Cover bolt, start with a left hand drill. If you can't get the chunks out, drill on through with the right size for a heli-coil insert. Cam bolts are a pain. Make sure the bolt head is clean and dry. I use carb cleaner to get the lube out of there first. Also suggest tapping the bolts first with a hammer to help break the tension on them. I would, and did go with a vent on the driver side of the cover so that the blow-by will not ruin the seals on that side. I think it will also help reduce windage in the case but I have no proof that it will do that.

 

+1 - one of mine broke off when attaching the valve covers. It came out while drilling with a very thin left-handed drill bit before the drill even penetrated it very far.

Only tricky bit is getting the drill centered - I made a guide by cutting a small bolt down to leave a small locating lug just beneath the head, and then drilling a hole through the bolt head on the bench. Then I just located the guide bolt-head in the hole above the sheared cam cover bolt and started drilling.

(thanks to jon928se for teaching me that trick - I first used it to deal with a sheared water pump bolt)

 

Thanks for the tips folks.....I like the cut down bolt idea.

 

I now have the PS VC off. For those who followed Dwaynes great thread I'd add that from my experience I didn't have to remove the air diverter valve bracket although the diverter and associated plumbing has been long gone. I also did not remove the engine hoist bracket but I did remove the bolt that secures the metal fuel and metal water lines. This gave sufficient room to remove the VC and once off I had easier access to the diverter valve bracket and hoist bracket which are now removed from above. (ps no broken bolts...........so happy )

For Seans veiwing pleasure:

 

That looks brand new........wow

 

I have the cam chain tensioner off now and while not new is very impressive for a engine now 21 YO.

I'm still debating 'if' I should remove the cams to replace the chains......it all looks so good + I dont have the correct tool for the cam cap bolts (I mentioned it to the local NAPA guy who laughed then asked if I was working on the fancy sports car again).

The PS side is much cleaner than the DS side perhaps because of the breathers.

When I removed the tensioner I had to remove the oil feed pipe and one of the aluminium washers fell into the head.........who did I get that out? (magnetize alum?)

 

Is it still in the head? Or did it fall into one of the oil drains?

 

No idea...........it fell off the line closer to the exhaust side so I believe it's directly below the cam, in that pocket of the head.

I'l go poke down there with my pick but there's not much room.........do the oil drains lead directly to the oil pan?

 

If you can see any part of the washer you can get it out one way or the other. For situations like this I have a retrieval "claw" tool that will fit in small spaces. I think I got it at Sears.

Yes.

 

thats a keeper

Im sold, added to the list of goodies to order

 

If it fell in the oil journal it "might" be stuck close to the top. Get a skinny screw driver and scrape it along the sides. If it's a no go, drain the oil and see if you can see it. If that is still a no go, it's time for an oil pan gasket/ motor mount job so you can get to it.

Not a good idea to leave it in there.

 

Advice much appreciated.

Again for Seans pic pleasure the PS cam chain tensioner with new pads:

 

I'm back home so I'll add a few more pics; not much work for a few days though, current temp is -25C...............frig isn't it spring yet?

sorry the pic upload function is missing......help?

 

You might hate me for this, but it was 80 here today, I broke a sweat. 77 right now.

Soo, when ya moving?

 

Sorry to interupt, my sister in Houston is the same way about the temp...We are rat free though
Good luck with the car