Cam pulley bolts left handed thread?

[WDoherty]

I can't seem to get them to break loose. Are they left handed thread (like the drive belt tensioner pulley) and need to be turned clockwise to break loose?

 

[gloverman]

No - normal right hand tread so anticlockwise to loosen. Cheers

 

[WDoherty]

Thanks Glovermann, very helpful!

 

[Zuffen]

Be warned they can be tight enough to twist a cam or perhaps even break it.

I had one we couldn't undo in my last engine and we ended up putting a 1/2" socket drive through the holes in the pulley and jambing it against the head then using an impact wrench to break the bolt free.

WE used the 1/2" drive to stop the cam twisting under the impact.

At one stage I had the cam in a very large vice with a 1metre drive bar on it and all I was doing was twisting the cam. It sprang back but we were very worrid about breaking the cam.

 

[JBrady]

Be warned they can be tight enough to twist a cam or perhaps even break it.

I had one we couldn't undo in my last engine and we ended up putting a 1/2" socket drive through the holes in the pulley and jambing it against the head then using an impact wrench to break the bolt free.

WE used the 1/2" drive to stop the cam twisting under the impact.

At one stage I had the cam in a very large vice with a 1metre drive bar on it and all I was doing was twisting the cam. It sprang back but we were very worrid about breaking the cam.

Surprised the stock cams have some give like that. Bracing the pulley instead sounds easier although it may hurt a bearing cap. Maybe the cam pulley braced in a vise with wood to protect it?

 

[Zuffen]

The cam I was flexing was a Kelford cam so I didn't want to hurt it.

I would imagine buying a matching cam could be expensive.

I don't think the cam sprocket is strong enough to go in a vice. I think it would crush.

 

[WDoherty]

Be warned they can be tight enough to twist a cam or perhaps even break it.

I had one we couldn't undo in my last engine and we ended up putting a 1/2" socket drive through the holes in the pulley and jambing it against the head then using an impact wrench to break the bolt free.

WE used the 1/2" drive to stop the cam twisting under the impact.

At one stage I had the cam in a very large vice with a 1metre drive bar on it and all I was doing was twisting the cam. It sprang back but we were very worrid about breaking the cam.

Wow, well I already tried the method above that was successful for you with no luck. This is the only the second bolt I've seen that the IR impact wont break and the first was the control arm bolt 6 years ago I had to torch off because it was corroded from salt.

 

[WDoherty]

I think 3/4" drive impact may do the trick, but I don't have access to one right now. I was only going to replace the cam seals since I'm doing to cam belt but they don't leak. Even a cloth pipe wrench bent the edges of the driver's side cam pulley and I tapped the edge back with a brass punch.

 

[WDoherty]

This may be one of those scenarios "don't fix it if it ain't broke" before I do more "serious" damage.

 

[Zuffen]

What price for another cam.

If it's stock early version they should be available for scrap value.

And if it aint leaking don't fix it.