Ford 3M4Z-6256-BA
Actuator

The first step involves putting a hoisted vehicle in NEUTRAL before proceeding with camshaft removal and replacement. The first step is to remove the accessory drive belt along with the underbody cover if present by unfastening 7 screws. Follow the procedure by removing the Variable Camshaft Timing (VCT) solenoid and verify all valve clearances. The crankshaft pulley bolt requires clockwise rotation until the pulley hole reaches the 6 o'clock mark to correctly position the No. 1 piston at Top Dead Center. Place the Camshaft Alignment Plate within slots on both camshafts after which automatic transaxle vehicles must lose their 2 halfshaft carrier bracket bolts and extract the right halfshaft from the transmission. Attach the Crankshaft TDC Timing Peg through the engine plug bolt to stop the crankshaft motion beyond TDC. A standard 6 mm x 18 mm bolt should receive hand-tightening as it passes through the crankshaft pulley until inserted into the front cover. Next, extract both lower and upper timing hole plugs from the engine front cover. The Camshaft Alignment Plate needs installation in the rear position of the intake camshaft alone. Through the lower front cover timing hole a small tool will release the ratcheting mechanism in the time chain tensioner. An assistant should rotate the exhaust camshaft clockwise to collapse the timing chain tensioner plunger. Place an M6 x 30 mm bolt in the upper front cover timing hole to keep the tensioner arm extended before removing the bolt along with its corresponding exhaust camshaft drive gear to avoid camshaft rotation. Before proceeding extract the Camshaft Alignment Plate and the timing chain from the intake camshaft drive gear alongside making notes about the lobe positions relative to the No. 1 cylinder. You should loosen the intake camshaft bearing cap bolts starting from the specified sequence to free all tension before removing the bolts and bearing caps when extracting the intake camshaft. First identify the installation references for the camshaft phaser and sprocket and the camshaft before putting the camshaft in a soft-jawed vise to uninstall the camshaft phaser and sprocket bolt. During new part installation keep reference marks from disassembly and apply them to the replacement components. Mount the camshaft in a soft-jawed vise followed by camshaft phaser and sprocket installation along with bolt tightening to 72 Nm (53 lb-ft). The intake camshaft gets installed when the Camshaft Alignment Plate slots face each other and the No. 1 cylinder lobes hold their original position from disassembly. The intake camshaft journals and bearing caps require engine oil lubrication before installing both components while the bolts need sequential tightening at three stages starting from finger tight up to 7 Nm (62 lb-in) and finishing at 16 Nm (142 lb-in). Before installing the timing chain onto the intake camshaft drive gear you need to add the Camshaft Alignment Plate. Place the exhaust camshaft drive gear into the timing chain then fasten it onto the exhaust camshaft using hand torques on the bolt. Release the tensioner arm by removing the M6 x 30 mm bolt before tightening the exhaust camshaft drive gear bolt to 72 Nm (53 lb-ft) without letting the camshaft rotate. First uninstall the Camshaft Alignment Plate together with the 6mm x 18mm bolt and the Crankshaft TDC Timing Peg. Apply silicone gasket and sealant to the lower timing hole plug threads before installing it and achieving 12 Nm (106 lb-in) torque. The engine plug bolt needs installation followed by torquing to 20 Nm (177 lb-in). Automatic transaxle vehicles need the RH halfshaft along with its respective two halfshaft carrier bearing bracket bolts to be tightened to 40 Nm (30 lb-ft). After installing the underbody cover with its seven screws users should proceed to add the accessory drive belt before fitting the VCT solenoid.

Install the Camshaft Alignment Plate in the slots on the rear of both camshafts.