Exhaust cam "service bolt"?? (Head gasket job)

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LandCrusher'70

LandCrusher'70

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May 9, 2006
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Help!
I'm doing a head gasket on a '97 and have reached the point where you eliminate the "torsional spring force of sub-gear" by placing a "service bolt" into the exhaust cam gear. The FSM gives specifics to what bolt to use, however, the are no damn threads to screw it into! How the hell is this done??

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It's not necessary, when you reinstall the cam per the book it realigns by itself. It is just there to quiet the slap between the timing gears and only moves 2mm or so
 
Hmm, that's not my recollection. It's been several years back, but when I helped a dude do his, we used one of the bolts that holds the head cover on for the "service bolt" and it screwed in like a champ. If I recall correctly, only the hole on the gear that's towards the radiator side was threaded to receive the bolt.
 
there should be more holes?? 3 I think?
one with threads and the other 2 for a spanner wrench to tension it to get the service bolt in during initial asm.

don't quote me though
 
Yep, keep looking. There is a threaded hole, stumbled on that myself a couple months ago.
 
I looked at it thinking there might be other holes, but didn't see any. I'll take a good look tomorrow. Maybe I just missed it? :meh:
 
with the cam out, wrap a rag about half way down the put it in a vice, do it up firm but not too tight. grab a small bolt the same thread as the rocker cover bolts but not that long. i us a large screw driver flat blade and a small drift or punch. now the bolt has to go through the front of the cam gear but only the threaded hole is in the second half of the split cam gears. locate the hole in the back half that is threaded , now look back to the front there is another hole that is close but not lined up, using the flat blade screw drive and the drift turn the first half of the gear i think clockwise till the two holes line up, as you turn you can feel the spring pressure building up, if not your turning it the wrong way. now keep turning till a clear hole opens up right through the cam gear, while holding it there with the drift in one hand, screw bolt in with other hand, does not need to be tight, just seat it down till it stops. now install cam back into car, not forgetting to remove small bolt after cam caps are bolted back down.
 
Found it! There are indeed three holes. Only one is threaded. The first hole I came across was the one in question. I did not realize you had to rotate the cam that far around to find the "Service Hole".
Thanks fellas!
 
DylanICON said:
there should be more holes?? 3 I think?
one with threads and the other 2 for a spanner wrench to tension it to get the service bolt in during initial asm.

don't quote me though
Click to expand...
Upon discovering prior owner head swap left the sub-gear unsprung, found 3 holes available for pin spanners + 1 for temp screw holding.

pin-spanner-closeup.webp
 
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