timing belt on 98 2.0 question

I'm replacing the timing belt. When I line the marks up on the bottom pulley the mark on the top pulley is at 1'oclock and when I line up the top pulley with the mark the bottom will go past its mark to 11 o'clock. Nothing was wrong with my car I'm just changing it before I have problems. seems one gear or the other is off a tooth. Do I leave it alone or remove belt and line them up or maybe take bottom pulley off and realign it?

Im going to treat it like the belt broke and line the marks up and see how it runs. That cover is a pain what would happen if i don't reinstall it?

I'm replacing the timing belt. When I line the marks up on the bottom pulley the mark on the top pulley is at 1'oclock and when I line up the top pulley with the mark the bottom will go past its mark to 11 o'clock. Nothing was wrong with my car I'm just changing it before I have problems. seems one gear or the other is off a tooth. Do I leave it alone or remove belt and line them up or maybe take bottom pulley off and realign it?

You don't want to leave it like it is. Normally if the timing belt is off a tooth it's due to the belt tension being on the wrong side of the pulleys:
Starting at the crankshaft, install the new belt in a counterclockwise direction over the pulleys, making sure the camshaft and crankshaft timing marks are aligned. Be sure to keep the belt span tight while installing it over the remaining pulleys.
? Have you removed the starter so you can lock the ring gear and prevent the engine from rotating.
? Have you removed the spark plugs and made sure #1 is on TDC. (Compression stroke)

Im going to treat it like the belt broke and line the marks up and see how it runs. That cover is a pain what would happen if i don't reinstall it?

It shouldn't be a pain if you removed the cover studs. It is a pain if you only removed the nuts. It's necessary to slide the cover back in place to align the crankshaft pulley. To get the timing marks aligned without having to take the cover off and on several times the crankshaft keyway should be at 12:oclock and the camshaft keyway at 6:oclock.

I didn't check to see if it was a tdc or remove starter. I just lined up the mark on the top pulley with the mark on the head. I could see it without removing the back part of cover. With the top lined up the bottom is off a little. When I put it back on I will make sure the bottom is lined up. Does it seem like I cut corners by not removing spark plugs or starter? I'm careful not to let anything rotate while I'm working on it. It ran fine the way it was just doing a little pm.

I didn't check to see if it was a tdc or remove starter. I just lined up the mark on the top pulley with the mark on the head. I could see it without removing the back part of cover. With the top lined up the bottom is off a little. When I put it back on I will make sure the bottom is lined up. Does it seem like I cut corners by not removing spark plugs or starter? I'm careful not to let anything rotate while I'm working on it. It ran fine the way it was just doing a little pm.

atc86r,
**Remove the sparkplugs**
In order to get the proper relationship between the the crankshaft marks and camshaft marks it is necessary to have the belt under tension. (That means the belt should not be loose on the forward side toward the alternator) Without the crankshaft being locked in place, it will move or the camshaft will move and the engine timing will be off. I will try to describe how to do it:
1. Reinstall the front cover just long enough to check that the crankshaft mark is aligned with the TDC mark on the cover. (Rotate the crankshaft clockwise using a wrench on the crankshaft pulley bolt to align.)
2. Remove the starter, and lock the flywheel ring gear with a screwdriver.
3. Loosen the belt tensioner bolts and pry the tensioner back toward the firewall, and tighten the bolts enough to hold it in place.
4. Since you already have the belt on the lower (crankshaft) pulley, align the camshaft with it's timing mark.
5. Starting at the crankshaft thread the timing belt counterclockwise
over the camshaft pulley first, keeping as much tension on the belt as possible and then the other pulleys (TIP: Use a couple of zip-ties around the belt and through the holes on the camshaft pulley will keep it from coming off. Remove the ties after the belt is installed.) making sure the camshaft and crankshaft marks are aligned.
6. Loosen the belt tensioner bolts so the tensioner snaps into place against the belt, and tighten the bolts.
7. Tighten the crankshaft bolt, and re-install the starter.
8. Rotate the crankshaft two complete revolutions and stop on the second revolution at the point where the crankshaft sprocket returns to the TDC position. Verify the camshaft sprocket is also at TDC. Re-install the timing belt cover and verify the pulley and timing cover marks are aligned.
**Caution: If resistance is felt while turning the crankshaft, the valves may be hitting the pistons because the timing is incorrect. Stop and check the timing again. Forcing the crankshaft will damage the engine.
9. Crank the engine to seat the belt.
10. Re-install the timing belt cover and the sparkplugs.
Hope this helps out,

