91 Escort 1.9 ticking noise after timing belt replaced

I just replaced the water pump, timing belt & tensioner on my 91 Escort Pony

1.9L (125K miles)

After completion I noticed a prominent tapping noise that sounds like its coming from valve train, that wasnt there before. I used square tooth belt with square tooth pulleys, that is correct. I am 100% sure the cam and crank are timed together properly, and it idles smoothly so Im sure its not timing.

Is it possible that I didnt get the timing belt tight enough? Does anyone know whether you let the tensioner spring set tension before locking it down, or does additional tension need to be applied before locking it down.???

When I was checking belt timing after I put the belt on, I manually cranked the crankshaft with a 4 in ratchet handle, and moderate pressure, and I had not locked the tensioner yet. During compression stroke the force was strong enough to compress the tensioner spring and slack the belt, I carefully retensioned belt and checked timing marks, they were ok.

Is it possible I damaged the valvetrain when the belt slacked? Possibly I compressed a lifter and it stuck?

Does anyone know if the Ford 1.9L used in Escorts is a interference head.

Thanks in advance for throwing in your 2 cents.

Bytor

Reply to
Bytor
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Well it looks like one of the lifters got stuck while they were compressed. Letting it sit overnight let the air bleed out of it and its running nice and quiet again. I found a Ford service bulletin referring to this condition and they stated that the air will fully purge from lifter by running engine at 3000 RPM for 8 minutes, if it still taps, somethings worn out.

Reply to
Bytor

Very unlikely you hurt anything, like you said it runs smooth. Sounds like you got the belt tight enough, it wasnt loose enough to flop around at all right? Make sure nothing is hitting the cover. Then I would take it for a little spin and see if that noise goes away on its own....let us know.

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Reply to
Scott M

The same thing happened to me 2 weeks ago when I changed my timing belt ( only)(2nd belt change,92k on car,Ist change at 42k) on my 97 1.4. & like you said the tappet noise was very disturbing but went out of the car after a few minuets. Incidently I noticed my old belt was very badly scuffed by the timing cover rubbing against it & also by a little staple thats used to hold on the rubber dust seal (between cover & engine.).

Reply to
Joe B

Just some afterthoughts......The haynes manual recomends locking the engine by removing the starter & chocking the flywheel. This seems a lot of bother & also involves disconnecting the battery. I did not do this but simply put the car in 1st gear,pulled the handbrake tight & tried to remove the crankshaft end nut (19mm) by winding it back a bit & giving the spanner some tap with a hammer. It worked fine but I may have turned the engine back a revolution or two. I am just wondering could this have caused a reverse oil pressure (suction)causing the hydrolic tappets to draw in air (the oil pump been reversed). Just a thought?. The one noise I was listening for after changing the timing belt is a "whirr" type.The last time I changed a belt (2 years ago on a Ford Sierra), I over tightened the belt & had to loosen it a bit afterwards(easy on this model).Overtightening the belt,I imagine is not good for the waterpump,especially if there is a bit of milage on it.

Reply to
Joe B

No.

Reply to
Thomas Moats

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