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p1381 again and again and again

9

98svtclone

CEG'er
Joined
Oct 16, 2009
Messages
101
Location
york,pa
well i have had some problems with this car, 1998 se with 2.0l zetec. first problem was the timing belt blew on my way to work, had all that fixed to the finr tune of 700 bucks. a month or less later the CEL is on. took it to my uncles ford shop and had it diagnosed. found that it was in a TSB 03-15-14/or code p1381. mechanic said it would need a solenoid(pt#f8cz6l713aa) a sprocket(pt# f8cz6256aa) and a bolt-o nloc?? (pt#ys4z6m282aa). all this was replaced. picked up the car and later that night it was back to the same condition (code 1381) again. was told that timing could be a tooth off or that it neeeds re-done again. and now of course the mechanic says " ill see what i can find out". so is this common??? and what can be done about it, i was told by a friend that a focus part can be used to eliminate this????? or what can i do??? please help, and please dont say "search the forums". thanks
 
Did the shop installing the new timing belt follow the ford timing belt installation to the letter. If not you could certainly get that code. Unlike many other cars, you must follow Ford's procedure to the letter to not only get your valve timing correct but the belt tension as well. As I and many others on this site have found out, improper (too tight) tension will cause the belt to walk to one end of the pulley and shred the belt in short order.

Best of luck
 
sounds like the timing belt wasnt installed correctly and as such the timing is off on the VCT cam.
 
hmmmm. i would imagine he followed that because he gave me a copy of it.... and he is a retired ford mechanic
 
The 98 and later tours are different animals. As I read your original post, it lead me to believe that the mechanic was not well versed in VCT engine valve timing when he suggested that it might be off by a tooth.

The correct way to change out a belt on this engine involves loosening the cams from the pulleys, installing the alignment bar on the end of the cams, finding top dead center (bar and tdc tool come as a kit), setting belt tension then tightening everything up. While you can sometimes get away without all of that, the spring loaded vCT makes it a real bugger to do correctly.

Of course before you recheck, make certain that the VCT solenoid on top of the valve cover is plugged in.
 
well they called my vin number in to a ford hotline and i guess explained the situtaion and thats the reply they got back from ford about checking the timing to make sure its not off a tooth. and the vct solenoid is plugged in but it was like all the others i am sure( the rubber coating on the wires rubbed off and were touching) but that was fixed awhile ago.....
 
IF your cel was not on before the timing belt went and is on now I'd get hold of the ford tsb on setting timing on your VCT engine, get the timing tool kit and follow the tsb to the letter. In all likelihood installing the belt per ford will sort out your problem
 
out of ideas

out of ideas

If that is the case, then I am out of ideas. However if it was me, I'd do it over as there is really no good way to check the work just to eliminate that as a possibility.
 
bout to put a rag in the tank and light it...BOOM. paid 3000 for car + 3000 for repairs SEEING THE CAR GO boom -PRICELESS
 
I don't get why it cost you $700 to have the first belt replaced. Someone got screwed..... Anyway, if replacing all of that didn't fix the issue you paid to have fixed, you are due a refund. That code does not always or usually mean the VCT is bad. It does usually mean the timing is not set right. Honestly, if you can change your own oil, you can do the timing belt on this car. Just follow my how-to posted here. If you are a more visual learner, I sell a video that shows how to do the timing on this car including how to set the cam gears neutral to the belt as the TSB describes. I sell it for $13.50 shipped in the U.S. If I was doing the work, I would get a new Gates or OEM parts and replace all of the plastic pullies and belt. You will also want to get the updated single piece crank gear if you don't already have it. The part numbers are in the how-to.
 
I agree with everyone else, the timing is off. The timing procedure for this car is very, very different from any other and a special tool (cam alignment bar) is required. That mechanic owes you either money or to redo the job.
 
it doesn't matter if the mechanics don't want to look at it. if you paid 700 bucks to have a job done and it wasn't done properly then you tell them that they will look at it or you will get a refund, i had a stealership do my alignment and the couldn't get it right, three times i took it back until it was right. and the code you're having, i had it to, reset my timing four times without loosening the cam sprockets and within 150 miles the cel would be on again. i finally set the timing the proper way and my car runs better, better MPG's, it's quieter, it's a whole different creature. so i would take it back and make them do it again, or get a refund and follow zx2's walk through. setting your timing is not a hard thing to do.
 
Timing Chain

Timing Chain

98svtclone said:
well thats lovely. i dont do timing and the mechanic dont wanna look at it?????
Click to expand...
Here is what happened to my 1998 2.0L... I had to replace the timing chain 3 times the first I replaced it the timing chain broke withinn a week, Ford put another on it broke within another week...Found out the timing chains were recalled on the 98's and were remodified ( not sure how), but the ford dealer found the new one and replaced it... Maybe have the mechanic check into the modified timing chain.. Never cost me a cent after I paid for the first one!
 
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