Hey Guys,

For the past week, I have been breaking my bones and tools in taking those cam bolts off my 3VZE for a head gasket job. I also bought the following tool http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c7...t/CIMG2748.jpg from amazon and a breaker bar. Both broke and bend... Tired everything all tricks such as putting timing belt on and putting the truck in gear and almost putting all my weight on the breaker bar.

What finally did it? Pushed my truck to the mechanic shop next to my house, borrowed his powerful impact air gun and 5 seconds, THEY ARE OFF!!!! No tool required or breaker bar or broken back! (putting them back on might be different story)

I am so glad! they are off.. just wanted to share my story!

BTW, the mechanic laughed at me trying to attempt HG on this truck and said this bolt is just the beginning, he said there might more tough ones to come...

 

Do the 3VZ cams have a flat spot in the middle where you can stick a wrench on it to hold in place? I remember my 1JZ cams had that.

I just use an impact now

 

Just a trick, Get a decent sized brass drift and a good size hammer. Before you try loosening the headbolts, whack the heads of the bolts good a few times, then use a breaker bar to loosen them. This usually works well, especially on those Isuzu v6s'.

 

The only bolt i ran into that compared was the harmonic balancer. That's only if you're replacing timing belt (which might not be a bad idea anyway). Maybe exhaust bolts...they can corrode and be a real bear. The cams were the only point where I had to sit back and wonder "what the hell am I going to do now?"

I borrowed a friends compressor and impact.....wouldn't budge either cam bolt. Ended up using an old chain wrench to hold the cam sprockets, and me and another friend went flying across the garage when the bolts finally broke loose.