I replaced the right bank secondary tensioner on my car on Monday, but today i realised that, when tightening down the camshaft end bolt i hadn't pulled back on the camshaft setting tool to keep tension on the chain.

I'd just held it still.

So, having just got a torque wrench i tested it on the thermostat housing( never used one before) and decided to undo and retighten the camshaft end bolt.

I forgot to put the camshaft locking tool back on, and the second i slackened off the bolt the exhaust camshaft moved, quite a bit.

Now i can't get it back into position with the flats parallel so i can lock them down with the locking tool.

Is there a way of moving just the exhaust camshaft to get the flats level?

 

Road hog,
I think you could remove the sproket and chain, install the sprocket only and tighten the allen bolt as best as possible, then use the allen wrench to rotate the cam. After aligning the cams install the setting tool then remove the sprocket. reinstall chain and sprocket. Hope this helps.

 

If the bolt is loose you should be able to rotate it with visegrips, just clamp between two lobes.
RJ________
97 XK8 85K mi

 

So i can remove the sprocket and chain, then reinstall the sprocket and either:

reinstall the allen bolt and use the camshaft setting tool to rotate the cam
or
leave the allen bolt off, and turn the cam with molegrips.

Is that right fellas?

 

hi,
From what ive read in a thread, I believe towards the rear of the camshaft is a place where a spanner/ perhaps allen key can be used to rotate the cam. id be mindful the position of valves while rotating either cam to correct timming.

stephen

 

Do not use vise grips on the camshaft. You could end up breaking it. Camshafts are extremely hardened/brittle. Just dropping one on the floor can shatter it, vise grip tooth marks can cause immediate or deferred problems.

 

I am not sure if the tool would rotate the cam. I think you need to be sure the flats are up and square before installing the tool (which holds them in place). You can lay a straight edge across the flats of the cams to check that they are in the right position before installing the tool.

 

steveeasy:

I read that somewhere too, but the only thing i could find on the rear of the camshaft to turn it was the rounded end, that has 2 slits in it.
It's too close to the suspension bulkhead to get anything on it with the leverage to turn it more than a few millimetres. Perhaps some special tool will turn it using the endcap (the rounded end), but i didn't have anything that would work given the space constraint.

Too late for the warning on the vice grip marks beav, i already tried them and have left some marks. They didn't work either.
I was careful not to try levering the lobes (except with my thumbs, which was useless), but i didn't know the shafts were so fragile.
The only thing on the plus side is that from the condition of the secondary tensioner, it was about to let go.
And aren't they supposed to have a metal strip on the top?

 

hi,
Perhaps if you remove tensioner, then move secondary chain out of way, you can tighten sprocket and turn cam useing the allen Key nut to set the flats to install locking tool.
the tensioner has lost its shoe. this will probally be in sump or oil pick in pieces.

stephen

 

Super Cat i figure i've got a better chance of moving the cam with the setting tool than anything else, because it has a square slot in it that i can attach a breaker bar to.
The idea is to level the cam flats with the setting tool and breaker bar, then lock them down with the locking tool.
If i can do that, i can then remove the sprocket bolt and sprocket, then remount the sprocket and chain.
I'll give it a try tomorrow, as long as it's not raining.

I keep getting people coming up and talking to me while i'm working on it, and half a dozen neighbours regularly come by for a chat on their way past it.
I don't mind, but because i'm not too sure what i'm doing i have to concentrate on everything i touch. I was talking to one of these neighbours when i went for the sprocket bolt without the lockers in place.

I think in future i'll have to down tools if anyone starts talking to me.

I'm having kittens over the camshaft position.


And steveeasy the missing shoe probably explains why i had to dig 2 tiny metal splinters out of my fingers when i changed the tensioner. So it'll be oil flush and change with new filter, plus dropping the sump and cleaning it out.

 

Second that. The tensioner should not have metal exposed. timing chain should only touch plastic on both sides of the tensioner. In your first picture, the plastic is missing on one side entirely. I just had the same problem, removed my oil pan and pickup tube screen, and there were many plastic pieces in the screen, and hanging out in the oil pan.

