How to replace the timing belt on a Ford 2.3L Lima SOHC

A timing belt job on the Ford 2300 is a Saturday-morning repair if you set it up right. These are the steps, the one tension rule that matters, and the mistakes to avoid.

This guide covers replacing the timing belt and tensioner on a Ford 2.3L SOHC "Lima" engine. For torque values and any part that is specific to your year and model, use the factory service manual. We list the steps in the order we would do them.

Tools and parts

• Ratchet and socket set, and a torque wrench
• Paint pen or marker for timing marks
• New timing belt in the right tooth count (see which belt you need)
• New timing belt tensioner
• A conventional 10mm hex bolt with a washer, for the tensioner (see step 6)
• Pulley puller, if your crank pulley is stuck
• Factory service manual for your year and model

Steps

1. Prepare the engine. Disconnect the battery. Remove the fan and shroud, the accessory drive belts, and anything else in the way of the front cover.
2. Expose the timing belt. Remove the timing belt cover and, if needed, the crank pulley.
3. Set the engine at top dead center on number 1. Turn the engine by hand in its normal direction of rotation until the crank mark lines up with the TDC pointer. Check that the cam gear and intermediate shaft gear marks also line up with their reference marks. If the marks are faint, mark them with a paint pen. Do not turn the engine over once the belt is off.
4. Release the tensioner and take off the old belt. Look at the old belt before you throw it away: missing or cracked teeth, oil on the belt, or a loose or noisy tensioner bearing all point to the cause of the problem.
5. Replace the tensioner. The stock two-piece tensioner can separate, and its bearings are held by a weak rivet that fatigues over time. Fit the Esslinger H.D. tensioner.
6. Use a 10mm bolt, not the old spring. The H.D. tensioner does not come with the roll pin for the OEM spring on purpose. Use a conventional 10mm hex bolt with a washer instead. It holds the tensioner on a larger surface area and lets you set the tension properly.
7. Fit the new belt. Place it around the crank gear first, then the intermediate shaft gear, then the cam gear, and last around the tensioner. Keep the belt snug on the side without the tensioner so the marks stay lined up.
8. Set the tension. You should be able to twist the belt between 45 and 90 degrees between the cam and intermediate shaft gears. Do not go tighter than that. Too tight risks burning up the front cam bearing or bending the bearing axle in the tensioner.
9. Check the timing. Turn the engine over by hand two full revolutions and check that the crank, cam and intermediate shaft marks line up again at top dead center. If any mark is off, release the tensioner and move the belt one tooth at a time.
10. Put it back together. Refit the covers, crank pulley and accessory belts, and tighten fasteners to the torque in your manual. Recheck the belt after the first heat cycle.

Mistakes to avoid

• Fitting a belt with the wrong tooth count.
• Over-tightening the belt.
• Reusing the old tensioner on a new belt.
• Turning the engine while the belt is off.

Fitting an adjustable cam gear while you are in there?

If you are also fitting a cam or an adjustable cam pulley, set the gear at its zero mark first, check the timing, and then make your advance or retard adjustment. See the cam pulley guide for what the adjustment does.