How To Set FRP Cams With Standard Locking Tool

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PumaNoob

New member
Joined
Jul 20, 2009
Messages
2,712
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Under my car
Ive had a few people asking me if i have an FRP cam locking tool, which i dont, or asking me to time up their cams that have been set by a mechanic with the standard tool so down on power.

I dont have the tool, but ive developed a method of using the standard locking tool, so thought id share my findings with you and hopefully it might be of some use to someone else. Its 100% accurate, im using it on my FRP and turbocharged engine with FRP cams. This guide is for people who already know how to set the timing on a standard puma, but dont have the cam locking tool, im sure there is a guide somewhere how to do it, if not then ill do one!

Ok, so first of all, how i worked out the method.
I measured an FRP locking tool, and it advances the exhaust cam 2 degrees, which is 4 crank degrees. I then measured the radius from the centre of the crank to where the zetec se crank locking tool hits the crank, and found that every extra mm you push the crank, is exactly 1 degree. This is only the case up to about 20 degrees though as the crank degrees reduce after this due to upward motion, but for this purpose its plenty!

Ok, so the math bit is out the way. Heres what you need:
You need a standard zetec cam locking tool (same on most zetecs & duratecs)
a zetec se crank locking pin
a 1.8/2.0 zetec silvertop locking pin (not sure if its the same as blacktop but its longer then a zstec se pin).
You also need a digital caliper or something that can measure accurately.

You measure the zetec se crank locking pin, and cut the larger zetec silvertop pin exactly 4mm bigger! I cut it 4.5mm bigger and then filed it down until it was perfect. Make sure you take your measurements from under the head to the end of the pin, as the head size might be different.

Once done, you tighten your crank pulley bolt, then set your inlet cam with the standard tool and crank locking pin & tighten the pulley. Then you rotate the crank anti clockwise a little, keeping the locking tool in place, and with the exhaust cam pulley still loose. The variable cam mechanism will allow this rotation, it will rotate the pulley, but not the cam!! Then you insert the "new locking pin" youve made, making sure it goes all the way in until tight., then rotate the crank back fully clockwise until you hit the pin. That sets your crank exactly 4 degrees retarded, and your inlet cam 2 degrees retarded, or another way to put it would be your exhaust cam 2 degrees advanced!! With the crank tight on your new locking tool, you tighten the exhaust cam pulley, and your done!! Take out the cam locking tool and the new crank locking pin, and rotate the crank clockwise twice by hand, then insert the original locking pin and lock the crank to it again you should be able to put the cam locking tool in the inlet cam, but not the exhaust cam. Then rotate the crank a few degrees anti clockwise, insert your new pin, and rotate the crank clockwise again until it hits the pin and you should be able to insert the cam locking tool in the exhaust cam.

If all went to plan, you remove locking tool and locking pin, put the blanking bolt back in, put your cam cover and belt cover back on, and turn over the engine!

This method was made, tried, and tested by myself, and guarenteed to work if you follow the steps above. It might seem long winded, but it takes 10 mins to make the new locking pin, and once its done, it takes about 5 mine more then using a standard tool. For how much you will actually change your cam belt, its not worth most people getting the FRP specific locking tool unless you work on a lot of FRP's!

If there are any questions or comments, or anybody wants to add to this, feel free, its just something i thought might help people out a little as the tool is hard to come by.

If i get time, i will add pics and dimensions if its more helpful.
 
Lol, I'm not so clever mate, just too poor to be able to afford specialist tools, and not prapared to go to Pumabuild and get bent over!! Thanks anyway, I hope the guide is useful!
 
PumaNoob said:
Lol, I'm not so clever mate, just too poor to be able to afford specialist tools, and not prapared to go to Pumabuild and get bent over!! Thanks anyway, I hope the guide is useful!


lol mate go there you'l get bent over time and time again after having to return to them to fix what they break each time!

woulsnt take out to those bunch of monkeys!!
 
I actually went to see Alan at PB, & it seems I'm guilty of jumping on the band wagon. When I asked him about the prices for stuff, he broke it down and it made more sence. If I splashed out money to get a tool developed, I'd probably charge a bit more to make my money back. I can't vouch for the work carried out, but I have to eat humble pie and admit when I went down there for help on an unrelated matter, Alan took a good few hours to help me find some info I was looking for, on something that he was going to make no money on. And on a few items, Pumabuild have actually been the best priced, although I never would have usually gone there because of negative press I've read. Everybody is entitled to an opinion, but I just don't want to be a 2 faced tw*t when the guy has helped me out!! :lol:
 
just read this guide as my friend has just remmaped and cammed his 1.4 rover 25 and now has 125 bhp!!! keeps up with my 1.7 almost but its decatted so pulls away at high rpm!,i might consider this anti bending over method of cam upgrade :)
 
PumaNoob
You used this pin to make longer tool?
It is thicker in diameter than std pin - is it a problem?
I only need to cut it and my L2 must be L1+4mm ?
DSC_0013.jpg


thank you
 
Hi mate, I didn't use that tool, I made my own from threads bar, but that tool will work out better! The thicker shaft makes no difference so it will be fine, it's a little but more awkward to get in the hole as it's quite restricted around there, but it will definitely work as mine is even thicker then that.

I've recently looked at an FRP locking tool and it looked a looked a lo more then 2 degrees, so before you cut it, let me triple check it's not 4 cam degrees (which would be 8mm on the crank locking tool).
 
Ok after checking the cad drawings for the locking tool (Thanks Simon for the drawings) it is indeed 2 cam degrees and 4 crank, so 4mm longer pin will work perfect!!
 

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