I'm working on my neighbor's kid's 1998 Ranger with 2.5/Automatic.

The truck has 179k on it, with what I'm sure is/was the original timing belt. I installed a new timing belt and the engine had a nasty clatter when started, but ran really smooth. We shut it off after 5 seconds.

I removed the cylinder head expecting to see damage to the valves or pistons and couldn't find any contact marks.

If the valves didn't hit the pistons, then why the clatter? When a timing belt goes on a 2.5, do the pistons not hit the valves?

Maybe something is bent so slightly it's not visible to the eye...

Any tips or advice is much appreciated.

Thanks,

-Chris

 

Chances are the lash adjusters bled down while you turned the cam while putting on the new belt. Had you run it a bit oil pressure would have filled them and the clatter would have left. kotzy

 

BAH!

So it's NOT an interference motor... dang it. I just went through all this extra work to pull the head.

Thanks for the advice. I guess I'll put the old head back on it.

Quick question for ya... I noticed a diamond shaped timing mark on the cam sprocket, and a diamond for the oil pump sprocket. I'm supposed to align the sprockets with the matching shape correct?

 

I'm not sure if they changed anything on the 2.5 as too marks perhaps someone else can answer your question. kotzy

 

THE 2.5 IS A NON-INTERFERANCE ENGINE. I agree with Kotzy IT WAS PORABLY THE OIL PRESSURE. Someone was just posting last week that he had a clicking after the timing belt replacement. He had not primed the oil pump and the noise went away after a few minutes.. dID YOU CONSIDER HAVING THE HEAD CLEANED UP AND INSPECTED WHILE IT IS OFF

You sound like you know what you are doing but you must remember.....DIAGNOSE AND THEN REPLACE........

 

I have never changed a belt on one of these, however I have read a lot of threads on them. from what I understand you line the key strainght up on the crank. Then you line up the marks on the cam and the oil pump with there matching marks.

*I am not sure how you prime the oil pump I wonder if you could pull the fuel pump relay and crank it for a while?