billtool

85 Auto - Alright...to change out the passenger side lower cam end cap seal...cut the socket in half? Firewall is hardcore in the way, and staring up at this thing tells me to put a socket on there and use a pair of needle nose locking pliers to turn the thing.

There has got to be a better way...my crafytsmen gearwrench box ends aren't angled. Will it work if it is?

Too - what's the hinged flap on the firewall opposite this cap?

Thanks fellas.

JHowell37

You can use the craftsman gear wrench, that's what I used. I also have the small socket set where the end of each socket is hex shaped and sized to fit in the box end of the wrench. The 10mm socket goes with the 10mm wrench, the 13mm goes with the 13mm wrench, etc. Pick up a set of them and then you should be able to change the lowers without a problem.

billtool

Thanks man. 10mm? feels like it...still trying to get the "feel of the metric stuff. Haven't set a socket on it yet.

JHowell37

It's a 10mm.

soontobered84

Bill , the flap is there so the car can collect crap in there which holds the flap open. That way when it rains or you wash the car, water can run in the hole behind the flap and drip directly on your electronics and the car's computers. (Hint: clean the crap out from behind the flap periodically)

Imo000

It's a 10mm and I used a regular ox end wrench to get to it. It's a bit of a PITA but if you do it slowly, it will work.

Don Carter

Bill,

I need to do this job too, so may be hitting you up for tips in the future.

billtool

Thanks fellas. I love the crap collector concept...got me to chuckle.

I've got the parts coming in from Roger. I'll get it knocked out this week. Oh yeah - when removing the vacuum hose for the brake booster...don't brake off the platic nipple....

mj1pate

Pressing in the new cam seals is an even greater experience once you get the old ones out. There are proper ways to do this, with the valve covers off, I understand. A search should turn up some directions. Or you can impatiently go after the job (like I did), pressing them in with various kinds of levers, pry-bars and the plentiful use of time and colorful language. There is obviously plenty of plumbing in the dearth of space, next to the firewall that should experience zero pressure, just to add to the frustration. I would suggest doing yourself nicely and search for the cam seal replacement threads, instead. If you choose to remove the valve covers, this may be a nice time to refresh them. You're in Texas; so this isn't a terrible time of the year to consider a project that involves paint. BTW: If you properly replace those myriad of grommets that are underneath the valve cover bolts, you can pay a boat load of cash to Porsche, or take a few samples to Home Depot, where they sell the rubberized washers for .10 apiece.

billtool

Roger said this job was easy. Just found a couple old threads in this regard.

Funny Roger...real freaking funny....

soontobered84

Bill,
You are just replacing the rear cam seals right? 3 - 10mm bolts at the back of the cam tower (a 10 minute job on the driver side) with the passenger side bolts obscured by the metal pipe that keeps it from being a 10 minute job?

-OR-

Are you replacing the cam tower seals which involves taking the top and front of the engine off? ( a much more intensive and tedious job with the engine still installed?)

I hope to God that you are talking about the rear cam seals because until Michael Pate's post above, all the advise you were getting seemed to be for the rear cam seals. Cam cover seal replacement is a whole different set of problems. Good Luck!

mj1pate

Indeed, I was referring to cam seal replacement. The "replacement" cam seal is really a "plug" that must be pressed into the aperture, exposed when removing the old seals and caps. It would be easier no doubt to just buy (if possible) the original seals and caps, as they require no leverage to install. I understood that there was a less neanderthal way of installing the new plugs that involved valve cover off work, but I can't say for certain. I used leverage and cussing instead. It required (for myself) much more than 10 minutes a set for installation, with the taking of awkward positions underneath and over the engine bay.

JHowell37

Cam cover seal isn't a problem on 32 valve engines.

Landseer

Well, so long as the 12 fasteners don't self destruct during removal.

Lizard928

I cut off the box end of a wrench and then welded it onto the wider side of the original handle. I then welded a long bolt onto it to make it a little easier