Replacing the fibre camshaft gear on a V4

[welshrussell]

Just picked up the cylinder heads from the engineers today - looking very nice, will post some photos soon

The heads have been skimmed, new exhaust seats fitted and some valve guides, now I just need to buy 4 new valves, 4 had worn too badly.

While I was there, the guy mentioned if now would be a good time to have a look at replacing the fibre camshaft centre piece behind the front cover.

This is what the engine looks like now, so obviously access is easy.



How easy/difficult would it be for me to whip off the front cover and replace this part - do I need any special tools and what should I be looking out for

Cheers

[baconsdozen]

You can't get new ones anymore so it will be a question of fitting a secondhand one.That might be as bad or worse than the one that you take out.
The fibre ones tend not to wear as much as break off the teeth usually as a result of high revs on a cold engine.

[Luke]

i wonder if we could get a drawing done and have some made out in steel or ally

mabe if there was enough interest to cover the cost i know if i ran a mk1 V4 i'd be interested in having one as a spare

[baconsdozen]

As far as I know you can still get the steel gears from someone like Burtons.They don't make them but buy them from someone (Quaife I think).They are over the £150 mark.
Alloy or steel wheels are expensive and noisy but do outlast the fibre jobbies.

[welshrussell]

Sounds like I'm better off leaving well alone

I don't think there is anything wrong with it, I was just worried about finishing the rebuild and then someone pipes up....did you check the timing gear - doh

Got the Burton catalogue in front of me, on page 26, there is something called a steel cam gear for a V6 Essex, for £132.95 - is this the item I'm on about

[baconsdozen]

I might be wrong but I think the V6 wheels are balanced differently to the V4.If you really want a V4 one they are listed here.http://www.essexengines.com/ford%20essex%20v4%20engines.htm You'd be looking at around £200 for the kit.

[AlanN]

I thought about changing the one on my V6 cologne until I was quoted £163 +vat

[welshrussell]

I might be wrong but I think the V6 wheels are balanced differently to the V4.If you really want a V4 one they are listed here.http://www.essexengines.com/ford%20essex%20v4%20engines.htm You'd be looking at around £200 for the kit.

Cheers for this Kevin, if I want to take it further, I'll give Burtons a phone for exact spec/price, etc.

[Southerner]

Probably worth taking the cover off to look at it for piece of mind

Don't know on a V4 but doubt it would be much hassle whilst you've the engine out?

[welshrussell]

Probably worth taking the cover off to look at it for piece of mind

Don't know on a V4 but doubt it would be much hassle whilst you've the engine out?

Was glancing through my Haynes and thought I saw reference to some sort of pulling/extractor device needed for the oil seal in the front cover.

So I'm guessing things could be a bit trickier than I first anticipated

Will have a proper read up on this before a spanner goes anywhere near the cover

[ian666]

Hi, I got a steel gear from Burtons for £156. Easy to change, great except for the noise. At certain revs, it sounds like a siren.

Ian

[welshrussell]

Hi, I got a steel gear from Burtons for £156. Easy to change, great except for the noise. At certain revs, it sounds like a siren.

Ian

Thanks Ian.

My engine is still in the van (as per photo) but getting to the front cover is easy.

Was it as simple as just undoing the cover bolts to get at the timing gear

And did you change yours over by just undoing bolts, etc - no need for pullers or special tools

Cause if it is, then I'm seriously tempted to take off the cover to check the teeth on the current timing gear.

When I fitted an electronic ignition kit to the dizzy, that quietened the engine down a bit and made it a lot smoother.

How bothersome is the noise of the steel timing gear really

Your thoughts on this would be appreciated - cheers

[ian666]

Hi, I managed the change without any ¨special¨ tools, and didn´t have a problem. I find the noise from the steel gears very obtrusive, a friend who lives over the road says he knows when the vans going out as he can hear it as soon as it starts. I´ll just have to fit a radio and turn it well up.

Cheers,

Ian

[welshrussell]

Cheers Ian.

If my gear teeth still have a lot of life left in them, I'll leave well alone.

It's a real shame about the noise issue.

I'll just have to keep my eye out for a fibre one

I'll post pics of the teeth as soon as I finish painting and get around to removing the cover.

[madmark]

i run a buton steel gear in my v4