Newbie and a 3.4 Timing Belt

[Jogasz28]

First off, HELLO to all in this forum. I am new to this forum, but not to others.
I have a 1995 Monte Carlo Z34 3.4 Litre with 105K miles, which I bought 6 months ago. The engine is surprisingly powerful for a V6 and I love the car. I hope to keep it a long time.
I checked and found out the Timing Belt(TB) had never been changed by the previous owner so I knew that had to be done.
After the weather turned cold in NE Ohio, when I start the car, the RPM's will go up to 3K, then down to 500 RPM, sometimes stalling. After the engine warms up, it runs fine. I did a little research and found out about the intake gasket problem. So that went on the to do list.
I bought all the timing belt parts (belt, both idler and tensioner pulleys, tensioner, gaskets) and intake parts (new style gaskets) as well as spark plugs and wires. I also bought a set of factory manuals.
So my Son and I started in on our 3.4 Litre. We have removed everything needed to get to the TB to change it.
When we removed the spark plugs, all three rear spark plugs exteriors were coated with oil. The plug section that's inside the engine was dry and had a white powdery coating on it(and all the other plugs as well).
We rotated the engine until both front cam flats were upright, and used the Kent Moore (KM) hold down tool to check they're flat and also tightened the tool down. The timing mark on the dampener lines up perfectly with the engine cover pointer.
When we tried to loosen the front LH Intake cam sprocket bolt, it would not loosen using either an impact gun, or a breaker bar. Is it a left hand thread?
Anyways, after reading AutoZones procedure for TB replacement, it states to clamp the sprockets so they don't move. I used my other KM hold down tool to clamp down the rear cam even though the flats are not pointed up. After we removed the timing belt, both cams are rock solid according to the marks we put on the sprockets.
When we installed the TB, we found the rear sprockets seat the TB perfectly,but the front sprockets are a 1/2 tooth off. What I mean is when one front sprocket has the TB seated properly, the other sprocket's teeth has the TB teeth sitting directly on them.
Well, that's where we're at. I don't know what to do from here.
I do know I want to do this repair properly. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
TIA,
Jogasz28

[SappySE107]

Did you follow the procedure on this site? You have to get the lock ring out of the sprockets so you can turn the engine over without moving the cams. The banks have to be timed 180 degrees apart (one face up while the other is down). I don't know how you can do it any other way properly. With the lock rings out, the time belt will line up just fine, and then you pull the paperclip out to release the tensioner and then usinga 3/8" wrench on a 3/8" extension, add more tension to the belt.

THe bolts are not left hand thread. They are just a PITA sometimes. I have had to remove the cam carrier before to be able to get them out. At the very least, you need 3 of the lock rings out. The rear exhaust cam is really hard to get at but if you time the rear bank first you can just set it to TDC with the cam flat up.

[Jogasz28]

Did you follow the procedure on this site? You have to get the lock ring out of the sprockets so you can turn the engine over without moving the cams. The banks have to be timed 180 degrees apart (one face up while the other is down). I don't know how you can do it any other way properly. With the lock rings out, the time belt will line up just fine, and then you pull the paperclip out to release the tensioner and then usinga 3/8" wrench on a 3/8" extension, add more tension to the belt.

THe bolts are not left hand thread. They are just a PITA sometimes. I have had to remove the cam carrier before to be able to get them out. At the very least, you need 3 of the lock rings out. The rear exhaust cam is really hard to get at but if you time the rear bank first you can just set it to TDC with the cam flat up.

Thanks for the quick reply.
I followed the procedure right up to being unable to remove the cam sprocket bolt. I am afraid of causing damage that'll cost big $.
Since my post I have been reading related threads. I have read these cam sprocket bolts can be so tight you can pull the hold down tool right out of the cam carrier threads. That's scary. Should I buy the sprocket holding tool to help prevent this from occurring?
When you pulled the whole carrier, how did you then get the cam sprocket bolts loose?
One problem I have is not being able to see the whole procedure in a way that makes sense to me. I've rebuilt older chevys and a Harley engine, so I'm no stranger to engines. I understand having to loosen the cam sprockets from the cam so the timing belt will not move the cams when installed or tensioned. I am confused on how to determine the front and rear cams being 180* apart in relation to the dampener mark and TDC of #1. Will one turn of the engine now get #4 to TDC? When I turned the engine so the front cam flats faced up, the dampener mark matched the engine cover arrow perfectly. Does that mean I'm at #1 TDC?
As you can tell, I'm confused on something I should probably understand. But if I cannot grasp the whole thing, I'm just performing steps with no understanding and that will get me into trouble.
I thank you in advance for your patience,
jogasz28

[SappySE107]

You turn the crank 360 degrees so the cams are 180 out. You do not want to use a cam hold down tool to hold the cam while you loosen the bolts. You need the cam sprocket holder to do this effectively. I used head, impact, and a die grinder to make a new head when I had to pull the carrier off. Good times.

1 and 4 are at TDC at the same time. Its the cams that make it intake or exhaust stroke, which is why the 1 bank is 180 degrees off the other bank. GM designed them so with the flats up, the are on the same stroke (dual 3 cylinder mode).

