Timing marks at a glance

Three different stages of the 2010 Fusion 3.5L demonstration. Keep each diagram with its stage and use the full sequence when doing the work.

Before removal

Use the crankshaft and camshaft positions in the removal steps. The colored links are not expected to line up at this stage.

Red arrow points to the marked area at the lower right of the crankshaft sprocket, beside a yellow chain link.
Enlarge: Crankshaft mark before removal
Two red arrows point to yellow paint marks near the tops of the two large camshaft sprockets. Image label: Camshaft Sprocket Timing Mark Location.
Enlarge: Camshaft sprocket marks

Watch this stage ▶ 2:25Full removal sequence ↓

During installation

The two matching colored links meet the camshaft marks; the different colored link meets the crankshaft mark. This overview shows all three locations.

An exposed engine with arrows at both orange camshaft chain links and the yellow crankshaft chain link; guides and tensioner are installed.
Enlarge: Overview of the installation marks

Watch this stage ▶ 14:50Full installation sequence ↓

Final recheck

After the rotation described in the guide, recheck with the camshaft holding tools. Their fit is the check shown here; the colored links do not return to their installation positions.

A black holding tool spans two camshafts. An arrow points to its contact with the cylinder head. Image text: Tool Should Sit Flush With Cylinder Head.
Enlarge: Camshaft holding-tool recheck

Watch the setup and recheck ▶ 19:32Full recheck sequence ↓

Which vehicles use this 3.5L engine family?

Demonstrated vehicle: 2010 Ford Fusion · 3.5L V6

This job began with an internal water-pump leak that contaminated the oil. Mike replaces the pump, primary timing chain, guides and tensioner. The primary chain is replaced as part of the pump repair; the job did not begin as a diagnosed chain-stretch repair.

What the demonstration covers: primary-chain removal, pump replacement, alignment and the holding-tool recheck. Secondary-chain replacement is outside this job’s scope. The engine is already out of the vehicle and the timing system exposed.

How this compares with the other vehicles
  • 2010 Fusion 3.5L: identified in the video and confirmed by GoTech. Build-specific parts, access, fluids and current specifications still come from vehicle-specific service information.
  • Other years and vehicles in the table: engine-family availability is sourced; identical access steps, parts and fastener specifications have not been established.
  • Later Ti-VCT and turbo variants: separate timing-system comparison required. See the variant notes below.

Ford’s 2010 Fusion owner’s manual confirms the 3.5L engine option. It is an identification reference, not the timing-chain workshop procedure.

The early, naturally aspirated, transverse 3.5L family was offered in the vehicles below. Select the listed engine and trim; other engines were available in some of these models.

North American model years · early non-turbo 3.5L applications
VehicleYearsEngine / trim to check
Ford Fusion Sport2010–20123.5L Sport only. The 2010 Fusion is the reference demonstration; other years need procedure comparison.
Ford Edge2007–2010Early non-turbo 3.5L.
Lincoln MKX2007–20103.5L; later 3.7L versions are outside this list.
Lincoln MKZ2007–20123.5L gasoline model; exclude Hybrid.
Ford Taurus2008–2012Non-SHO, non-turbo 3.5L only.
Ford Taurus X2008–20093.5L wagon/crossover; not the earlier Freestyle 3.0L.
Ford Flex2009–2012Non-EcoBoost 3.5L only.
Mercury Sable2008–20093.5L generation; not older 3.0L Sable.
Mazda CX-920073.5L MZI; 2008 changes to 3.7L.

The demonstrated vehicle is a 2010 Fusion 3.5L. The other entries establish engine-family availability; access, chain design, parts and specifications still require application-specific comparison.

Vehicle sources and research scope

Researched October 1, 2026 using manufacturer manuals, technical documents and the cited equipment coverage chart. Grouping these vehicles into the early engine family is an editorial assessment, not a technician sign-off on procedure compatibility.

Later 3.5L Ti-VCT engines and other variants

These later non-turbo applications have a related 3.5L engine, but need a separate comparison before using this guide:

EcoBoost/turbo engines, 3.7L engines and longitudinal truck/van installations are outside the application list above. Cloyes explains the chain, phaser and water-pump variations.

