| Author | Message | ||
| Jeff Green (Carguy)
Member Username: Carguy Post Number: 444 Registered: 10-2002 |
Hi All !! Here are some more pics and updates. As you know I worked on the passenger's side cambelt and tensioner yesterday. Today I did the driver's side. All I can say is, once you understand things, it goes much smoother. My goal is to replace the crankshaft front seal. After unlocking the tensioner, and pushing on the pressure spring assembly, it's a snap to remove the old cam belt. The next thing is to remove the tensioner bearing, I couldn't remove my tensioners due to clearance problems with the cam pulleys. But careful prying with two screw drivers and a bit of patience, and the bearing finally creeped off it's mounting shaft.  I then removed the crank sprokets, they just slide off with a bit of pressure.  Now I can finally see the oil leaking culprit...the front seal.  After grinding and shaping an old screw driver, I managed to remove the seal...it took a bit of work since you MUST be careful not to gouge up the surface of the crankshaft. I did put one nick in the surface, but it looks like it won't be where the seal contacts the crank. Whew!  Next, I must get a piece of exhaust pipe or something and fashion a tool to gently tap the new seal into place. Any comments by the more experienced out there are welcome. Thanks; Jeff | ||
| Kelly (Tifosi1)
Member Username: Tifosi1 Post Number: 725 Registered: 2-2002 |
OH MY GOD!. I'm glad I got a 308. Good luck I don't blame you for not taking off the valve covers. kelly | ||
| Henryk (Henryk)
Intermediate Member Username: Henryk Post Number: 1092 Registered: 8-2001 |
Jeff: Kelly has a good point......ONLY if the gaskets are $20, as for the 308......but they are NOT......more like $90......then you have to decide if you want to spend more for the O-rings going around each plug.....add more $$$. I did have to remove the distributor and base, but no big deal, since everything went back in proper order. With all the gaskets needed, I think it will cost more like $125 per side......and that is without the O-rings. WHY do it if it doesn't leak? I did re-paint my valve cover......but only that side......since it needed replacement. The other side will get done with the major service, next year, when I will have to do BOTH sides.....to check the valve clearance. | ||
| Jeff Green (Carguy)
Member Username: Carguy Post Number: 443 Registered: 10-2002 |
Hi Henry....when you pull off the cam cover, do you also have to remove the distributor? Kelly has a good point, and I'm curious the more I think about it. I must be some kind of masochist or something! Just don't know when to quit. Can you elaborate on what it took to do that cam cover gasket fix? | ||
| Henryk (Henryk)
Intermediate Member Username: Henryk Post Number: 1091 Registered: 8-2001 |
Jeff: I notice that the car had a major service in 2001. If the cam covers,etc., don't leak then leave them alone.......I wouldn't touch them!!!!! I just replaced my "very" leaky left cam cover, and $90 was about the right price. NOT worth it if it doesn't leak. If it ain't broke......don't fix it!!!!!!! | ||
| Jeff Green (Carguy)
Member Username: Carguy Post Number: 441 Registered: 10-2002 |
Thanks Kelly...I respect your opinion. Just the cam cover upper and lower gaskets for a TR are close to $90 bucks a side, then you have the distributor gaskets, the vacuum pump gasket, and numerous other little things. These TRs are pricey....they shouldn't be any more than anything else...but that's the "system" currently. If others chime in and cause me to have reservations, I will do it all over again. It would be good experience for me. I've even thought about perhaps doing this service for others if I get good enough at it. It's just not worth the $8,000 give or take that the dealers charge. | ||
| Kelly (Tifosi1)
Member Username: Tifosi1 Post Number: 724 Registered: 2-2002 |
My opinion only, valve cover gasket are 20 bucks a piece for a 308. I cannot think of anything else you would need. Good luck. A friend of mine did the smae thing. and is very happy. Kelly | ||
| Jeff Green (Carguy)
Member Username: Carguy Post Number: 440 Registered: 10-2002 |
Yes Kelly..I have thought about doing that. But my TR had it's last major service at the end of 2001. The only reason I'm replacing the belts is because oil got on them due to a leaky crankshaft front seal. The belts actually look like new except for the slight oil film on them. I may take some heat for saying this, but my budget isn't ready for a major service yet, so I'm just swapping belts and tensioner bearings for peace of mind. Pulling the cam covers involves a few hundred more dollars in gaskets and stuff (flames welcome). Experienced people I've talked to seem to think I should be okay just changing belts. I would welcome more viewpoints on this subject...as it's not too late for me to do the whole nine yards. | ||
| Ernie (Ernie)
Member Username: Ernie Post Number: 780 Registered: 11-2001 |
Ata boy Jeff. Yeah it is a little bit of a pain. However it is way less of a pain than getting ripped off at the dealership. $6000.00 my ass. You are saving thousands, so just keep that in the back of your mind. Keep up the good work. | ||
| Kelly (Tifosi1)
Member Username: Tifosi1 Post Number: 723 Registered: 2-2002 |
Take at look at my pics of the timing marks. http://www.ferrarichat.com/discus/messages/79558/265850.html?1058493379 | ||
| Kelly (Tifosi1)
Member Username: Tifosi1 Post Number: 722 Registered: 2-2002 |
Jeff, good luck, but I think I would be taking off the valve covers to see the real timing marks. NOT the ones on the belts. The belts can be different. Of course i;'ma 308 guy and just seen this done at a shop for Tr's Kelly | ||
| Jeff Green (Carguy)
Member Username: Carguy Post Number: 438 Registered: 10-2002 |
Well I started finally tearing into my TR's engine tonight. Not as easy as I thought it would be. Here are the basic steps I followed. First I find top dead center on #1 cylinder compression stroke. I did this by plugging the spark plug hole with a wad of plastic, and as the cylinder pressure builds it pops out letting me know I'm getting close. I then get it to the proper marks on the flywheel as shown below.  Next I verify using the pointers on the backside cambelt housings are lined up with the marks on the cams, sorry for the crappy pic.  I then lock the cams into place using my special high-tech nylon blocks. Next I remove the crank bolt holding on the harmonic balancer. I had to use a hammer and 3/4 drive breaker bar as I don't have an air impact wrench. Very primative but it worked.  The harmonic balancer just slides off with a but of a tug...not pressed on like the old muscle cars I used to work on...I liked this one!  I now mark the cam belts to the cam pulleys and also to the crankshaft pulley. These marks will be "transfered" to the new belts, and then the new belts will have to match the marks on the pulleys and crank. I hope this makes sense.   Now I unlock the tensioner. I still wasn't clear how these "locked" into place. And I made the mistake of loosening the retaining nut that holds the pressure spring in the housing !!!! Big Mistake! I had a very difficult time getting it back together. Luckily I knew how many turns to remove the retaining nut, so I tightened it down the same number. The bolt the holds the tensioner bearing on is also the locking bolt.....I'm an idiot sometimes! IMPORTANT - you cannot remove the tensioners with the cam pulleys in place. This makes removing the old tension bearings VERY difficult. The old bearing will be destroyed as you pry it off the mounting shaft.  Behold....the tensioner is ready for the new bearing to be installed.  I'll try and post more as I go along. I'm still not comfortable doing this, no confidence in myself I guess. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Please feel free to comment on, or correct this procedure. Thanks Everyone! |