Can't get bolts out from cam pulleys...

[3.4Z24]

well, i finally got my cam tools made, and the damn bolts are so tight they'd rather round off their corners than break loose.

i was just going in to adjust the cam timing correctly cause my cuz replaced the timing belt without going through the whole procedure before i bought it from him. it ran ok but not great, so i figured i'd redo it to the 't'. right now i'm just going to put it all back together and see how close i can get things so i can drive it, unless it's off farther than i like. any ideas?

if i could just get the bolts out, i'd replace 'em with torx heads. i was going to try retarding the exaust cams and see how it ran in an auto car, but...


crap

[grandprix34]

i was able to get the bolts loose wit a break bar and the right socket...hold the cam wit pressure pliers...after the bolt was loose i thought i was superman and tried to pull the cam gear wit my hands but ended up busting my right hand pretty bad...i got major scars on it

[3.4Z24]

i was using a long 1/2" breaker bar, assorted 'good' sockets(snap-on, craftsman and SK-all in super condition and all 6-point). with cam-flat hold down tool installed and pulley tool installed with another long 1/2" breaker bar. damn heads are just too small and soft. i'm thinking these things have never been removed or were overtorqued and/or locktighted going together the last time...

someday i'll get some new seals and hit the area with a heat wrench. i'd rather not, though. maybe when everything needs replaced again.

[grandprix34]

you need the cam holder...DO NOT use the hold down tool to loosen the bolts

[3.4Z24]

i'm using both. sorry, i referred to it as a 'pulley tool'...

[grandprix34]

lol, my bad.

Using the cam hold down tool WILL damage the cams...i have a set ima send to Vegeta later on to inspect. Some mechanics working on the car somehow managed to damage the cam to the point that the cam bolt was wobbling/oscillating VERy wierd. If ya dont believe me, i got vids of that plus a shit load of peeps have seen the wierd bolt/noise cams that resulted!!!

[3.4Z24]

i just put the hold down tool on for extra support. thax for the info. i'll take it off before going any further with it.

[grandprix34]

yuo can use it for added support, just dont use it alone.

[SappySE107]

Try some WD-40 or other penetrant. You can also try some heat but it may damage the cam as well. Chris killed a bolt on my spare engine when he was trying to get them off, and killed the cam gear holder as well. He ended up using a rotozip to cut the head down to fit a different socket and some penetrant. I think he also used a torch to heat it up and that was what finally broke it loose.

Good luck, thats all I can say.

[3.4Z24]

i guess i'll go at it as i posted before and see how close everything is 'as is'. i'll let you guys know how it goes...

[pocket-rocket]

When Ben and I did a timing belt for Crimsonfury, we ran into this problem, and ended up having to pull the cross brace on the passenger side, and the fuse box to get enough room to beat a smaller socket on there. It really sucked and we were wondering if it was going to work, but luckily it did.

[3.4Z24]

thing looked pretty well lined up when i put it together. not perfect, though. it starts and runs, idles around 1200 and some kind of limiter is killing it at 4k. i hate to run it like this. it ran better before i started this gig . the 'ol lady totalled our only current transportation so things are now in a 'crunch' so to speak.

i really want to get back in there and break those damn bolts loose so i can get this done proper, but i'm not sure when that's gonna happen now. totalling the other car did a little better than sucking the pockets dry and i'd like to afford the gaskets so i can just pull the cam carriers off and give those bolts a proper working over with some elbow room..

i guess for now i'll just pull things apart to see how the timing settled in and make sure that's the deal and not some little thing i've overlooked.

[pocket-rocket]

Does it feel limited by the engine, or is it the one in the ECM like the auto cars have in park/neutral? If it is the ECM, I would say it sounds like your P/N switch is bad, or your shifter cable is not adjusted correctly. If it is the engine, pulling the cam carrier might be the way to go. Good luck with it whichever way you have to go.

[3.4Z24]

it definitely sounds limited by the ECM. i seem to remember reading something about auto cars having a limiter thereabouts in park and neutral. i may have some other things figured out as well, now that i've spent some time away from it. although now i wish i'd marked the cam pulleys before assembling everything. now i've got to tear it all down again. who said love isn't a burden?

better get some rest. i've been up for like -hell, i can't even count. i'm surprized i can type lol. since like around four a.m. yesterday morning....ok. rambling, giddy: sleep.

[3.4Z24]

ok. everythings cool. it runs like a raped ape. i must of been too tired and paranoid of all things that could go wrong, this being a new engine to me. thanks to everyone for all the advice. someday i'll go back and set 'er 'perfect', but for now it'll get us around for a while.