atc86r,
**Remove the sparkplugs**
In order to get the proper relationship between the the crankshaft marks and camshaft marks it is necessary to have the belt under tension. (That means the belt should not be loose on the forward side toward the alternator) Without the crankshaft being locked in place, it will move or the camshaft will move and the engine timing will be off. I will try to describe how to do it:
1. Reinstall the front cover just long enough to check that the crankshaft mark is aligned with the TDC mark on the cover. (Rotate the crankshaft clockwise using a wrench on the crankshaft pulley bolt to align.)
2. Remove the starter, and lock the flywheel ring gear with a screwdriver.
3. Loosen the belt tensioner bolts and pry the tensioner back toward the firewall, and tighten the bolts enough to hold it in place.
4. Since you already have the belt on the lower (crankshaft) pulley, align the camshaft with it's timing mark.
5. Starting at the crankshaft thread the timing belt counterclockwise
over the camshaft pulley first, keeping as much tension on the belt as possible and then the other pulleys (TIP: Use a couple of zip-ties around the belt and through the holes on the camshaft pulley will keep it from coming off. Remove the ties after the belt is installed.) making sure the camshaft and crankshaft marks are aligned.
6. Loosen the belt tensioner bolts so the tensioner snaps into place against the belt, and tighten the bolts.
7. Tighten the crankshaft bolt, and re-install the starter.
8. Rotate the crankshaft two complete revolutions and stop on the second revolution at the point where the crankshaft sprocket returns to the TDC position. Verify the camshaft sprocket is also at TDC. Re-install the timing belt cover and verify the pulley and timing cover marks are aligned.
**Caution: If resistance is felt while turning the crankshaft, the valves may be hitting the pistons because the timing is incorrect. Stop and check the timing again. Forcing the crankshaft will damage the engine.
9. Crank the engine to seat the belt.
10. Re-install the timing belt cover and the sparkplugs.
Hope this helps out,

Great tip with the zip ties thats a good idea. I'm going to save this info for when I do my timing belt. Would you say that your instuctions is start to finish? (also is it the same for the 1999)

Thanks souphound.

Great tip with the zip ties thats a good idea. I'm going to save this info for when I do my timing belt. Would you say that your instuctions is start to finish? (also is it the same for the 1999)

No they are not start to finish, I tailored the instructions to atc86r's situation. About all that's missing is how to verify #1 TDC, removing the starter, locking the ring gear and removing the crankshaft sprocket. Of course the sequence will vary according to if I'm replacing the timing belt as PM or a broken belt. On the older engines such as my 88 GT it was necessary to place tension on the belt by torquing the camshalf sproket in the counterclockwise direction with the crankshaft locked. That is where I came up with the idea of using zip ties so the belt wouldn't slip. This assures good tension on the belt before the tensioner is released against the belt. I use the same method on all the engines with this type of timing belt.
The reason for my note regarding spark plug removal was two fold:
1. In the beginning of the process the car is jacked up to remove the belts etc. To assure #1 is coming up on compression stroke (and not exhaust stroke) I put the transmission in gear and then rotate the Right front wheel while putting my finger in #1 sparkplug hole. I can feel the compression building and stop the crankshaft at the TDC mark on the cover.
2. After installing the timing belt I rotate the crankshaft two revolutions by hand. With the plugs removed, I am able to feel if there is any restriction. With the plugs in, it's hard to tell if the restriction is from compression or interference between the valves and the piston.

