Focus Exhaust Cams

[c0alition]

Ok.. so ordered focus cams and adjustable cam gears.. my question is, do i absolutely HAVE to use the VCT delete adapter? Can i just get the cam bolts from a focus and slap the cams and gears on.. or will i run into oil leak problems?

[cbman]

I don't even know if the focus cams will fit, but I guess you'll be finding out.

Since you won't have a VCT cam you won't even be able to use the VCT Delete adapter. You're going to have to plug the oil holes in the head that go to the VCT Solenoid.

I've though of one method of plugging the holes:
Use the existing bolt holes in the head to hold a piece of metal over the oil holes in order to plug them. You would probably want to use some RTV on the piece of metal also. All you would have to do is get a piece of metal and dril and tap two holes into it.

[c0alition]

yep.. i guess i will be finding out ha.. i'll let you know how it goes.. but i'll try that method of closing the holes.. i understand now what the vct delete does, it actually deletes vct from a vct gear.. rather than helping non vct not need it. Thanks for the clarification.

[bdiddy]

PM MagicHallucinations

[MagicHallucinations]

PM MagicHallucinations



Seriously Tim:rolleyes: I actually got a pm from him. This "PM MagicHallucinations" needs to stop. It's not funny because people actually take the time to pm me thinking I can help them.


c0alition - I apologized to you for this useless crap. I do not know anything about this but hopefully someone will chime in. Sorry for the inconvenienced.

[bdiddy]

:rofl:

[Nemesis]

Seriously Tim:rolleyes: I actually got a pm from him. This "PM MagicHallucinations" needs to stop. It's not funny because people actually take the time to pm me thinking I can help them.

I agree, Tim grow the **** up.

[bdiddy]

I :rofl: every time you try to post something serious.

[Turbo Zetec 'tour]

IIRC the VCT cams are completely different and so a non-VCT cam wont fit in a VCT head. your best bet would be to buy a stock focus head and swap it with your stock head. from there you can install the focus cams. you will also need a set of cam gears. stockers work fine but adjustable ones work better (i have a set of pre98 cam gears if you want them).

[james99]

you could look into a set of cams for a zx2, they also have vct but im not sure what all goes into installing cams, you may still have to get rid of vct.

[c0alition]

well.. i know i'm getting rid of VCT, we'll probly tap the hole and then just plug it.. i mean the cam's say for a ford 2.0.. i've read of people doing atleast the intake.. and from what i can see the intake and exhaust are identical.. i'll have new gears.. and new cam bolts..

all that being said.. saturday morning i'll be putting timing belt, water pump, cam gears, and hopefully the cams in.. so i guess that will let me know if it will work or not

[Spakes]

Do you have a new valve cover from a 2.0L without VCT. The valve cover has a hole in it for the VCT sensor (unless you just leave the sensor in).

You will most likely run into the MIL coming on. Setting a VCT code.

Let me know how it works out for you.

[c0alition]

i'm just going to cap off the hole in the cover with something.. probly make up some aluminum to fit it.. just got the tdc peg and alignment tool made today.. sooo i guess tommorow i'll get somethign for that hole.. or maybe just worry about it saturday..

[Spakes]

When you get rid of VCT does it leave the timing advanced and have power all the time instead of waiting till 3K?

[Turbo Zetec 'tour]

When you get rid of VCT does it leave the timing advanced and have power all the time instead of waiting till 3K?
VCT only works on decel.

[Spakes]

VCT only works on decel.

Variable Camshaft Timing (VCT) is an automobile variable valve timing technology developed by Ford. It utilizes electronically controlled hydraulic valves that direct engine oil into the camshaft phaser cavity. These oil control solenoids are bolted into the cylinder heads towards the front of the engine near the camshaft phasers. The powertrain control module (PCM) transmits a signal to the solenoids to move a valve spool that regulates the flow of oil to the phaser cavity. The phaser cavity changes the valve timing by either advancing or retarding the camshafts to allow for optimum engine performance, reduced emissions, and increased fuel efficiency.

The VCT system is used in Ford's Triton 5.4L 3-valve V8 engine; the Australian Barra 182 and 240 Inline-6s; Ford's 4.6L 3-valve V8 engine used in the 2006-present Ford Explorer and 2005-present Ford Mustang GT; and the 2.0L Zetec Inline-4 used in the 1998-2003 Ford Escort ZX2 and the Ford Contour. It was also used in 99-02 Mercury Cougar, and in Europe on the 1.7 Ford Puma.

VCT is also used in many Nissan RB engines most famously those used in Nissan's Skyline variant. And also in their popular SR engines from 1993 onwards.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_VCT

[Turbo Zetec 'tour]

in the case of the escort and contour/cougar engines, the VCT is only on the exhaust cam and only used during cruise and decel. they use it to replace the EGR system, by adjusting the exhaust cam timing they can keep extra exhaust gases in the chamber to help cool the chamber and reduce NOx emmissions.

[c0alition]

ok, update on the cam install.. The focus cam's won't work. So instead of just saying they won't i'll explain to everyone what happened.


First problem you will run into is the Cam position sensor for the Focus is on the intake side of the head. The Cougar has the position sensor on the exhaust cam.. I assume it's to measure VCT activity? This wouldn't have been a HUGE problem i would guess, but the little "gear" with teeth on it for the CPS to reconize the position won't fit on the focus cams.

