Mikegws

Using the ford manuals but they don't tell you which way to turn the crank from the 6 o'clock position to the new position using their tool. Just says position the crankshaft with the special tool??? The pictures show it in two different positions. Installing rebuilt heads all new timing parts, oil pump etc. next question, do I remove the roller followers from the new heads as I did when removing the old heads? Guessing the spring pressure will cause the cams to turn? If I don't. Sure don't want to ruin the engine by having it installed incorrectly. Any help is appreciated.

redfishtd

The cams being at the wrong place with the crank can cause valve/ piston damage .
It is easy to get confused by the keyway versus the timing dot on the crank gear .
You need to lift cams, get engine to TDC on no 1 , which is passenger side towards radiator .
Dot at 6 oclock corresponds to keyway at 11 oclock . with the cams lifted no valves will be pushed down . You can put alignment tool on crank at this time it will do the same thing as above . When turning crank you can use a 32 mm socket that will fit right over crank and key . Turn motor clockwise but only to get it to TDC no1 and 6 oclock dot crank gear ,that's with the cams lifted .The cams at that point have to be set like the factory calls for on no 1 and no 5 .
The cams determine whether the piston is on the exhaust or power stroke . once you are comfortable with the cam positions you will have to torque them back down of course oiled up by hand . Carefully watch your rollers stay in position . Of course you must unfast cam bolts in sequence and re- torque them the same way .
I could not get my new chains on until l torqued them back down . If your cams are close to correct the phasor marks will line up and be marked correctly . Drivers side L will be up on that side , passenger side phasor will have R up on that side . The links on the chains will exactly put cams where they need to be . The chains on the side opposite the tensioners have to be strung tight . Do not move crank off position .
Phasors are dual marked there are no lefts or rights .
Plastic guides are tough, there are minor differences between sides and they don't come marked .
The factory gets you confused with this removing this roller and that one with a special expensive tool . If you carefully lift cams you avoid all that .
When you get it all together and you are sure-- you must turn engine by hand clockwise two full crank rev's to prove no mechanical binding .
Note you should have sparkplugs out of there to start with so you are not fighting compression . Sparkplug holes should be plugged with rags so nothing falls in there . TDC on no.1 can be told by using a small long wooden dowel rod .
Remember on engine -- Drivers side is factory left , passenger is right .
A word about lash adjusters they should be primed buy hand and usually soaked over night . They do fail and at this point should be new . After all you had the cams lifted and they are drop in . A new set is around $ 265 with rollers .
If you are confused read more posts and understand this engine timing . thoroughly before you tackle it . There are enough other things to get right on reassembly, timing should be clear in your mind . Its really not that hard .
This post goes into cam positions .
https://www.f150forum.com/f107/timin...-322879/index2

redfishtd

Mine were marked from factory . The orientation- position etc must stay the same . Be gentle with cams .
I will put you to a post that covers cam bolt sequence . It basically is from the middle out . Do bolts a little at a time in sequence to not stress cam . Use a torque wrench .

https://www.f150forum.com/f4/did-tim...352078/index2/

redfishtd

Use 32 mm socket on crank/keyway . Some guys report bending their align tool trying that .

Mikegws

Thank you so much for your replies redfishtd. Just to make sure we are on the same page, I have purchased rebuilt heads and I am replacing all the timing parts, gears, chains, tensioners, phasers and the plastic guides/slides. Thus cams are not in the same position as the heads have been remanufactured. I have re read all the information in the manual and searched here on the site and I feel that I have the knowledge to install the new parts. I will rotate the engine by hand after installing the timing parts to verify there is no interference. By the way I did install the Melling oil pump with the high volume one you suggested and found that there was a very clean oil pan with no debris or sludge! Love that Mobil One.

redfishtd

I understand your point of rebuild , I just don't know what the machine shop does with the heads exactly .
Yes I like synthetic oil but I will not stretch the interval after what I've seen . Carbon blow by in oil is bad in any kind of oil . Get it out of there soon . Once sludge starts its causes all kind of problems to get it out of there .Use mc filters from wally world they are cheap .
Let us know when shes running sweet !

Mikegws

I have pulled the cams and have right side head installed, the toughest when doing it in vehicle. A little lunch and then the left bank. Yes soaking the lash adjusters as we speak. Will clean all the head topside and use breaking lube on all moving parts. I don't go over 5000 on oil changes, seems to be working for me. Will keep you informed on my progress.

Mikegws

Both heads installed cams installed, timing gears chains installed and lined up. Have installed all the lash adjusters and cam followers. Checked all my work and decided it was time to rotate the engine. I did not have any interference through 4 complete revolutions, did hear a click but believe it was the spring in one of the lash adjusters popping back up. Interesting though, after completing the 4 th revolution the timing chain marks did not line back up. ( black links on the chains with the marks on the crank gear and the phaser gears). Didn't sleep well is this suppose to be this way as the ratio of the gears is different?

Mikegws

Reverified all timing is correct and cams are where they should be at TDC 1, all bolts torqued correctly, cleaned up inside timing area and going to install timing cover now. Will add lube to chains just prior to cover install. Next step valve covers then plugs and then intake.

redfishtd

It freaked me out too . It takes many revs to ever get the magic links all lined up ,that's normal . Someone calculated it takes something like 122 rev's . Some gentle soul explained it to me on here . I learn something on here daily .
When you are ready to crank for test , hold gas pedal to floor and it won't start . That will get some oil flowing but it will not come up on gauge as some one told me it would . I did about 5 cranks for a few seconds each to try . I pre filled my new oil filter, which is something I had never tried before . I had stucco pan under her to catch drips .
The manifold is going to smoke some due to your hand oiling the cams . I wiped up as much as possible first .

Make sue your crank sensor tone ring goes back in correct side out ,it is marked front . Make sure crank sensor plug is seated while installing timing cover .Its really tight down there by ac unit . Check your cam sensor plugs are on . All injector plugs normal .All cops connected normal . Hand burp your anti freeze hoses to get air out ,you will see it in recovery tank .