Got my ass kicked installing my BC272's

[scottsee]

I 'hate' 17mm cam gear bolts.. It took 15 minuets to take off the hood & valve cover, align TDC; and 3 hours, 2 broken Craftsman wratches, several metal pipes, a brakerbar, and some cussing to NOT take off the Intake cam gear bolt. Stupid... That bolt in not budging. I tried everything I could think of. I need to find either a strait bar, or take the T-Belt off. I had no idea 130k would weld it on the way it has..

It got worse, but I don't feel like braging about my day. Only productive thing I did today was....... Night..

/bad day

[NateS]

Haha funny thing is I know exactly how you feel. I broke a half inch to three 8s adjustment on my breaker bar while trying to get my camgears off. Only way is with an impact gun. Got a friend to do it for me and it cam right off no problem lol. So drop the wrenches and find a friend with an impact gun... trust me.

[NateS]

I'm sure you already know but just want to make sure. When you put in the cam seals, make sure they are very straight(using big socket). I put RTV all along the outside of the seal and inside of journal. I also put lube on the inside of the seal. I also put RTV on the upper journal where it contacts the lower journal. Sealed great!

[scottsee]

There is no way to get an inpact gun on that intake side. Not without taking the timing belt off and removing the cam out of the head. The clearence between the 17mm gear bolt and ABS lines is so tight I could only use a 6point small socket. I don't know how you got an 3/8 adapter on that! I even took the motor mount off, jacked the engine up as much as I could looking to get the Impact gun on there. Wouldn't fit.

Stupid...

[Fierc3 Kid]

I'm not an expert or nothing, but a while back I couldn't get an exhaust manifold bolt off, so I used a lacrosse stick. Idk if u ever seen a lacrosse stick, but if take the head of it off, & use the shaft as a breaker bar, it works really really well. Its about 3 times the size of a normal breaker bar, and when u have three feet of leverage, the bolt will do one of two things, snap, or break loose. Hope this helps.

[nova1313]

scottsee perhaps he's talking about an impact wrench which is slightly different then the impact gun's I've seen... Maybe he has a small one?

I second scottsee's how the hell did you get an impact gun or wrench in there? When I did the timing belt that spot was a bitch. (so is the middle shield on the timing belt cover!).. A lot of the lines get in the way. I remember a big black one which I think was power steering was pwning me (I can't remember which and my car is snow covered.)

I'd say try a big piece of pipe with a new craftsman wrench at the end. Takee off the hood if you have too...

The nice thing about craftsman is free replacementS!

[NateS]

Yeah sorry, I took the camshafts out with the gam gears still attached. I'm pretty sure its the only way without killing yourself lol. Good luck!

[scottsee]

Originally Posted by nova1313

I'd say try a big piece of pipe with a new craftsman wrench at the end. Takee off the hood if you have too...The nice thing about craftsman is free replacementS!

Had the hood off. Broke 2 Chraftsman rachets when I was using a 3 foot metal tube for Torque. I'll figure it out.. Just my first time..
I've thought about just buying adjustable cam gears, but the 95-96 have the CAS attached to inner side of the Intake cam gear, I'm not sure If would fit.

I'm going to try and find a stait bar to attach to my strut towers. That way I can just put the corressent wrench aginst the strait bar and pull on that bolt like a champ.

[defiancy]

What about an air ratchet? Tried that? Being that it is almost like an impact gun, but it's shapped like a socket and doesn't have quite the kick an impact gun does. If I remember correctly I used it to take just about everything apart when removing my motor and breaking it down for the rebuild.

[kjewer1]

There are cam gear holding tools that you might be able to rent. They allow you to keep both wrenches close to each other (rather than the hex in the middle of the cam) so you can get more leverage. I've never been unable to get a bolt free, even if it takes me an hour, so I haven't tried this, but it should work. An impact gun won't fit, and an air ratchet won't be of any use until it's already broken free. I also reasssemble with slightly less than the recomended torque (I use 50 lbs) but I add some medium locktite.

Also, IIRC, it's a 36mm socket you would use to drive the cam seal in until it bottoms. I've had good luck though recently just pushing it in gently and evenly with a screwdriver or some other hack tool.

Also, for those doing the RRE method, I just ordered a tensioner tool from AMS (www.amsperformance.com). IIRC, 4340 chromoly, with a hardened tip. FAR superior to the homemade tool I've been using. Well worth the 30-40 bucks, even if it's for one cam swap. I do a few per month so it was well worth it. You can also get the cam gear locking tool from Kent-Moore, part number 09000-00109. This was more like 50 bucks, and you can do without it for one job, but for several it becomes worth it. This might even help hold the cam while you break the bolt free, but I'm not sure how strong it is.

With these tools I typically do cam swaps in about 45 minutes, makes all the difference.

I'm sure this problem has been resolved by now, this rambling is more for the archives I guess...

[scottsee]

I havn't had time to dig back into it. 90% of the problem is that it's my first time doing this. I just need to have someone come over and help me out.. Thanks for takeing the time to type that out. I didn't even think about using locktite.

[kjewer1]

Doesn't take any time at all, thanks to car forums and 10 years I can type like 4 million words per minute with my eyes closed, hemoroids in flames, and three hang nails. Good luck with the next attempt, I'm sure you'll get it.