atc86r..... as much as I hate to admit it, Alvin here has given a great how-to for changing the timing belt. The only thing I noticed, is having the TDC mark on the belt cover. I'm unsure of the 1.9's but on the 2.0's, there is a notch out of the block right behind the crank pulley. The cover is not needed to set the timing on the 2.0's, but it should be put back on to keep debris out. Also note, on the 2.0's, your tensioner is a wheel, with an allen shaped hole. Get a big enough allen wrench, turn it counterclockwise, then when you have it as far as it can go, insert a smaller allen wrench into the little hole on the opposite side of the wheel(tensioner). Like I said, I know these two things for the 2.0's, but do not know anything of the 1.9's. I thought I was the only one that used zip-ties for that.

yep jet-lee. Used allen wrench to move pulley and another one to hold it in place. The mark is on the head looks like a drill mark. Could just see it looking over the fender well without removing the back of the cover. removing the studs that hold the cover on was the way to go when reinstalling the outer cover. I would say all in all it was a very easy job. I didn't replace my water pump but I did install a new serpentine belt.

yep jet-lee. Used allen wrench to move pulley and another one to hold it in place. The mark is on the head looks like a drill mark. Could just see it looking over the fender well without removing the back of the cover. removing the studs that hold the cover on was the way to go when reinstalling the outer cover. I would say all in all it was a very easy job. I didn't replace my water pump but I did install a new serpentine belt.

Reading the haynes book says to use a allen wrench to hold it also. I think the haynes and chilton are vauge sometimes in fact I think Alvin said it better on how to do the job. Does anyone know of an online discription on how to do it would be great if it had pics. Unless someone is going to make an online how to would be even better. A guy I know said to replace the water pump too while your in there but my dad says if it anit broke dont fix it. ( I imagine it be a good idea to check for any bearing play at least.)

Reading the haynes book says to use a allen wrench to hold it also. I think the haynes and chilton are vauge sometimes in fact I think Alvin said it better on how to do the job. Does anyone know of an online discription on how to do it would be great if it had pics. Unless someone is going to make an online how to would be even better. A guy I know said to replace the water pump too while your in there but my dad says if it anit broke dont fix it. ( I imagine it be a good idea to check for any bearing play at least.)
I wasn't explaining the entire job, just the differences between the 1.9L and the 2.0L.
Alvin here has given a great how-to for changing the timing belt.
He did give a great how-to.

All online how-to's I've found have had no pictures.

I wasn't explaining the entire job, just the differences between the 1.9L and the 2.0L.

He did give a great how-to.

All online how-to's I've found have had no pictures.

That stinks. But thanks for the info

Thanks souphound.

Thanks for the thanks!
I see in subsequent tags where I erred by referring to the timing mark/s on the timing gear cover.....hope this didn't throw you off on the installation.
Jet gave you a nice tid-bit on the tensioner/allen wrench thing. I've had more experience with the older engines and without a reference book to go by, sometime I get them mixed up. My memory ain't what it used to be.
All the best,

Thanks for the thanks!
I see in subsequent tags where I erred by referring to the timing mark/s on the timing gear cover.....hope this didn't throw you off on the installation.
Jet gave you a nice tid-bit on the tensioner/allen wrench thing. I've had more experience with the older engines and without a reference book to go by, sometime I get them mixed up. My memory ain't what it used to be.
All the best,
speaking of online how to. autozone (https://autozone.com/servlet/UiBroker?ForwardPage=/az/cds/en_us/0900823d/80/13/b1/0d/0900823d8013b10d.jsp) has a good one online. You who have done it before is this a good resource on how? it covers Ford Escort/Tracer 1991-1999 1.8-2.0 & DOHC ENGINE. they also have timing cover removal tips (https://autozone.com/servlet/UiBroker?ForwardPage=/az/cds/en_us/0900823d/80/13/b0/c7/0900823d8013b0c7.jsp)