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How To - The Proper way to time your MPS
Hi guys
This is my first proper How To hope you like it, this doesn't take long i can do the whole procedure within 4hr's by myself also don't even try this without the crank pin and cam tool listed below
The proper way to time a mps motor
Tool's you will need make sure they are all clean when working on the inside of an engine:
1/4" socket set - to 13mm if you can get one most come to 12mm
1/2" socket set - must have from 10mm up to size 24mm and spark plug socket
a Torx socket set - size needed is a T-25 i think from memory
8mm - 19mm open end ring spanner
24mm open end spanner
A crank TDC pin - Top Dead Center Peg | SURE Motorsports
A camshaft alignment tool - Cam Alignment Tool | SURE Motorsports
A harmonic balancer holding device - i made my own it secures to the subframe its a bit dodge but works a treat, the mazda one is horribly expensive and they wont sell it to you
A grinder/ dremel just in case - that water pump is a complete n utter bastard of a thing, well in my case it was i'll explain later
An engine crane and/or support bar - the crane is the most necessary thing
shop mats - less paint damage
white permanent pen - some thing to mark on steel and plastic
New Engine oil and filter
A magnetic bolt tray - you dont loose your bolt this way
A magnetic bolt retriever - cant go wrong with it as its one of the most helpful tools you can buy
1/2" torque wrench
1/4" torque wrench
A set of ratchet spanner's are a big time saver and almost a must
Flat head Screwdriver
Parts you will need/should be doing all at once:
Timing chain
Tensioner arm/chain guides
A new tensioner (not 100% necessary)
VVT (if you are doing it)
Crank bolt (cam bolts & washers to if you want)
Prematex Gray silicone sealant (its the best for the job)
Ok now first thing is to make sure your motor is cold as bolt's that screw into aluminium may grab and strip next take your battery out and wash your engine - steam clean/ degreaser and a water rinse (please dont use high pressure around your rocker cover as it may force water under the rubber seal and could damage coil packs) after its dry loosen the front right wheel, jack it up and put it on stands or hoist if you have one (lucky bastards :)) and take the wheel off, mark where the crank angle sensor is on the front engine cover and remove it.
It might be easier for some people to do this part before they jack it up, take out the battery tray, TMIC/FMIC piping, TIP & CAI/SRI. Now unplug the wiring loom that goes to your coil packs completely and take off the golden steel plate that attaches to it and the fuel pump, disconnect the two thick black lines (see pic 1), with a 17mm and a 19mm spanner undo the fuel line under the pump fuel will come out another reason why the engine should be cold (here's a handy hint grab a zip tie and before you undo the fuel line and zip the zip tie up tight around the metal feed line this stops the metal nut on it falling down through the gap there), remove the fuel pump from the housing around the cam and put it off to one side.
Next take the fuel pump cam housing off (some oil will come out), coil packs out, spark plugs out and disconnect the loom that goes over the rocker cover, dump the engine oil now undo the rocker cover, grab your 14mm spanner and pull down on the tensioner nut and take the drive belt off (take's a bit of effort to move and hold the tensioner), take the P/Steering pump off which is three 12mm bolts two on top one underneath (12mm ratchet spanner for this one arm in from the intake side of the pump) i zip tie it to my radiator support to get it out of the way.
Now the water pump, you have to remove the black steel pulley 3 12mm bolts, i ended up having to completely remove the pump the first time because the bolts were completely pressure seized tried heat/rattle gun and everything ended up having grind them off then they undid by hand, now i use a bolt with a washer and a bit of lock tight, hasn't come slack yet and i check it every few days to make sure been 3 months so.....
Remove the rocker cover and rotate the crank clockwise till you see the slots in the cam ends (gearbox end) almost line up with but above the horizonal metal of the head (the inlet cam might not be in the exact same position as the exhaust cam due to chain slack but will be only slightly off) put you crank pin in and rotate the crank till you feel it touch the pin now the engine is at tdc, check your cam end make sure they are aligned at tdc too (if not crank pin out and repeat till aligned).
now attach your harmonic balancer holder to the balancer and undo the crank bolt, Put your rocker cover back over your motor so no dirt/crap get's in, attach the engine to the engine crane/support and remove the drivers side engine mount completely now remove the idler pulley now rocker cover off and undo the engines front cover bolt's and use the tabs to pry it off with a screwdriver to reveal the inside of the engine.
Re wash your 8mm & 21mm socket also the 24mm spanner with degreaser and dry it off, try to put your cam tool in the slots provided at the gearbox cam end's, the exhaust cam is generally at TDC with the crank and will slot in nicely the inlet cam on the other hand can be slightly off and you have to put your 24mm spanner on to the hex point provided on the inlet cam and try to align it (you might have to undo the VVT bolt first) so the cam tool slots evenly in to the slots and loosen the VVT and exhaust cam bolt while holding the cam in place with the 24 mm spanner, now remove the tensioner (i just hold it in place as i undo the bolt's) put it in a vice or a clamp (you can do it with you fingers if your strong enough) press the ratchet lever back and press the tensioner in and insert a metal pin in the hole BEHIND the ratchet lever (take your time don't crush the tensioner at all it will take a bit of fiddling to get the lever to reveal the hole you actually have to release the tensioner back a bit to get it to click into its lock to reveal the hole), remove the chain and tensioner arm and chain guide now clean all the old sealant of the mating surfaces of the engine and front cover.
And that's the disassemble complete (Big pat on the back if you made it this far).
New Parts Install Time. grab your torque wrenches, Now put your new chain on (make sure its clean and dip it in some fresh engine oil first), i haven't done a VVT yet so wont comment on install but i'm getting the DCR unit soon so i will update this post when i install it.
Put your chain guide on (right hand side of the chain) 2 bolts finger tight first then tighten to between 8nm - 11.5nm, tensioner arm on next it just slots on and now the tensioner put it on finger tight first then tighten to between 8nm - 11.5nm and pull the pin in the tensioner it should release and take up the slack just give the arm a gentle press to see if the slack has been taken up nicely, now tighten the bolt's on the cams while holding them in place with the 24mm spanner (you dont want to twist these) to between 69 -75nm and remove the cam tool silicone the front cover and put the bolts back in finger tight wait an hour and let it set then tighten to between 8nm - 11.5nm, put the harmonic balancer back on insert a M6 bolt through the hole in the balancer and bolt it (not tight) into the front cover put the new crank bolt in and tighten up the bolt to between 89nm - 104nm and remove the crank pin and the little M6 bolt in the harmonic balancer, rotate 2 turns, crank pin back in, back to TDC, check that the cams are still aligned (don't remove the crank pin yet).
if they are then you have done a good job and the engine is now properly timed if not then repeat till you get it right, you should be able to slot the cam tool back into the ends of the cams
Put the M6 bolt back in the harmonic balancer (not tight) and tighten the Crank bolt another 87 - 93 degrees now its set
Remove the crank pin
Now just reverse the removal procedure and your done :D all 8mm headed bolts tighten to between 8nm - 11.5nm
On first start up remove the injection fuse and unplug the coil packs give it a couple of turns to build oil pressure, plug it all back in and fire it up and :burnout:
