2.3L timing sequence help!

my 90' stang with a 2.3L jumped a few timing marks and now it wont start, me and my head mechanic were trying to figure this out, we got the top dead center right, the distributor is pointed at the number 1 spark plus and is in line with the notch on the harmonic balancer, we cant find out where the cam gear goes, there was a plastic marking on the cover that we origionally had it lined up with but when we tried to start it nothing at all, where is the dot on the cam line up to?
if anyone has got a diagram that would be great if not an explanation would help!

Pull the spark plugs. Line up the crank so that the timing pointer lines up at TDC (zero degrees). Pull the cover off, and rotate the cam until the pointer on the sprocket (a little inward pointing triangle) lines up with the pointer on the head (at approx. 5:30, if looking at the cam sprocket). Back off the tensioner, and install the belt. When installing the belt, start at the crank, go around the aux. shaft sprocket, and onto the cam sprocket. Make sure there is no slop in the belt on the aux. shaft side. Run it by the tensioner, and release the tensioner. Replace the cover, but remove the plug in the center, by the head. Rotate the engine by hand through 4 crank revolutions, and double check the timing marks. If they are still good, snap the button it, put in the plugs, attach the wires, and go racing!

humm that sounds exactly like what i did today, mabey my valves are bent and thats why it wont start...
thanks fore the help

humm well i went out there and tried everything again
my cam gear is right on (around 5:30 like u said) my harmonic balancer is TDC (i checked by taking out the spark plug and feeling for it)
my distributor is at the #1 spark plug and when i turn over the egine 4 times they line up bang on, i cant find out whats wrong with this damn thing,
i dont know much about ford but i know engines and there all basically the same principles,

i might as well start from the begining,
i went to race my friend and i dumped the clutch at 3000 and all my flywheel bolts snapped (dont ask how but they did) well this made the time throw off a few teeth so it wouldnt start, no im beliving the timing is on but still not fire,
its possible but i think my valves could be bent, what else could be wrong?

Is the starter able to turn the motor over at all? If it does, you may able to check for bent valves by checking the compression at each cylinder

Is the starter able to turn the motor over at all? If it does, you may able to check for bent valves by checking the compression at each cylinder
Yes, that would be a good start. Also check fuel and spark. Are you getting either?

the starter does turn the motor over, yes i am getting fuel, i stuck my finger in the spark plug hole and turned the car over, got a finger full of gas, my suspicion is bent valves...
ill check them out tommorow

i stuck my finger in the spark plug hole and turned the car over, got a finger full of gas,

Yikes!
Make sure you are in a well ventilated area and have a fire extinguisher handy.
By the way, no smoking.


:smokin:

lol it will only fire if theres a spark and i took the spark plug out to test for compression and gas

i got it running the timing just needed to be tuned a lil bit
god damn thing though
i took it for a boot around the block and it ran excellent then i drove about 3 min away from my house the the car just died while i was driving!!
son of a bitch im going to kill that god damn thing

ive had it with this 2.3 crap
this weekend im pulling the motor and making room for a chevy 350

Chevy motor into a Ford? Why not just get a 351 or such Ford motors?

i took it for a boot around the block and it ran excellent then i drove about 3 min away from my house the the car just died while i was driving!! 350

Maybe it got homesick?

What kind of sounds did it make when it died? Did it die quietly or did it stutter loudly?

it reved up a bit then studdered and jerked a bit, then it sounded like something was spinning freely, i think i thew a piston, today i tried to bump start it and a sevearly loud grinding noise was herd as well as a hella lotta black smoke
this weekend im pulling the engine and im going to put a carburated chevy 350 in it, this should be an interesting winter project

ill take apart the engine this weekend and find out what happened

If you can, post up some pictures of the broken internals. Some people rubberneck to see car accidents, call me crazy, but I like broken internals.
:screwy: :screwy:

yeah i will when i tear the engine down

scrap the chevy 350 idea,
i just picked up a 94 gt 5.0L for dirt cheap cause it was a theft recovery
im gonna part out my 90 now

I have an 89 ford mustang 2.3 liter. I was doing a top end gasket re-build and its all back together now and i went to put a new timing belt on and the bottom pulley (the one that is on the bolt with the pistons, im not good with names but i know how to fix shit haha) anyways, there is a special tool, but is there a way around the tool? that and, how do i setup my timing cause i turned the crank. :-x

dude, if you put a chevy 350 in that car i will personally come to your house and break it. that's the last thing you want to do to that car, except maybe ram it into a tree.

yes, a 351 is more expensive. i know this, i have one, it's gonna be awesome. and by the time it's done i'm gonna be down an arm and possibly even a leg. but trust me, it's worth it if only to preserve the Mustang/Ford tradition. i like ford motors better anyway.

anyway... i have an 86 2.3 notchback, which died recently. i was testdriving it, got the revs up to about 5k, and something popped. motor died and i coasted to a stop. looked under the hood and saw no problems, so pushstarted it and it fired right up. of course, next day the damn thing died again trying to pushstart it. but then i found that the wiring in that car is pretty much officially fucked, so the motor is coming out as soon as i can get a cherry picker in front of it. then out comes the stock suspension, and i get ready to rebuild it.