 

If the shoe is plastic, i wonder where the metal filings are coming from?

 

hi,
out of interest, is that a new throttle body in the picture. if not its had a good clean, looks brand new.

id have one last peak along the far end of the cam were a spanner can be located to rotate the cam, or as you suggested useing the tool to rotate cam sounds a good option.


stephen

 

hi,
Just read your last thread. metal filings, If you have significant wear from the chains running on metal(due to the shoe breaking away) you may want to check the chain for excessive wear.

the new tensioner you have installed should have a white plastic shoe. I assume you will do the other side as well. looks like you got there just in time.

Stephen

 

No it;s the existing throttle body, but i cleaned it up.

It cleaned up ok, but still a bit rough round the edges at the moment.

I had a good look at the end of the cam, and spent quite a while trying to find something to use in the end that would give the leverage to turn the cam.
No dice, though it might work with the secondary chain and sprocket removed.
I think it's the pressure from the valve springs stopping it moving though.

I'll know more when i attack it again.

 

A picture of the flats on the cams would be helpfull so I can see how far you are off. If it turned by itself you should be able to turn it back. If the cams are close to the correct position I would install the locking tool, remove the chain and sprocket, reinstall the sprocket (no chain), tighen the allen bolt. Loosen the locking tool a little, and then you should be able to turn the cam with the same allen wrench in the allen bolt. Get the cams parallel, tighten the locking tool, reinstall the sprocket and chain properly. You mention you are new to torque wrenches, be sure at the end you get that allen bolt torqued.

 

Good day,

I'm in the middle of doing these repairs (and then some) in the thread titled "My project"... From what I gathered, you have the cams locking tool that uses the flat spots towards the front of the cam to stay in place while you lock all the timing componets down... And when you loosened the exhaust cam locking bolt, it moved to a neutral position from valve spring pressure... My fix would be to rotate the CRANK the same direction and distance (using the intake cam as reference), lock the exhaust cam bolt, then rotate the crank back to where it needs to be... That may be more work, but it will be the easiest way to get the cam back to it's desired position... Install the locking tool and all is well again...

I have the same metal shavings from my right side secondary chain... I didn't want to replace the chains, but that one will be new when mine goes back together...

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Cheers!!!

 

I am not sure I would rotate the crankshaft. With cams not in the proper position, a piston may contact a valve.

 

Couldn't sleep, so here i am again.

I thought these tensioners were plastic apart from the piston and spring, but the metal filings and your comment MR. CJ got me wondering, so i cleaned up the underside of the tensioner, which previously looked orange like the plastic.
The picture below reveals a different story.

Steve yes i'll be doing the other side as well, and i have a full cam chain and guide kit, which i was going to fit until i got water in the bores while cleaning the centre of the block.
The idea now is just to do the secondary tensioners and put it back together to run the engine and evaporate any water in the bores, then at a later stage probably take the head off to see if i've got any rusty bores/rings/valves, and if all is well, fit the primary kit.

I think the VVT is in the way of just replacing the secondary chains, otherwise i'd slip them on.


Super Cat the camshaft moved to more or less a horizontal position, so it's probably 20 degrees or so off parallel to the other cam. I'll take a picture when i get a chance.

bluexk8ragtop yes i've got the camshaft locking tools, and i'd replaced the tensioner and removed the tool, but i wasn't happy with the tension on the secondary chain when i tightened the sprocket bolt, so i decided to do it again yesterday.
I was a bit distracted playing with the torque wrench settings and talking to a neighbour, and forgot about refitting the cam locking tool when i undid the sprocket bolt.
Which is why i have the problem now.

Edit: Also, i've got the crankshaft setting plug installed in the flywheel, so i'm with Super Cat on not rotating the crank.

 

If this is the only side that has the issue, rotating the crank the same direction the cam rotated, you'd only be decreasing the likeliness of valve/piston contact...

Cheers!!