Ghetto Style tensioner replacement.

[Gunther1000]

Ok folks I will be doing both tensioners this weekend and Have ordered them from our friend over at Christopher's Foreign Car Parts.

My question is does anyone know what position to place the rotation of the motor to ensure the least exhaust cam tension while removing and replacing it or would you advise removing the gear instead?

It looks to me as if the large allen head bolt on the end of the cam may just remove the gear but If it turns the cam this may complicate things.

I have also read that using Vise grips to lock the cam may do the trick.

Where have you placed the vise grips and would it be wise to use two sets to keep it 100% clocked properly?

If anyone can chime in I would be greatful.

 

[oddball]

There's a guy on ebay renting the appropriate tools. I haven't bought anything from him yet, but doing it the right way may be a good idea.
If you're handy at metalworking, you can probably fab the cam locking bar easily enough.

 

[Gunther1000]

There's a guy on ebay renting the appropriate tools. I haven't bought anything from him yet, but doing it the right way may be a good idea.
If you're handy at metalworking, you can probably fab the cam locking bar easily enough.

Thanks, But this will be the "other" route.

Anyone done this without the tools...?

I know placing the crankshaft keyway in the 9 o' clock position will lower the pistons to the safest point, however I do not know if you can figure out this
exact position without removing the balancer.

Any help?

Hand jobs all around upon completion. Line up.

 

[Hauen]

This is the ghettofied procedure I used when the bank 2 secondary chain let go. Use at your own risk!

Go to Harbor Freight, purchase two "15 pc Metric Service Wrench" sets and get the 30mm wrench from each set.

get the biggest, strongest holding clamp you can find, I used welders clamps (kind of like a vice grip but with large flat jaws instead of curvy serrated ones)

Get a small straightedge, I used a torpedo level.

pull both valve covers (If you haven't figured out why, this will become obvious soon)

put a bar on your crank and slowly spin the engine over until the good side cams have the flat spots lined up (check with the straight edge) if it is, congrats, you're now at the spot that the factory tells you line everything up at.

Take your 30mm wrenches, look about midway on the cams and you will see a nice hex shape, place each wrench on them so the handles cross each other.

Clamp them with your big ass clamp.

remove the intake cam bolt, when this happens your primary sprocket and chain will come off along with your secondary sprocket

replace whatever needs replacing, assembly is the reverse of teardown, remember to make sure your cams flat spots are lined up, just like the good side or you run the risk of something making contact and then you get to have more fun.

The book tells you to torque the cam bolts to x (I think it was 15 lbs/ft, maybe it was 40, I forget and am too lazy to look it up) and then do an additional 90 degrees, this will not work unless you use new bolts, you have been warned. If you're too cheap to buy new bolts use the old ones and torque them to 85 lbs/ft. or until your eyes cross or you crap your pants, whichever comes first.

Best of luck, again, your mileage may vary, no purchase (or handjob) necessary, void where prohibited, advisor assumes no responsibility and no warranty expressed or implied is given.

 

[Gunther1000]

This is the ghettofied procedure I used when the bank 2 secondary chain let go. Use at your own risk!

Go to Harbor Freight, purchase two "15 pc Metric Service Wrench" sets and get the 30mm wrench from each set.

get the biggest, strongest holding clamp you can find, I used welders clamps (kind of like a vice grip but with large flat jaws instead of curvy serrated ones)

Get a small straightedge, I used a torpedo level.

pull both valve covers (If you haven't figured out why, this will become obvious soon)

put a bar on your crank and slowly spin the engine over until the good side cams have the flat spots lined up (check with the straight edge) if it is, congrats, you're now at the spot that the factory tells you line everything up at.

Take your 30mm wrenches, look about midway on the cams and you will see a nice hex shape, place each wrench on them so the handles cross each other.

Clamp them with your big ass clamp.

remove the intake cam bolt, when this happens your primary sprocket and chain will come off along with your secondary sprocket

replace whatever needs replacing, assembly is the reverse of teardown, remember to make sure your cams flat spots are lined up, just like the good side or you run the risk of something making contact and then you get to have more fun.

The book tells you to torque the cam bolts to x (I think it was 15 lbs/ft, maybe it was 40, I forget and am too lazy to look it up) and then do an additional 90 degrees, this will not work unless you use new bolts, you have been warned. If you're too cheap to buy new bolts use the old ones and torque them to 85 lbs/ft. or until your eyes cross or you crap your pants, whichever comes first.

Best of luck, again, your mileage may vary, no purchase (or handjob) necessary, void where prohibited, advisor assumes no responsibility and no warranty expressed or implied is given.

Thank you sir.

Since I will be only replacing the secondary tensioner wouldn't removal of just the ehaust cam be easier? And since the primary chain will be left intact it should keep the intake cam from moving as well as keeping time as long as the chain and exhaust cam is replaced exactly as it came out? (Assuming it didn't jump a tooth which I dbout but would love to know how to visually check by comparing it to the other side)

Thanks!

And don't be shy, plenty of hand lotion on tap... just sayin.

 

[Hauen]

There's not a lot of resistance as far as the whole timing assembly goes, if you start cranking on it, you can spin the crank.

When you have the flats on the cams lined up on the good bank, the other side should be lined up too, as long as everything's lined up it's in time.

I don't see why removing just the exhaust cam bolt would be a big deal. If you have access to a helper you could probably just have them hold the wrench on the exhaust cam and save yourself some monkey motion and potential failure. It will help when it all goes together too since they just use the tension of the bolt on the sprocket to capture the cam, no other method of location, which is probably why the factory tool has the whole stepped design to it to keep everything firmly locked in line.

Good luck!

 

[Gunther1000]

There's not a lot of resistance as far as the whole timing assembly goes, if you start cranking on it, you can spin the crank.

When you have the flats on the cams lined up on the good bank, the other side should be lined up too, as long as everything's lined up it's in time.

I don't see why removing just the exhaust cam bolt would be a big deal. If you have access to a helper you could probably just have them hold the wrench on the exhaust cam and save yourself some monkey motion and potential failure. It will help when it all goes together too since they just use the tension of the bolt on the sprocket to capture the cam, no other method of location, which is probably why the factory tool has the whole stepped design to it to keep everything firmly locked in line.

Good luck!

Shoot, So if one were to remove the cam gear from the exhaust the placement or indexing of it would have to be absolutely perfect or timing will be off huh...

It seems strange they wouldnt put a key way or dowel pin to locate it!

Good to know.

I may just remove the entire exhaust cam, mark the chain and gear for replacement and be done with it.

It would suck to try and tighten the cam gear back on perfectly without either the cam or gear moving just slightly upon major TQ application at the final snugging.

We shall see...

I think a proper write up would be nice to share so the camera may come out this time around.