I have a 2007 Ford Edge 3.5 that overheated slightly. The next morning, I pulled it into the garage myself. The engine was running fine — no shaking, no backfiring, no obvious signs of internal damage.
We pulled the timing cover to prepare for replacing the internal water pump. When we went to rotate the crankshaft to set timing, the engine suddenly felt completely locked up.
So far we have:
* Removed all spark plugs (all plugs look normal/tan)
* Removed the starter to rule out starter bind
* Confirmed the vehicle was in neutral
* Checked the oil — no “chocolate milk” contamination
* Inspected the timing chain visually and everything appears intact
The only coolant leak we found was coming from the water pump weep hole area under the alternator.
At this point, my main thought is possibly a seized water pump bearing locking the timing chain system, but I’m trying to rule out every possibility before pulling chains and altering timing.
This isn’t like the older Ford engines where you simply bring #1 cylinder to top dead center and go from there. Timing on these 3.5 DOHC engines can become a project quickly if something has shifted.
To make things more interesting, I’m currently laid up in bed with a broken ankle and tibia, so I hired a mobile mechanic to help with the work. I used to be a Ford mechanic myself back in the 1980s, so this one has really been bothering me.
If anyone has run into this exact situation or has any diagnostic ideas before we pull timing chains, I’d appreciate the input.
Thanks in advance.
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Rare