshaft sprockets with a socket wrench, and remove the sprockets from the camshafts. Remove the holding tool from the camshaft. Mount the camshaft sprockets to the camshaft, and fasten the mounting bolts by hand. Perform this step only if you need to remove the camshaft sprockets to install the new timing chain.
Mount the left guide for the timing chain, and tighten its mounting bolts to 89 inch-pounds with a torque wrench. Mount the timing chain to the crankshaft sprocket and camshaft sprockets. Connect the right guide for the timing chain, and tighten its mounting bolts to 89 inch-pounds.
Install the tensioner for the timing chain, and fasten its mounting bolts by hand. Pull the paper clip from the tensioner housing to apply tension to the timing chain. Tighten the mounting bolts for the tensioner to 89 inch-pounds with a torque wrench.
Attach the holding tool to the flats on the camshaft to hold the camshaft in place. Tighten the mounting bolts for the camshaft sprocket to 53 foot-pounds with a torque wrench. Perform this step only if you removed the camshaft sprockets in step three.
Attach the front cover to the engine with a socket wrench.
Writer Bio
James Marshall began writing professionally in 2006. He specializes in health articles for content providers such as eHow. Marshall has a Bachelor of Science in biology and mathematics, with minors in chemistry and computer science, from Stephen F. Austin University.
