In my quest to replace cam seals (among other things), I CANNOT get the bolt off the cam gears! I WRENCHED like a mofo, and not a budge. Any suggestions?
Removing the cam gears
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if you dont have the above tools, which you should, then you could put a long screw driver in there to hold it while you wrench the bolt loose.
I use a long bolt with two washers on it. Put it between the cam gears and tighten it so the washers hold each cam gear from turning. Works perfectly every time, and without air tools.
Sometimes all you have to do is give the wrench a little tap with a hammer to get the bolt moving.
Sometimes all you have to do is give the wrench a little tap with a hammer to get the bolt moving.
If you don't have air tools, get the longest wrench in that size and beat it with the palm of your hand HARD or beat it with a hammer.
SupraDreamPDR said:
Do NOT put a screw driver in there to stop the cam gear from spinning, unless you want a broken cam gear. Seen it happen in person, before i could even warn the guy, SNAP! broke the one of the gear spokes clean off. Maybe youll get lucky, but why risk it? Go get an impact gun. Good tools are worth every penny.
Another way, if you have an old timing belt is to wrap it around the gear to hold it still then use your wrench. I can't imagine you'd need an impact wrench, the torque specs for it are in the 15-20 ftlbs range iirc. I guess over time it can get sticky :dunno:
that is what I was going to recommend. keeping the belt on, but I did notice that it wasn't that they were overly tightened, but that the bolts were frozen.
okay, I'll throw the belt back on and try it. If not, I have a friend with a portable compressor & impact gun, but i'd rather not ask him to drag it all over if i didn't have to. thanks for the tips
got the fucker off, replaced the cam seals (they're totally fucked, pictures later). But just my luck, one of the small 10mm bolts that holds the backing plate on fell down into the lower timing cover. So instead of putting the top of the motor back together, tomorrow i get to take off the radiator so i can get an impact gun onto the main pulley and take it all off. SHIT.
Oh well, I could use a new front main and timing belt. Guess my little rebuild will turn into a slightly larger rebuild.
Oh well, I could use a new front main and timing belt. Guess my little rebuild will turn into a slightly larger rebuild.
That sucks, go to the store and buy a telescoping magnet. Never know you might get lucky and snag it :icon_bigg
Have one, tried it. No such luck. Oh well, maybe its a blessing in disguise 
Btw, Pete (TheWeezL) has been coming over and helping, so a public thanks to him
Btw, Pete (TheWeezL) has been coming over and helping, so a public thanks to him
get a really strong magnet (i have two of those half-dollar sized "super magnets") and click it to the lower timing case, it should attract the bolt, then just slide it up and out. (it *could* work!)
or just take it all apart...
-shaeff
or just take it all apart...
-shaeff
it's all apart. We had to put the transmission back in in order to get enough torque so that we could get the bolt loose. It came out, I went to go put the replacement front main seal in (since i had that much opened up anyway), and they had given me the wrong seal! UGH. An hour later, I ordered one.. won't be in until tuesday. Sheit.
nosechunks said:
This is the ONLY way we remove the bolts from the cam gear. I woudln't want to put much stress on the belt, unless you're not going to use it again. We always use a big wrench on the flat spot on the cam.