Video loads only when you choose to play.

Watch on YouTube · YouTube loads only when you press play. Article and video are separate sources.

Tools and preparation

Mike starts with the engine out of the vehicle and the timing system exposed. Engine removal and timing-cover access are not demonstrated here. Plan that work using service information for your exact vehicle.

  • Vehicle-specific service information. Have the access, support, reassembly, fluid-service and specification instructions for your exact application. Those complete procedures are not supplied here.
  • Camshaft holding tools. The guide uses them during timing setup and the final recheck. Confirm the required tool against your engine. OTC’s Ford 303-1248 reference helps identify the tool type.
  • Torque and angle measurement. The source includes inch-pound tightening values and an additional angle stage. Prepare suitable measuring tools and verify the values in current service information.
  • Mark visibility and component inspection. The source mentions a paint marker, guide inspection, sealing-surface inspection and VVT-housing O-rings. Review these steps before ordering parts; this is not a complete parts list.
  • If reusing the tensioner. Read the source’s reset step first; it calls for a soft-jawed vise and a suitable locking pin.

Camshaft holding tool set linked in the original guide ↗Affiliate link: GoTech may earn a commission. Confirm fit before purchasing.

Specifications below belong to the 2010 Fusion 3.5L demonstration. Confirm them for your exact application.

Timing Chain Removal

  1. Follow service information to remove the engine timing cover to gain access to the timing chain.

  1. Rotate the crankshaft and align the mark on the crankshaft sprocket to around the 4 o'clock position ↗ 2:23

Red arrow points to the marked area at the lower right of the crankshaft sprocket, beside a yellow chain link.Enlarge illustration 1
1. Crankshaft mark before removal. Removal stage. Read the adjacent positioning instruction; colored-link alignment during installation is a separate step.

  1. Check that the timing marks on the camshaft pulleys are in the correct location as pictured below ↗ 3:28
    If marks are not visible, turn the crankshaft an additional 360 degrees

Two red arrows point to yellow paint marks near the tops of the two large camshaft sprockets. Image label: Camshaft Sprocket Timing Mark Location.Enlarge illustration 2
2. Camshaft sprocket marks. Removal stage. The source uses paint to make the sprocket marks easier to see.

  1. Install the camshaft holding tools to lock the camshafts and verify the correct engine timing ↗ 3:47

  2. Remove the VVT housing assembly on both banks ↗ 6:04

The right-bank VVT assembly is labeled as removed on the left of the image. Three arrows identify bolts on the housing at the right.Enlarge illustration 3
3. VVT housing locations. Keep the source’s bank labels with the image; screen-left and screen-right are not engine-bank names.

  1. Remove the 2 timing chain tensioner bolts and remove the timing chain tensioner ↗ 6:29

  2. Remove the two larger timing chain guides ↗ 6:59

Red arrows label Chain Guide 1 on the left, Chain Guide 2 on the right, and the Timing Chain Tensioner at the lower left.Enlarge illustration 4
4. Timing guides and tensioner. Removal stage. The annotations identify the components discussed in the preceding steps.

  1. Remove the timing chain

Water Pump Replacement

  1. Remove the 8 bolts that attach the water pump to the engine block ↗ 8:38

Eight red arrows identify the bolt locations around the water-pump housing at the center of the exposed engine.Enlarge illustration 5
5. Water-pump bolt locations. Water-pump removal. These arrows locate fasteners; the tightening-order image appears later.

  1. Remove the lower bolt and loosen the upper bolt on the right bank smaller chain guide. Swing the chain guide out of the way and remove the water pump ↗ 10:10

The pump is held away from its opening. Arrows label the upper guide bolt Loosen and the lower guide bolt Remove.Enlarge illustration 6
6. Moving the guide for pump removal. The source shows the smaller guide moved aside for pump clearance. Follow the surrounding sequence.