Second problem, the exhaust cam on the cougar has all the VCT garbage attached to it. This in turn increases the diameter of the camshaft. I bought the cam seals for the cougar.. and realized one was bigger. This is to accomodate for the extra stuff on the exhaust gear.. the inner diameter is bigger than the focus cam. I'm sure i could either get a custom ring that had a smaller inner diameter and kept the same Outer diameter to fit.. but i'm not sure what else may need to be taken care besides covering the oil feed hole.. not a huge deal. butttttt.. yea just so you know.. that is what you will run into trying to fit Focus cam's in. Atleast if you want to change out the intake AND exhaust cams.. as far as i can see.. the intake will go in.. buttt i'm just gonna buy a focus head like someone had mentioned.. anddd yea.. i'll let you know how that goes.. ha

[Turbo Zetec 'tour]

the focus head should bolt right on. you could possibly use a pre98 contour head but the timing belt routing is different then the 98+ and the focus.

[c0alition]

welllll i'm about 500$ in cam's, gears and bolts for the focus so i might as well not take any more attempts and just finish it off with a focus head ha. I figure this way will probly turn out better.. not having to modify oil feed's and i might even do some minor port work on the head.. soo hey! it should turn out better than in the beginning haha.

[cbman]

A far as the Cam Position Sensor, that shouldn't even matter. When you delete VCT in the tune the CPS basically doesn't get used anymore.

So, do the cams at least fit in the head?

[c0alition]

the intake should fit, but the exhaust cam won't fit without a larger oil seal.. butttt since you mention that the cps won't be used since vct will get killed.. that has me wondering.. The engine will run fine without cps i guess? i mean as long as the engine is in time it should work fine i'm sure.. Will the car run right if i don't tune out the code? Or will it try to compensate for something that isn't there until it's unusable?

[Turbo Zetec 'tour]

The cam position sensor is still needed as thats how the PCM determines when to fire either the injectors or the spark plugs (i cant remember which off hand).

[c0alition]

..ook. So i DO need the focus head.

[Turbo Zetec 'tour]

..ook. So i DO need the focus head.
and if your going that route, you might as well put on the FRPP head :biggrin:

[cbman]

I'm pretty sure the CPS does not get used for spark since it is a "Wasted Spark" setup, but I don't know about the injectors.

Someone should try and start their car without the CPS plugged in. I would, but my shift tower is out right now.

[c0alition]

i'll try to drive it without the CPS tonight.. and yea turbo tour.. if i could sell my toughbook laptop for 3000 i'd buy that and have th new rods and pistons in and pretty much have everything finished ha

[kpeeks]

Actually, the FRPP head is junk. You can get one from CFM or Massive Speed Systems for around the same price & it will flow better than the FRPP.

I'd think though that you could some how get your current head to work with the cams. Maybe parts from both.

[Turbo Zetec 'tour]

the focus cams wont work in the VCT head because, as he stated the cam seal is for the exhaust cam is wrong, as well as the cam position sensor trigger is on the exhaust cam on VCT engines (except the SVT) while its on the intake cam for non-VCT engines.

You MIGHT be able to put an SVT intake cam in for the exhaust cam but i would be willing to bet that it will be 180 degrees off. it might not even fit for that matter.

[c0alition]

i might be able to... butttt i already have the cams, and it will cost just as much to just get a reman head from a focus as it would to buy another cam or another part to try to rig it up.

[kpeeks]

Hey found this on TeamZX2 for you.

Cams.
Since the Focus uses the Zetec engine we can use any of thier intake cams (with exception of the SVT). We can't use thier exhaust cam because they do not have the VCT system. A funny thing about this is that our intake cam is nearly identical to thier stage 1 performance cam. In fact, some of them use the ZX2 intake cam since they can get them cheaper used. Our exhaust cam has a spool on it that fills in a larger cam journal (hole the cam rides in) and the ZX3 cams won't fit our spool or the gap. The spool is there to support the cam inside the VCT solenoid. You can delete the VCT but must keep the spool to support the cam. VCT delete kits can be bought and they come with most of what you need. You will have to buy a new cam gear (I think someone has used an intake gear turned around) and maybe the new bolt. The old bolt won't work because it is too long. If you use high lift and high rev cams you'll probably want to install stiffer valve springs so they will close faster and follow the cam more closely. If you ever modify the cams you need to determine if you have solid or 2-piece buckets. The solid buckets are what you want to use. The 2-piece have the shims in the top and the hotter cams will flip the shim and cause all sorts of issues and damage.

Hopefully that helps out. Go to www. zxtuner .com if you haven't already.


EDIT:

Found some other stuff.

7. VCT GEAR ADAPTER ONLY: Install the included o-ring over the cam, then slide the vct adapter onto the cam. Place the cam gear over the vct adapter end and finger tighten the vct adapter bolt and washer. leave it loose enough to rotate the cam gear w/o rotating the cam. Gently slide the cam belt on the gears making sure the tensioner is fully loosened. BE CAREFUL! The cam belt has steel braids in it and will remember a bend or kink, causing it to wobble once installed, which can wear out a underdrive pulley or cause the belt to fail prematurely.

[c0alition]

will the VCT valve cover bolt up to non vct focus head? Anyone know? I know i'll have to cover the VCT hole, but will everything else fit up?

[kpeeks]

It bolts up but I think you run into sealing issues with gaskets. The covers are different & so are the gaskets.