I have the cam tower off and i want to replace the front and rear camshaft seals.

Is there any sort of special locking tool needed to keep the cam still while removing the nut located in from of the cam gear? or is there an easier way?

All help appreciated -thanks

 

You don't remove the nut, you remove the 12 point triple square, while holding the nut still with a 32mm wrench. You have to remove the rotor shaft to see the bolt.

 

After you remove the stuff in the way of the 12 point/triple square bolt, it honestly is easier to simply drill the bolt out. The official way is to put a large wrench around the outer nut of the shaft and then remove the triple square bolt, but unless the housing is still in the car or you have a large bench vice to hold the housing down, its basically impossible to do with the housing removed.

If you purchase a head rebuild kit/front reseal kit you usually get a new triple square bolt for the cam shaft, and then once you have the new bolt it honestly is easier to simply drill the head off the one in there.

 

I don't know if I would go that far as to say they can't be done off the car, as I do them all the time off the car, but yes, the head of the bolt can strip easily unless you have a very good triple square bit. Not a big deal if it does, get a good drill bit, and drill the head off. Once the tension is off the bolt, it will screw out by hand. Go figure.

 

well I had already removed the rotor and what i had thought was everything else infront of the 32mm nut on the cam gear. I dont have the parts here now but tomorrow I will be by my house to do some more work, and i will look for this 12 point/triple square bold.


Thanks for the help guys.

 

Guys, come on...

I removed my camshaft from the cam housing while it was out of the car. It's simple. All you have to do is get a wrench on the cam gear to hold it steady and then use a triple square bit on the bolt. After thats off, it is rather simple on how it comes apart.

I did not get any help online on how to get the job done, its easy. If you say you may as well drill the bolt out, have fun, you're just making more work for yourself. You should be able to pull the cam shaft out within 10 minutes if your housing is out of the car, at least thats how long it took me.

If you look at the cam gear you'll see what appears to be an area for a wrench to fit on. In the center of this gear, there is a triple square headed bolt. You might have the rotor shaft still in, you will have to remove it to get to the bolt. You cant miss it.

The camshaft pulls out the front, by the way. You will have to wiggle it a little so it'll fit through... its a peice of cake.

 

Well, whatever the case was with mine, I was not able at all to get the triple square bolt out. And since I did have a new bolt because of the front seal kit, it was easier for me to just drill the old one out.

It had also been pissing me off and needed to die.

 

I believe it is a M12 12-point star tool, either that or a M10 (i have them both and don't recall while one i used).

Oh, get a new bolt (or use one if you have it).

*edit* PET shows an M10 x 65mm bolt.

 

Today i finally got the cam removed. I ended up taking it to a local shop here in tampa call Vortex Motorsports(formally known as Dave White Autosports). They were great in helping me with the removal. I have purchased a few parts from them here and there so they were kind enough to not even charge me for the removal.

They ended up just taking a impact wrench to the large nut. the 12 point bolt wasnt visable because round metal piece that the rotor attaches to was still in place. Like you guys said this wasnt the correct way but is all it did was chip the small key that sits in the camshaft that holds the gear intoplace. So they ended up replaceing the key free of charge.

Thanks again for the help everyone

 

I just did mine with it out of the car a few weeks ago. I set the housing on the workbench, put a large closed end wrench around the nut and left it sitting on the bench to prevent spin. Put a 12 pt in my impact wrench and while applying decent force pushing the impact into the 12 pt it spun right out without any drama. Very easy project whether in or out of the car.

 

Easy project if you have any impact wrench. Which I don't have.

 

I replaced the 12pt with a regular hex bolt and never had any problems taking it out.

 

I checked Clarks Garage for instructions on camshaft removal because I have the cam tower off of the car and plan to replace the seals. It states "DO NOT ALLOW THE CAMSHAFT SPROCKET TO TURN MORE THAN A FEW DEGREES while loosening the cheesehead bolt. If so, the valves will contact the pistons and possibly cause damage." Is this referring to removal with the cam tower still on the car? Will I have to mark everything to make sure that it goes back on perfectly or is there a grove on the cam and cam gear that ensures that it is aligned. It appears that there is a key on the camshaft for this.

 

Why bother trying to get the bolt out, it is a one time use bolt!

Drill the head off, complete disassembly, and install a new bolt.. DONE!

I have found it just as easy ON the car as off the car... easier to position the drill off the car IMHO, but it could just be me!

 

I heated it with a propane torch(off car) and it loosened right up.
Just heated it some, not red hot.