I'm replacing the water pump and timing belt on my '91 3.0 runner, and wanted to replace the cam seals as well as the crank seal while I'm in there. Unfortuneatley, I cannot break the cam gear bolts loose. I made this https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...l-tool-186081/ tool and so far have managed to break my 1/2 in. breaker and 1 socket. I've been trying to locate a 3/4 in drive 17mm, but looks like I'll have to order it, and it's 4-5 days out. I'm concerned that I may break the cam sprocket if I get too heavy-handed with this. I've soaked the bolts down w/PB blaster, but still no joy. Any ideas?
Regards, Rick

 

impact gun?

rightey tightey lefty loosey right?

 

get a 17mm impact, (black in color) socket and with a half inch breaker bar should do it, also use a impact gun would help too,

 

X2 also make sure that you are using a good name brand socket. The cheap ones will break

 

use your man-hands, sally.

dunno why it wouldn't work for a 3.0, but for the 22re you put the 3/4" 17mm 6-pt socket on the bolt with a breaker bar and rest the handle on the frame - give the starter a quick blip and whallah! engine breaks bolt free for you.

 

The bolts probably (and should) have Loctite on them, so it's hard to break. There are many ways outlined on here if you use the search key. Best way I've found is to keep the timing belt on, put your breaker bar on the crank bolt, wedge the breaker bar against the frame to hold it, and break the torque on the cam bolts with an impact wrench.

I didn't do that the first time I broke down my engine and ended up holding the sprockets with a vice grips pipe wrench (the kind with a chain around the top instead of jaws) that was wedged against the idler pulley or something lower on the block. I could not break that torque with my breaker bar and a 4' iron pipe over it. As soon as I hit it with the impact, though, it loosened right up.

 

All great ideas guys, thanks. I have used my impact driver, first choice. the harmonic damper buzzed right off, I thought, great, the cam gears will be no problem. Borrowed another impact gun this evening, thinking mine might not be delivering all the torque it could be, but still no joy. So its off to Napa for some Binford 2000 class tools.
Rick

 

Binford doesn't work any more. Their tools stopped working 10 years ago when they started making tools that complied with Clause S of their contract. I hear they make good cocoa now though.

You need the Snap-Off model 12-21-2012 Cyclic Destructor, Celestial AGN "Retrograde" Edition. Make sure you get the one guaranteed to withstand pole shifts: the last thing you want is Nibiru messing up your cam belt.

Or, have you tried heating it with a torch then trying to loosen it?

 

make sure ur gun is on the highest number for power, i know some people might not look at it to make sure. also make sure ur air is putting out max power. also if u go for another breaker bar dont bounce on it, pull steady and hard u bounce it and it could break another one.

 

Tonight, joy was attained! Here in Mt we are always 10-15 years behind the rest of the country(a good thing, btw) and I was able to get a hold of the aforementioned Binford tools. Sounded like a 22 short when the cam bolts broke free.
Rick

 

thats good to hear, how did u get it off?

 

oh, please....
we don't need pics of him getting it off.

 

I used a 3/4 in. breaker, 17mm 1/2 in. drive air socket, 3/4 to 1/2 heavy duty reducer, and a 2 foot cheater pipe, along with my home made SST.

 

no more like what tools so that way if anyone else was having a problem they could see how others got it off.

 

A bigger breaker bar wins!

The rest will be easy now.....

 

Well, I screwed up one of my new cam seals, didn't start it real square, and messed up an edge, but compared to the last few days, not a big deal at all. I'll pick up another one tomorrow. Noticed that both of these seals had FIPG on them, both factory seals, so will apply the goop to the new seals as well.

 

No mention in the FSM on pg. EG2-79 of using FIPG on the cam seal:
http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/1990-1995...e/cylinder.pdf

The only FIPG around there is on the camshaft bearing caps pg. EG2-78. I suspect you are just seeing ooze on the seal from the FIPG on the cap.

FSM for timing belt:
http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/1990-1995...e/timingbe.pdf

 

I used FIPG on mine; don't recall if the FSM said to do so but it had it on there when I tore it down. USE FIPG VERY SPARINGLY!!! Too much can push the seal out. Also, you'll never get it out again~

 

I thought it rather strange to see it on the seals, the ooze from the bearing caps makes sense. TNrabbit, the seals actually came out rather easily. I cannot see it making any difference using it or not in this case.
Rick

 

I used a little red silicone FIPG on mine, just to make sure they sealed. They've held tight over a year now. In my mind it's just a little extra insurance against imperfections in the casting.