  1. Clean and inspect the water pump sealing surface

  2. Install the new water pump and the 8 bolts. Tighten the bolts in two stages using the sequence below ↗ 11:08

  • Stage 1: tighten to 89 inch pounds

  • Stage 2: tighten an additional 45 degrees

Water-pump bolts numbered in image coordinates: 1 top center; 2 bottom center; 3 upper left; 4 lower left near center; 5 upper right; 6 lower right near center; 7 far right; 8 far left.Enlarge illustration 7
7. Water-pump tightening sequence. Installation stage. The numbered image belongs with the two tightening stages immediately above; confirm specifications for the exact application.

Timing Chain Installation

  1. Inspect timing chain guides and replace all guides that show signs of wear

A hand holds a timing-chain guide. A red arrow points to its contact surface beside the instruction Inspect Guides For Excessive Wear and Damage.Enlarge illustration 8
8. Guide contact-surface inspection. The source identifies the surface to inspect; this photograph does not provide a measurable wear limit.

  1. Install the camshaft holding tools to lock the camshafts in place and to set the camshaft timing for chain installation

  2. Install the timing chain aligning the two identical colored links with the camshaft sprocket timing marks and the odd colored link with the crankshaft sprocket timing mark ↗ 14:50

Red arrows point to the two orange chain links next to yellow marks near the tops of the camshaft sprockets. Image label: Camshaft Colored Link Location.Enlarge illustration 9
9. Colored links at the camshaft sprockets. Installation stage. Compare the camshaft locations here with the crankshaft location in the next illustration.
A red arrow points to the yellow chain link beside the mark at the lower right of the crankshaft sprocket. Image label: Crankshaft Colored Link Location.Enlarge illustration 10
10. Colored link at the crankshaft sprocket. Installation stage. This is the crankshaft view paired with the preceding camshaft illustration.

  1. Reinstall timing chain guides and torque bolts to 89 inch pounds ↗ 16:42

  2. Install timing chain tensioner and torque bolts to 89 inch pounds ↗ 18:16

  1. Double check that timing chain marks are lined up and the chain is seated correctly. If ok pull the pin on the timing chain tensioner ↗ 19:25

An exposed engine with arrows at both orange camshaft chain links and the yellow crankshaft chain link; guides and tensioner are installed.Enlarge illustration 11
11. Overview of the installation marks. Installation overview before the source’s engine-rotation and holding-tool recheck steps.

  1. Remove camshaft holding tools and rotate the crankshaft around two complete revolutions ↗ 20:40

  2. Recheck the engine timing by reinstalling camshaft holding tools ↗ 21:25

A black holding tool spans two camshafts. An arrow points to its contact with the cylinder head. Image text: Tool Should Sit Flush With Cylinder Head.Enlarge illustration 12
12. Camshaft holding-tool recheck. Recheck stage. The source uses holding-tool fit after rotation; it does not require the colored links to return to their installation positions.

  1. Reinstall the VVT housings and torque bolts to 89 inch pounds using the sequences below

Image labeled LH Bank. Three housing bolts are numbered: 1 middle left; 2 lower left; 3 lower right.Enlarge illustration 13
13. LH-bank VVT housing sequence. Preserve the LH-bank designation and the adjacent source instruction when reading this sequence.
Image labeled RH Bank. Three housing bolts are numbered: 1 bottom center; 2 middle right; 3 lower left.Enlarge illustration 14
14. RH-bank VVT housing sequence. Preserve the RH-bank designation and the adjacent source instruction when reading this sequence.

  1. Reverse procedure to reinstall timing chain cover and engine components

About this guide

Guide by GoTech Tech · Original video by Mike. Originally published September 8, 2022; editorial update October 1, 2026. Mike’s notes draw on the original demonstration, with chapter links so you can watch each observation in context.

Current source and limits

The original video identifies this demonstration as a 2010 Ford Fusion with the 3.5L engine. Its automatic captions support the job context and Mike’s practical observations. Current application-specific specifications, compatibility with other vehicles and a completed return-to-service result have not been independently verified here.

Installation alignment and the later timing recheck are separate stages. Keep each diagram and observation with its stage.

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