Here's a video showing how I get the cam sprocket mounted up.

 

That's exactly how I installed mine using a pry bar. I did wrap the pry bar with a couple shop rags.

One thing that helps too is if you slightly rotate the cam gear clockwise which tightens up the chain/tensioner side, and helps the tensioner to retract.

 

Any advice is welcome!

I'm replacing the timing chain on my 22RE ('91 pickup). I'm pretty sure it's never been done and there's over 200k on the engine. I've been trying to remove the crankshaft pulley bolt for a few days now and haven't been able to get it to budge.

So far, I've tried:
- putting a 24" pipe wrench with a 3 foot pipe on the end of it around an impact socket and trying to turn it
- wedging a breaker bar against the frame with the impact socket on the bolt and bumping the starter about 25 times
- heating the bolt with a Mapp torch for about 10 minutes and letting it cool
- tapping on the bolt with a 5 pound sledge repeatedly
- using a 3/8" impact wrench with 1400 ft/lbs of torque (supposedly)
- re-trying all of the above after heating and tapping the bolt

and finally

- wedging the breaker bar against the frame with the impact socket on the bolt and letting the truck roll down hill in reverse (the truck is facing backwards on the hill), then popping the clutch. All that did was bring the truck to a sudden stop. I'm tempted to let it roll farther to get more speed up and trying it again.




The marks on the pulley are from a dumb idea I had involving a 48" pipe wrench:



I've filed the ridges the pipe wrench made down so the inside surface of the pulley, where the belt sits, is smooth again.

I'm almost ready to put it all back together and take my chances with the timing chain.

 

If you can not wrench it loose with someone standing on the brakes, and can not bump it loose with the starter (it's dangerous but the inertia of the engine coming to a sudden stop helps, leave the breaker bar about centered and let it slam into the frame), the next go to is stuffing some rope into the cylinder and getting the longest bar and more leverage on it..

Of course make sure you're turning it the right way first.

I'm surprised the rubber in the balancer held up to being held like that.

 

I'm trying to turn the bolt counterclockwise/left/opposite of the rotation of the engine, like any other bolt.

Thanks for the advice!