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Can't Find Rocker Arms


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neowicked313
New User
neowicked313 profile image

May 5, 2015, 11:29 PM

Post #1 of 11 (1991 views)
Can't Find Rocker Arms Sign In

1996 Ford Contour 2.0 litre, 138,257 Miles

Okay, so I have (embarrassingly enough) never pulled apart a small four banger before, and I just picked this car up for $175 due to the multiple problems it had. I've pretty much got everything else taken care of, and the car will crank now, but it sounds like either broken rocker arms or busted lifters. Right before my uncle sold me the car, he blew out his timing belt and had it replaced, but a quick look tells me that the valves are not bent, so I figured it was something in the valve train. However, after pulling the valve cover off, I discovered something odd. I can't seem to find the rocker arms or lifters anywhere underneath it! Now on the V6 and V8 engines that I have worked on (mainly being Chevy and GM motors) the rocker arms are right there under the valve cover. So what's different on a 4cyl? Where'd they go? Not putting it back together and cranking it again until I'm fairly sure the motor won't be screaming at me anymore, so any help would be greatly appreciated.


(This post was edited by neowicked313 on May 6, 2015, 11:06 AM)


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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May 6, 2015, 1:26 AM

Post #2 of 11 (1977 views)
Re: Can't Find Rocker Arms Sign In

This car and engine is one different bird. I mean no harm but most people wouldn't fix one of these up because of expense probably at least needing a whole reman cylinder head, a couple were made for the 2.0 so would need to know VIN# to match.


Take a look at one listing for just getting at to replace lifters what you will encounter here..............
http://www.autozone.com/...tId=0996b43f80cadd24


Do let others chime in. Sorry to say these cars were so much trouble from the get go (about 3 known to me) all just traded out as too much trouble all the time with one thing or another always involved and expensive and just gave up.


I'd be careful how much you put into it. Book values may not reflect well. Needing this work doesn't help too much for the investment IMO or to keep and drive if you wanted to,


T



Hammer Time
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May 6, 2015, 2:19 AM

Post #3 of 11 (1974 views)
Re: Can't Find Rocker Arms Sign In

I don't know how you have concluded that the valves are not bent when you obviously have never worked on a OHC engine before. OHC engines do not have rocker arms. OHV engines do. This should have a VIN#3 engine which is not supposed to be an interference engine.



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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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May 6, 2015, 3:23 AM

Post #4 of 11 (1965 views)
Re: Can't Find Rocker Arms Sign In

? All are listed as interference motors for 2.0s? Info wrong?


From site ">>CAUTIONThe 2.0L engine is an interference motor. Extending the replacement interval could lead to the belt breaking and severe and costly engine damage. Care must be taken if rotating the crankshaft or camshafts with the belt off, if resistance is felt, do not force them to turn. <<"
Can't say, never knew of one off warranty?
T



Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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May 6, 2015, 3:51 AM

Post #5 of 11 (1962 views)
Re: Can't Find Rocker Arms Sign In

No, they are wrong.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Discretesignals
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May 6, 2015, 4:42 AM

Post #6 of 11 (1958 views)
Re: Can't Find Rocker Arms Sign In

Did you use the special cam alignment tool when you did the timing belt? There are no marks to line up on the cam gears. There are also two marks on the crankshaft damper. The second mark is the correct one.





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neowicked313
New User
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May 6, 2015, 11:03 AM

Post #7 of 11 (1947 views)
Re: Can't Find Rocker Arms Sign In

I didn't do the timing belt on it, that was done before I got it at a Brake Masters I believe. And No I never have worked on a OHC motor before. I would just scrap it and get another car, but this one was my uncles so I'm trying to get it running well again. I checked out the auto zone parts and repair manuals and it said the there are no rocker arms, that the cams push down directly onto the lifters to open the valves, so that solves that problem haha.

All the lifters have little kissing marks around them on the inside of the block, so I'm thinking do I have to replace the lifters, or is there a way to re-adjust them to where they're not scraping up on the edge of the bore?

And yeah VIN#3


(This post was edited by neowicked313 on May 6, 2015, 11:04 AM)


Hammer Time
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May 6, 2015, 4:30 PM

Post #8 of 11 (1924 views)
Re: Can't Find Rocker Arms Sign In

I think you're way out in left field with your assumptions here.

You need to start with a compression test and if it's low I suspect a timing belt problem.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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May 7, 2015, 1:27 AM

Post #9 of 11 (1916 views)
Re: Can't Find Rocker Arms Sign In

From first post you said timing belt broke and was replaced. Did it EVER run OK again after that and without noise?


Then you said in essence by eye it looked OK? Takes a bit more than by eye like tons more. Maybe not looking at exact engine but parts for head, even gasket sets were so expensive and fussy, special tools that most gave up as not worth it. Doesn't seem to be well supported by Ford or at all anymore, a curse when a company does that IMO,


T



neowicked313
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Sep 2, 2015, 5:06 PM

Post #10 of 11 (1752 views)
Re: Can't Find Rocker Arms Sign In

Well, when I am wrong I am wrong. You guys were right I had no idea what i was getting myself into when I started this project, and having never worked on an OHC engine before, no idea what I was looking at under the covers either. I do appreciate all the help and advice, and sorry I was away for a while.

Did end up getting that remanned head and a new timing belt. I was able to puzzle my way around needing most of the specialized tools, however I did have to pick up a timing gun to get it right.

Now I need your help again, however. I've had the contour running great for a few months now, but an overlooked bad motor mount ended up causing me some trouble last week. I don't know exactly what caused it, but the part of the transmission housing where the front motor mount bolts into the tranny broke off. It's not leaking, but there's only about 3/8" of threading left on the housing itself, nowhere near what I would consider enough to safely hold it.

Any advice on repairing that particular snag? Or is it really just time to put the dog down?


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Sep 2, 2015, 5:29 PM

Post #11 of 11 (1748 views)
Re: Can't Find Rocker Arms Sign In

! Do you really mean a chunk of transmission housing broke off and left a threaded hole still? Do you have the part the broke off? If so see if that can be aluminum welded back in place.


Can or is this spot able to "thru bolt" thru whole area and be strong?


IDK - you say 3/8th of an inch of threads are still there and good and if a bolt goes in that far it's possible that's enough?


Awful hard to know and might have to try to see if it will last or bust off even worse quickly?


T







 
 
 






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