Timing belt replacement 🫣

[Bogis9]

Hi I had a local garage do a timing belt on my st180 at 58000mls. The garage gave me the car back twice with incorrect timing. The first time they tried to blame a vac leak. The second time I saw the reader and it said distance between crank and valve incorrect. The car must have done 20 gentle miles whilst timing wrong. They deal with a local ford garage and said they borrowed the ford timing tool and it showed that the crank pulley was 2mm out and blamed their patent tool. It’s not vibrating excessively anymore and hasn’t thrown engine management but I’m sure it’s not as crisp as it was pre belt change. I want to tune which is why I did belts but now I no longer have confidence in the engine. What is the likelihood that something has been damaged internally and could it still be a nats cock out or is it possible that they didn’t reconnect something properly which is causing it not to be so crisp. I’ve been driving a long time and have a very good feel, the dullness is probably not noticeable but I can tell. Thanks Peter

 

[Bogis9]

I feel like there is still more vibration at 2000-2500rpm and more boost noise in general. Any advice welcome

 

[madhatter]

I don't think the motor was hurt if you've put miles on it without a code or noise. Check your boost hoses, as those have to come off to access parts during the belt change. you may have a boost leak.

 

[Bogis9]

Thanks buddy I’m planning to go over it this weekend and fit bigger intercooler

 

[Bogis9]

I don't think the motor was hurt if you've put miles on it without a code or noise. Check your boost hoses, as those have to come off to access parts during the belt change. you may have a boost leak.

I’m sure I’ve read a post before where somebody says engine management will not pop up unless 5+ degrees out

 

[Bogis9]

FYI uk tuner says sensors are ultra sensitive and throw engine management at 0.5 degree out.

 

[Intuit]

Over mileage there are certain characteristics that gradually change with petrol engines. Engineers eventually realized that they could use oxygen sensor data to keep the engines in tune, as time goes by.

With many vehicle makes and models, pulling the battery for a significant time will cause the ECU to forget some of its learned behavior. So it may seem a tad bit different for some miles. Without unnecessarily changing out parts, if you just drive it like you normally would, it should eventually go back to prior norms.