Alert for ST-170/ALDA engine

[Focmachine]

Alert for ST-170/ALDA engines!

A stock timing tensioner is the incorrect part for these engines!
The ST170/SVT Focus tensioner needs double the force of a stock tensioner to account for the higher rev limit.

I came across this info by accident recently when trying to diagnose a P1338/36 timing and IMRC fault code that I get occasionally.
Forum SVT people in the USA were aware that part# 2M5Z6KZ54AA SVT timing tensioner was discontinued years ago and suppliers/service just use a Zetec tensioner.

You can buy a 2lb internal spring that suites a continental brand tensioner.
The spring is on ebay from mattloves2deal who owns 5 ACRE FOCUS and is an SVT specialist.

He has been able to replace the stock 1lb spring in “Continental” brand tensioners Part# 48003 with the 2lb ones he sells.

Since the Parts chain are happy to supply the stock parts (and small rear brake rotors, not 280mm) a workshop may not have any red flags warning of the issue.
I’ve sourced the parts and will post about the spring swap if anyone wants to know and posts their thoughts/knowledge of this issue on this thread.

I’m going to a timing belt change and put in the stronger tensioner/gate racing belt at some stage but I’ll keep rpms down due to new clutch anyway.

A search here only had 1 page of info forum wide for the subject “timing tensioner” but I’m a newbie here and may not have done the correct search and don’t think my screenshots of parts ordered will upload.

If the owner of OEM denied in QLD is on here I’d love to know his thoughts. I hear he was a Ford UK Factory trained mechanic who appreciated on MK1 focus.

SDK racing team in the USA is building up an awesome SVT and they are going for a fixed tensioner for their target crazy high RPM limit. See the build on youtube and tiktok SDK Racing (not SKD from NZ).

I’m confident the sloppy belt tension has thrown up P1336? code occasionally. My rev limit is also set to 7200 rpm but the code has come on across the rev range.
People are developing solenoid activated digital cylinder heads so the timing belt will be eliminated.