Hey All,

I just started to put the cylinder head back on my '94 Pickup and remembered from a couple years ago when I changed the timing chain there is a fairly strong tensioner down there at the bottom of the timing chain. And of course with that i can't get the camshaft gear on. Only need about 1/12".
I REEEEEEAAAAALLLYYYY don't want to take the front of the engine apart.

 

are you telling us, or is there a question there?

 

I'm absolutely asking for help. Thinking I worded it wrong.

 

set the crank pulley marks to just slightly beyond TDC. using a large/thick screwdriver, lever the cam gear while also turning the crank backwards just a bit. should create enough slack to get the cam gear up onto the shaft, aligned with the notch. do not, NOT, lever on the valve tower, or you will break it and be searching for a new one. you can place a suitable size block of wood behind where the cam sprocket goes, and lever off of that, through the holes of the sprocket. you need to be levering the sprocket up while turning the crank back to allow the slack to help you create enough space to get the sprocket up.

might take a few tries to get it, but it will work.

 

If you put a socket on the crank bolt and slowly rotate it back and forth while lifting up on the cam sprocket the tensioner should lose pressure and collapse, giving you enough to slide it on to the cam. You don't have to move it much in either direction. Use a non-clicking bar on the socket.

 

THANKS GUY...... worked perfectly

 

BTDT, recently, too. twice. i was a dumbass, and forgot to torque down the guide bolts, so my new chain broke when one of the bolts worked its way out and dropped down between the crank sprocket and the chain, snapping it. weeee.