Good plan. The cam bolts tend to be way over torqued and will take using your holding tool to break them loose with a nice breaker bar. The cam gears have a little pin that aligns the gear with the end of the camshaft........be warned......it's real easy to drop the pin and lose it.

 

I didn't see which water pump you picked up. I bought one from autozone and it seized at 40k, taking the belt and both idlers along with it (it's in my build thread in my sig line below). I suggest OEM for the water pump.

Just FYI, I don't know if you've used that 2x6 remover tool yet, but most of the time if the bolts are in line with the grain it will split the board and you start over from scratch. I'd re-drill holes at the other end to make sure they're in different grains, so offset from center. That crank bolt is a real sucker to get off and when it broke loose, I was sure something broke clean off. Also, I dented up my radiator plenty the first time, so I took it out the second time (after the water pump explosion) and life was much easier with all the extra room. It's super easy and the cooling system is empty anyway.
Sorry if this has already been covered, or if I'm way off base.

Good luck!

 

thx, yeah, I've been working very carefully around my new koyo radiator, and have put a couple of small dents on the fragile fins...and had the passing thought about removing it.
I may still do it.
The 2x6 wood I used seemed to hold up. It was yellow pine. We will see how it does on the install.
On the water pump I got an oem aisin from partsgeek....trust me, I didnt want to have to worry about THAT part failing.

 

well...as it turns out, it isnt that easy to tell if the camshaft seals are leaking, lol

There is a black tin behind the cam sprockets that hides the seals. However, I did see oil down under the tins on both sides....
passenger side...you can see it is wet down there



drivers side has some caked oil/dirt accumulated down there...



both of the above pics are directly below the cam sprockets.

here is just a general shot...water pump is off


Okay, so right away I suspected the camshaft seals needed to be replaced...however, I remembered the valve cover gaskets both have been leaking for quite sometime...and here is a pic of the valley behind/to the rear of the cam sprocket on passenger side.



and then drivers side



so you can see the amount of oil coming down off of those valve covers (I know, I know...it is next on my list, lol)

So, I went to the file cabinet and dug up some old receipts.
In 2006, when I had 140K miles on the truck, I took it into a dealer and had the timing belt/water pump done.
They did not replace the idler bearing pulleys, tensioner, camshaft seals or thermostat.
They DID replace the crankshaft seal as they noticed it was seeping.

So, the camshaft seals probably have 230K miles on them.

What do you guys think? Do I suck it up and do the cam seals? Are they difficult to do?

Also, since I'm doing the tensioner, I have to remove the a/c compressor bracket. I see one obvious bolt at the top, right there where you can see it, and have it out. But obviously there are more bolts to remove.
Do I need to remove the a/c compressor first? and then the bracket?
thx

 

Definately, I'd do the cam seals now as you lose your entire timing belt job if they totally fail (at 230k, will they go another 90k? non likely, IMO) and the valve cover gaskets now (hard to say where the oil is coming from without removing the place behind the cam gears). Valve covers could be done later, but covers are easier to slip out when the cam gears and plate are out of the way. If you leave the throttle body attached to the upper plenum, you only need the two plenum gaskets and the two valve cover gaskets. Be sure to place black RTV at the locations indicated on the heads before replacing the valve covers (step 8 in cylinder head replace FSM).

Also, bungee cord a double thick layer cardboard to the working side of the radiator to protect it.

Timing belt removal...answers a/c removal question:
http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/1996/SIL/...imbel/remo.pdf

Timing belt install:
http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/1996/SIL/...imbel/inst.pdf

Remove valve covers (you can skip step 15 and others):
http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/1996/SIL/...ylhea/remo.pdf

Replace valve covers (Step 8 on page EM-58 is what you need and then 10b on, as necessary):
http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/1996/SIL/...ylhea/inst.pdf

 

Also, the foam gaskets between the cam gear plate and the block are non-reusable per the FSM as are the spark plug seals in the valve covers. I can generally get the cover off without destroying the foam. I do the spark plug seals though.

 

Ok, wow thanks for all the info...definitely appreciated

I really think I want to do the valve covers separate. The parts are starting to accumulate and get spread out, and I'm thinking it would be better for me to do it by itself.
especially now that I'm thinking of doing the cam seals.

Let me read through some of the links you provided....there is something in there about replacing the cam seals? I saw something in one of them about removing the sprockets for the cam...
I'm assuming that when I remove the sprockets that I need to get them at TDC marks (12oclock high), so that everything goes back on correctly?
And that after the sprocket, cam sensor, and that black tin with non resusable gasket are removed, I can just use a seal puller and pull out the cam seal? Then a seal driver and drive a fresh one in...right?

