How do you know if a timing chain has jumped time in a 1997 Ford Exploer?

Question

Won't start. New battery,altenator,starter, fuel pump and fuel filter. New spark plugs. Getting gas and spark. Could it be the timing chain could have jumped

Answer 1

Check with your computer in the explorer first. But in all indications it sure sounds like it would be just that. In the older fords it was easy to check. You would put the number one pistion in the firing position and then look at the rotor to see if it was ready to fire. You can see this by the spark plug wire to the rotor caps position to the firing spot. Then mark the small line on the cranck shafts harmonic balancer. If they all line up perfectly then you are good to go. If they are out say 30% it wont start. move your distributor around to see if it will start at all..that will tell you have far out you are.

Answer 2

A compression check should read low on all cylinders if the timing belt is mis-timed.

Of course you could just check the timing belt position if you know where to look and what to look for (s/b available online).

Unless you know that has been touched, the more likely cause is bad ignition timing, so you might want to do a ballpark setup or check on that as well.

Answer 3

check the timing or pull it down and look at the chain. Does the distributor still turn? Put it on a computer tester and see what that says. Take it to a professional who knows about those things.

Answer 4

If it jumped timing gas would be spittimg out of the fuelcanal when you try to start it. Check your distribitor it may be bad