How Do You Change The Timing Belt On A 1981 Through 1986 1.6 Ford Escort?
The timing belt on the 1981 through 1986 1.6 Escort has a life expectancy of 60,000 miles before stretching to far for the tensioner to operate effectively. The engine has been identified as an interference engine in which a failure of the timing belt is most likely to cause major damage to the engine. Never turn the crankshaft with the timing belt off. This recommendation is based on the previous service history of this particular engine. Remove the accessory belts and the timing cover. Remove the lower splash guard and the crankshaft pulley bolt. Remove the crankshaft pulley. Turn the crankshaft clockwise until the mark on the crankshaft sprocket is lined up with the mark on the block. The mark on the block is shaped like a V and is on a raised piece. Check the camshaft timing marks. The camshaft sprocket has a hole with a raised V in it–line this up with the hole in the top of the block. Loosen the tensioner bolts and push the tensioner away from the belt then lightly tighten the b
