'92 Replacing head, have a question...

okay, my question is, on taking the camshaft housing out, the chiltons manual said nothing about taking off the timing chain gear. Is this necessary? I've taken the bolts loose of the top cover of the housing but that wont even budge. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Oh by the way the car is a 2.3L

the housing has to be unbolted from the engine block and leave it laying forward against the strut tower.also the chain tensioner guides pulleys have too come off.

To get the housing off? or just the passenger side? Seems like some of those nuts are a pain to get to. Do I have to remove that motor mount? This is the first time working on a GM... =) and it is a friend of mine's car, so I'm trying not to break it more than it already is... =) thanks

first support the engine and trans then remove he motor mount then the timing chain cover about 20 10mm bolts and nuts then the timing chain tensioner,timing chain,guides,and cam gears.i left out a step you also have to remove the crankshaft pulley prior to removing the cover.after you have all of the above off then you can unbolt the housing from the block at the bottom and top. this head removal is complicated even for an experienced technician you have too be very careful wth setting up the timing marks or you will bend every valve in the head.this is an interference engine.

is there some sort of 'woodriff' key on the cam gear? the one up top? dosen't seem like it would be that hard if I pulled the pulley off straight, and was careful taking off that housing won't the cam sit still? and is there timing marks on the crank? I'm used to SHO's I have a timing belt, and 2 chains, and it's a non interference engine. get it wrong and try again. =) actually it's hard to mess up. But maybe this could prove difficult? is it easier or can you get to the lower bolts through the wheel well? with removal of that dust cover?
thanks again...

yes it is necessary to remove the dust cover so you can remove the crank pulley and lower bolts.the woodfuff key on the crank will be visible then make sure you have the key in either the 3 or 9 oclock position after chain removal and prior to reinsalling the cam carrier and while working on the engine this keeps the pistons halfway down the bore while you are working on the upper engine.the cam gear has a 3/8 hole in it that you put a drill bit or dowl in that aligns into the housing that is the cam timing mark after the cam is set then you can rotate the crank to the 12oclock position this is the crank timing mark there is a small dot on one of the crank gear teeth. then you can reinstall your chain,tensioner,guides and front cover. whatever you do do not set the crank gear at 12 oclock position until you have mounted the cam carrier because as you tighten down the cam carrier it opens the valves.the last thing you do is the crank setting.

so I can turn the crank with the car in gear and turning the drive wheel? i did that with my sho. for my info 12 o'clock is TDC right? and 3 and 9 is 'in between'? should I take the chain off when it is in 3 or 9? or 12? As I have a new head with new valves i don't care about bending them, but I don't like scratching pistions. Thanks for everything.

take the chain off with the crank at12oclock position and yes that is tdc.i don't know how you are going to turn the engine over with the drive wheel unless it's a manual transmission.don't worry where the cam is upon removal only on installation also thre are 3 13mm nuts on the housing by the exhaust manifold that have to be removed to get the housing off.you have to remove the exhaust manifold also. doesn't you'r chilton manual have pictures and instructions? like i said earlier this is not an easy repair.

I've already got the exaust manifold off, and i'm just wondering how I'm going to turn the crank. My SHO's were all sticks, that is how I have always done it. the Chilton misses quite a few steps. On this car anyway.

once the crank pulley is off put the crank bolt back in and turn it with a socket.

once the crank pulley is off put the crank bolt back in and turn it with a socket.



okay, sounds like I can only turn it clockwise, so would it be a good idea to turn it to 9 o clock when I pull it off? Then it can tighten it, and turn it back to 12 without 'problems'. Is there a mark on the crank pulley, the one with the accy belt on it.

turn it clockwise to 3oclock positiion and then turn the bolt out it isn't going to tighten that much when the chain and sparkplugs are out you can turn it by hand don't worry where the crank is on removal just get the bolt out.then put it at either 3 or 9 position.

so turn it to 3, remove cam housing, turn crank to 3 oclock, replace head, replace cam housing, turn crank to 12 oclock then replace cam housing?