Broken cam pulley

[cooper]

Ive an STB forester (SF5) and cracked the ceramic cam pulley when loosening the bolt. Using the locking plier grip method, I admit I ran the belt over both cams on the same bank when loosening the bolt. I guess it is better to put the lock-grip pliers close as possible to just one cam pulley than two for better stress distribution.

Is the clamping method Ok for removing cam bolts on phase 1 EJ20 Turbo motors?

[boostin]

Use a pulley holder tool that locates on the big hex on the front.

[cooper]

Thanks for reply but I cant believe all those people installing Cambelt kits (with seals) are using the tool.

I'd rather not use the tool if others don't, but anyone know where to get the tool on the cheap and in a hurry?

Cheers,

[IZichard]

I did mine using the old timing belt like you attempted. I went between the one cam pulley I was working with and the crank but it was a really sh*tty job to do as the cam bolts are ridiculously tight (~70ftlbs iirc). I actually couldn't undo one of my cam bolts and decided to not change the seal on that one because I thought it was going to cause more grief than it was worth..

 

A small electric impact makes this job much easier provide it doesn't round the internal hex on the bolts. I would have used a cam locking tool but my car has avcs intake cams and the tool I had was made for non-avcs cams meaning it didn't fit.

 

A cam locking tool or an impact makes this easier but it is definitely possible with just the old belt, some vice grips and a breaker bar..

Edited September 24, 2017 by IZichard
My torque spec was miles off...

[boostin]

The whole idea of a proper pulley holder is to avoid damaging the resin pulleys, which shouldn't be clamped due to them being relatively fragile. 

[IZichard]

Quote

The whole idea of a proper pulley holder is to avoid damaging the resin pulleys, which shouldn't be clamped due to them being relatively fragile. 

 

You don't clamp onto the actual pulley itself because as cooper found out and you mentioned they crack. You use the vice grips to help tension the belt so that it doesn't jump a tooth when loosening the bolt. I'll try find a picture to help explain. Sorry if I wasn't clear.

 

Like this:

Edited September 24, 2017 by IZichard
Added picture

[cooper]

I've ordered the cam pulley tool from BNT. ARrives tomorrow $75 trade price.

I found I can easily remove cam and crank seals using a couple bladed bicycle spokes. DT-Swiss make a very high quality stainless spoke that is bladed. You chop it in half and remove the ends, hammer the ends at 90deg using vice and viola. The stainless is so hard it won't bend and you can puncture the seal above the inner lip so it doesn't scratch the shaft. Pull using pliers and the seals pop out with relative ease. The spokes are aero style spokes off a high end road bicycle wheel.

 

Edited September 25, 2017 by cooper
Spelling

[slystiguy]

take off the rocker cover and check to see if the camshaft has a spot for a spanner to go on it. All of the 99 and below models I've pulled apart have had this, get your mate to hold it while you do the breaker bar. I have heard not all cams have these on them  but worth checking.