I'll take pics as I go

thx

 

Your approach on the cam seals will be fine. The cam seal is buried in the last link, but it can be done without pulling the valve cover.

Yes, TDC on the cam gear and crank gear is align the mark on the gear with the backing plate or the oil pump as appropriate.

 

excellent , thanks

and I'll plan on the valve covers just after the new year...looks pretty straightforward..

appreciate all the help !

 

Welcome!
Remember, left and right on the engine is as if you are sitting in the driver seat. Helpful for when putting the timing belt back on.

When you do the valve cover gasket be sure to use an inch-lb torque wrench on those valve cover bolts......it's real easy to break of the flange around the bolt hold with improper torque. You've been warned, lol.

 

so in trying to get the cam sprockets off, I bent the bolts on my crank pulley tool.
those suckers are really on there...

I'm almost thinking of abandoning the cam seals for now, and going back in there in a couple of years or so

and the next time, I think I'm just going to buy the factory special tool and save myself some time.

The water pump/thermostat is all on...

I spent a long time working on the hyd tensioner...I think I can get a 1/4 inch drive extension up there with a 12mm socket WITHOUT removing the a/c compressor and bracket. Right now, while I was working on the cam sprockets I had the wife run out to get me another 1/4 inch extension, so I can double them up to reach that hidden 12mm

I'll let you know how it comes out.

 

Your experience with the cam bolts is pretty typical...they all seem to be way over torqued. Bump up the diameter and strength of the bolts in the holder. I find that they break loose with steady pressure on the 1/2" drive 3' breaker bar with a good impact socket. When they do break loose, you'll think something broke as they tend to make a loud sound.

 

Hmmm,
I guess i could go make another tool (the 2x6 was too big anyways for maneuvering around the cam sprockets)...this time out of a 2x4 and really big bolts

Dammit...this is frustrating. But maybe I need to just go that extra mile now, and save myself the trouble later on.
I'm going to kick back for a few, have a cold beverage, re coup my thoughts, and then considering driving to lowes for the big bolts

wait a sec....just occurred to me while sipping my beverage...I can get my pneumatic impact wrench on those bolts. I wonder if that is okay, or if it will possibly damage anything?

 

The first time I took off the ac compressor it was an absolute monster - at least 2 hours just spent on removing that dang thing. If you can get around it, you're a genius. It's such a tight fit, I'll be surprised if you can get to it, but I'll cross my fingers for you.

 

I know!!!
I was looking at that damn thing, and man it looks difficult.

So I started looking at that little gap down there at the oil pan, lol
I started with a 3/8ths extension, and it was pretty tight moving it around in there...
so I moved to a 1/4 inch, and it fits great...mine is just an inch short, but looks like it will work!
I'll know as soon as the wife gets home with the additional extension

 

While I never use it some have success with an impact gun on those bolts. Have the wife steady your holder so the cams slight movement do not absorb the impacts.

See post 13 for method to success:
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...-loose-245265/

 

hey, that was a great thread, thanks!
now I'm even more discouraged, as it sounds like getting the new seal in is pretty touch and go, lol

I'm seriously just considering putting this off for a year or two.

seriously

Question, has anyone on here had a failure of any kind with seeping cam seals?
I mean, how can you even tell if they are leaking or not anyways? You would have to remove the sprockets and the tin behind them just to see the seals....right?
I would think one could drive with seeping seals for quite some time with no problems.
I know with my truck, even with the heavily leaking valve covers, my dipstick level doesnt drop much at all over the course of an oil change interval...

 

Hmmm, I've never had a problem getting the seals in. I wonder if the guy in the other thread was not putting the multipurpose grease on the lip causing them to bind up somehow?
I just do what the FSM says:
(3) Apply MP grease to a new oil seal lip.
(4) Install the oil seal to the camshaft.

Getting them out can be a bugger sometimes. If I can't get them with a curved pick I'll carefully screw a long sheet metal screw a few threads into the seal on each side to pull it out. The seal has a metal layer in there.

Waiting is a good option too.

 

yeah, I have a decent seal puller that should work...
but I think I'm gonna wait.
I still have the rest of the job to finish, and will start afresh tomorrow...hopefully getting it all together and running by friday.
thx again for all the info and help with this...it would have been a lot more painful without all the advice

 

Matt,

A 12mm swivel socket works well for the AC bolt.

Having trolled all message boards for four years and then some, I cannot recall one post where someone had a cam seal leak. Crank seal, yes, but no cam. As rworegon says with sage advice, wait if you are unsure.

I hope to see it in pics running on Friday.