I mean, I removed the cam cap bolts and the cam caps, removed the tensioner bolts but I can't lift the camshaft to swap tensioners.

The processed worked beautifully on the right bank. :/ Am I missing something?

 

Its the oil surface tension holding the cam onto the bearing surface. Rotate the crank bolt just a bit with a socket and the first valve a lobe encounters will pop it free.

 

Ok, makes sense, now, I'm a little bad on nomenclature, so where is the crank bolt and what does it look like?

 

Crankshaft bolt . . . lower front dead center of the engine inside the damper/pulley that the serpentine belt is driven by. It's a big bolt but I don't remember the exact size. (27mm?)

 

I think I have it... I need to buy a new socket. I guess the project gets put on hold for another day. :/

I really miss driving this beauty. But, this had to be done! My right tensioner has a big *** crack down the middle.

I'd appreciate it if someone could provide me with the correct size. It would save me the trouble at the autoparts store.

 

24mm

 

Treat each side as a separate four cylinder engine, finish one before starting the other because you may need to rotate the engine when moving from bank to bank, because:

Make sure that your cam is rotated such that no lobe is pushing on the spring before applying the zip ties. There is one position where this is possible. If you don't do this, you risk snapping a cam. If you don't know this, then you haven't found the right writeup yet.

Presuming the above is under control:

Put the bearing cap back in the last position using only a couple of turns of the bolts so that it is very loose. Just enough to keep the cam from flopping around at that end and damaging a polished surface.

Grab the front of the cam or gear, give the cam nose a LITTLE tap with a small hammer while pulling up on the cam. The cam will pop loose.

 

As I said, I did treat each side as a different 4 cylinder engine. I finished the right bank. I changed the tensor, the valve cover gasket, the spark plug seals, I cleaned the area, I reinstalled the valve cover, the coils, the coil wiring, the coil cover, and the air filter box. I just need to finish the left bank. Which is just waiting for me to finish it tomorrow or on friday, whenever I don't have class or practice.


Which method is more reliable/easier, the hammer or the crankshaft bolt?

 

The crankshaft bolt is the safe answer.

Bumping with the ignition key is another possibility ... with the fuel injection disabled to prevent starting. You cannot do this if the cams are already tied since you might hold the key a little too long.

In my mind, those are for preparatory positioning prior to zip tying.

A little tink with the hammer is the easiest for loosening a cam held by surface tension of the trapped oil, especially if the cams are already zip tied. That's what works for me, and the advice I normally give. All that's happening is that the vibration plus pulling breaks the surface tension.

 

+1 !

 

Alright, I'll buy the hammer and the socket. I can't believe I don't have a hammer. I have a torque wrench, and I don't have a hammer. That's just weird.

 

You really should be able to do it without a hammer, but if you use one, use it VERY gently.

 

Ok, I'm still buying the hammer because it's useful around the house. I've found myself needing one about 4 times in the past two weeks.

 

+1

That's why I always say "tink" ... because that's the sound it makes.

 

I'll keep that in mind.