[Jogasz28]

You turn the crank 360 degrees so the cams are 180 out. You do not want to use a cam hold down tool to hold the cam while you loosen the bolts. You need the cam sprocket holder to do this effectively. I used head, impact, and a die grinder to make a new head when I had to pull the carrier off. Good times.

1 and 4 are at TDC at the same time. Its the cams that make it intake or exhaust stroke, which is why the 1 bank is 180 degrees off the other bank. GM designed them so with the flats up, the are on the same stroke (dual 3 cylinder mode).

Thanks you for the reply.
I see the cam sprocket holder is not available thru the 60V6 store. I'd buy it from there just for the help I've received from you. Is there another source you'd recommend? I already bought the hold down tools so I don't want to have to buy the kit as shown here: http://www.tooldiscounter.com/ItemDi...lookup=OTC6045
Would soaking the bolts with rustbuster help them to loosen after I get the sprocket tool? I could soak them 'til the tool arrives.
Also, I read about timing tools that mount where the hold downs go. Should I get one of those to time the cams? Is that another "while I'm in there" thing to do?
TIA,
jogasz28

[Jogasz28]

I just ordered the timing kit even though I've got the hold downs already. I'll probly offer those hold downs for sale here or on epay.
BTW, I was thinking of replacing my injectors "while I was in there" 'til I found out they cost $75 each for cheapies at autozone. I hope my injectors are cleanable. I checked the factory manual and it shows a filter on the inlet of each injector. Are these filters removeable and cleanable?
TIA,
jogasz28

[SappySE107]

witchhunter.com does injector cleaning for about 90 bucks I believe for a set of 6. Some of our members here have used their service with good results.

http://www.etoolcart.com/browseproducts/Camshaft-Sprocket-Holder---J-38614.HTML

Guess im a little late on that one.

[Jogasz28]

witchhunter.com does injector cleaning for about 90 bucks I believe for a set of 6. Some of our members here have used their service with good results.

http://www.etoolcart.com/browseproducts/Camshaft-Sprocket-Holder---J-38614.HTML

Guess im a little late on that one.

Again, many thanks for the reply. Looks like I jumped the gun on the kit, but at least I won't be having to "tap" the sprockets loose as I'll have the puller.
Tonight, we pulled the fuel rail with injectors and also the lower intake. We had a cracked upper intake gasket. The lower intake gaskets looked good. We're gonna change them anyways. We've got the injectors packaged and ready to be shipped to WitchHunter tomorrow.
I found oil laying in the flat area between the heads. Click this link:

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/jogasz28/album/576460762363901208#page1

to the NOINTAKE album, pic 100_2032 shows it best.
Does anyone have any idea where this oil might have come from? Could this oil be related to the rear spark plugs having oil all over the outside of them when I pulled them ?(the insides were dry). I'd like to fix it now while the engine is this far apart if possible.
TIA,
jogasz28

[Jogasz28]

I was doing some more searching and am now wondering if the oil between my heads could be from a leaking oil pump O-Ring. I looked in the factory manual on page 6A9-51, figure 63 on the right shows the oil pump drive. It appears to be on the opposite side of the oil pump pickup so I was thinking the oil pump O-Ring is located on top of the engine block. I checked and I do see a clamp hold-down just underneath the front corner of the rear head driver side.
If that's it, do I need to remove the head to replace the O-Ring? It's definitely looking like another "while I'm in there" thing to do.
jogasz28

[grandprixgtp_91]

yes you have to remove the rear head to change it, and after that its really easy, break the old crusty oring off and slide on the new one, and reinstall.

Jake

[SappySE107]

Yeah, I would replace it with the high temp version (brown). You have to pull the rear head to do it properly, though some people say they stretch it over and what not. Cutting corners only dead to repeat jobs for me so i just pulled the head when I had to do it.

[Jogasz28]

yes you have to remove the rear head to change it, and after that its really easy, break the old crusty oring off and slide on the new one, and reinstall.

Jake

Is there anything else I should do while the rear head is off?
Are there "new & improved" gaskets that would make sense to change both front and back block to head gaskets?
Do the heads come off as easy as the intake did?
Any special tools needed?
Any O-Rings or other gaskets needed when pulling and re-installing the head?
Talk about "while I'm in there" overload. <LOL>
At 105K miles, the heads shouldn't need to be gone over, should they?
The goal is to not have to do any of this again for a long time. And I'd like to run synthetic oil if I can end up with a tight (no leaks) engine.So I don't mind the extra work at all.
Again, Sir, thank you for your help.
jogasz28

[93Oldsdroptop]

You can get away with using an old SB Chevy distributor gasket and sealant if you don't want to remove the head. What you do is take the clamp off, raise the shaft the best that you can, clean the mating surfaces with Brakleen really good, then slit the gasket and smear sealant (Hi temp RTV works well) all around it and fish it in there between the mating surfaces. Turn the shaft around to make sure the sealant is everyplace then tighten the fucker down and allow it to cure for at least 24 hours.

I did that to one of my 3.4's and it never leaked again up to the time we traded it in.

Or you can do it the correct way by pulling the head and all that stuff.

Good luck!