How to hold cams while torquing timing pulley retainer bolts?

Yeah..seen that done! What a mess! Also seen someone forget to remove the timing pins on a V8 esprit and turn it over. Carnage......

For what it's worth i've used the paper under-cap method for years. No problems so far.....

 

Upon further reflection, I now recall that I used the screwdriver in the starter teeth for tightening the damper and drive pulleys. I used an old timing belt, clamped with vise grips to hold the cam pulleys.

 

YES! this is a good way but most people do not own a pin spanner but everyone has paper to put under cam caps. Here is a pin spanner I welded in about 5 minutes and it works fine as peter suggests. I've used this one for about 10 years even though its a POS.. It fits exactly in the little holes in the cam cog. You see you just can't use a strap wrench and grab the cog teeth with old belt because they you can't degree the cams right. You can use the strap wrench if you do a non-WSM ferrari install of the belts and are going for marks not degreeing cams and even that does not work very well because you have to deal with the tensioner.
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Excellent!

 

Once I have the timing set the way I want it, I mark the belt and pulleys, remove the belt, and tighten the bolts with an impact wrench while tightly gripping the pulley from turning with my hand. If your scared, wear a glove. Then put the belt back on and reset tension. Dont forget to stake the tabs over on the keepers, one of my engines came with them unstaked. If one of those bolts ever came out of the cam and let the pulley fly......

No, I do not torque them with a wrench, IMHO it is unnecessary. If your that anal about it, pull the cams back out and torque them on the bench and reinstall.

 

I do not recall tabs/keepers on a TR that you can stake over the main cog bolt...

What am I missing?

Can you show a 308 pic?

Rgds,
Vincenzo

 

I dont have a pic handy, but its a lock tab washer that fits between the bolt and the slotted washer that secures the pin in place.

edit: the TR looks to have a much longer bolt, guessing they use locktite on the threads.

 

Then remove the cam and place it in a fixture on the bench where you can torque the bolt to the correct torque.