What does this pulley do?

[mjoekingz28]

Hey I've been scouring eBay looking for a 5spd 4 cylinder regular cab pickup and came across this Ranger.

The closest thing I can think of, well, its stupid but if it was overhead cam and needed a pulley for the cam to crank but it would be enclosed somehow and bathed in oil.

 

[daman]

Runs your camshaft, it has a over head cam.

 

[Chris Meutsch]

Timing belt pulley.

 

[punisher]

I must have done a hundred of those timing belts on 2.3s. It is missing it's top timing belt cover, maybe more.

It also has a pretty bad power steering pump leak.

Can't get used to seeing those without a turbo and intercooler.

EDIT: If your location really is I-55 @ I-20, it will be miserable without AC.

 

[bubbatime]

If they are too lazy to put the timing belt cover back on, what else were they too lazy to do?

 

[TallPaul]

Why does it need a cover over the timing belt? They don't put a cover over the alternator belt.

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted By: bubbatime
If they are too lazy to put the timing belt cover back on, what else were they too lazy to do?
+1

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: TallPaul
Why does it need a cover over the timing belt? They don't put a cover over the alternator belt.

I think it would be much worse and more likely, to have a nice 3/4" piece of gravel go around the timing belt pulley, than the alternator belt. Broken timing belt equals new engine in many cases...

 

[Steve S]

No cover makes it look like a race car!

 

[crazyoildude]

Camshaft

 

[exranger06]

Originally Posted By: mjoekingz28

The closest thing I can think of, well, its stupid but if it was overhead cam and needed a pulley for the cam to crank but it would be enclosed somehow and bathed in oil.


Timing chains always need oil, but timing belts are NEVER bathed in oil.

 

[exranger06]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Broken timing belt equals new engine in many cases...


Not in this case. Those Ford 2.3s are non-interference. Still, it would be a major inconvience to have the belt break. But I don't see how debris is more likely to mess up the timing belt than the serp. belt. I've seen a lot of those engines without the cover on and they don't seem to have any issues.

 

[IndyIan]

I guess my 3/4" gravel example isn't too likely but I've heard of stuff getting into a Neon's timing belt with bad effects. Maybe if you make a habit of tailgating dump trucks, it would be a good idea to have it on there.

 

[TallPaul]

Well how about a shield only at the bottom to block road debris. I like having it open for easy inspection of belt condition.

Never buy an interference engine would be a good policy. Ford used to make a 2.3L 4-banger that had pushrods--that is the engine I would want.

 

[SAATR]

I see somebody installed a hot air intake

. As has been said, it's your cam sprocket. On the upside, it isn't one of the 8 plug models

. Those were great, the extra maintenance cost of a V8 without the power

.

Oh, and if you're in Jackson, you better look into something with AC. My AC has been out all summer, and being at about the same latitude as you are, it isn't too fun!

 

[mpvue]

I usually find dust covers and timing belt covers to be more trouble then they are worth. I ran a few different 8V VW's w/o the timing belt covers. I like being able to inspect the belt just by looking at it.
changing the oil on a saturn S series is a bunch easier w/o the wheel well dust shield.

 

[mechtech2]

A shield on the cam belt keeps out debris. This can be fine particulate matter, chunks, or water that may freeze and turn to hard ice, road splashed snow and ice, etc - and mess things up.
Who knows what conditions the engine will see?
The system will run slightly cooler with the cover off.
I recommend a cover on there!

 

[simple_gifts]

I thought the 2.3 had 2 spark plugs/cyl?

 

[Gary Allan]

I count 8 terminals with plug wires coming off of them

 

[exranger06]

Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
I thought the 2.3 had 2 spark plugs/cyl?


Starting in 1989 when Ford went to distributor-less ignition, yes the 2.3 had 2 plugs per cylinder. The older ones had only 1 plug per cylinder. This particular engine, as Gary Allan points out, has 2 plugs per cylinder.