luckett

Not necessary. Bearing caps work fine as long as you back off the bolts sequentially in small increments.

RajDatta

You are locking the triangular housing that slides on the cam where the woodruff is to the cam. By locking the cam pulley to this triangular piece, you are locking the exhaust cam timing.
The triangular piece can only slide one way onto the cam, but the timing is set on the cam by turning the cam pulley clockwise or anticlockwise, which in referenece to the crank, changes the timing on the cam.
If you lock the pulley in its existing position to the traingular piece, your timing will remain the same as before. I can post a picture if that helps. I am heading to a family function but will have something by tomorrow if it helps make it clear.
Raj

RajDatta

I think its more helpful in compressing the new cams. When removing the bearing caps, its easy to balance it across but to get even compression, it helps having this tool.
I have used it plenty of times and it definitely helps. Its not a must but something that helps with the job.
Raj

luckett

Ok, I see what you're saying. Fix the cam timing (or mark it's orientation), get the crank to TDC, and use the template supplied in the factory manual and you don't need the dial gauges.

No special tools are required to do this job if you are clever about what you are doing.

FRporscheman

Yep, backing out all 16 bolts evenly works well for removal, but it's tricky putting it back on. In the end, you either have the tool, or you need an assistant to help you push the cam down onto the lifters (and valve springs push back), or you struggle with it. It can be done, and probably doesn't do any good for the camshaft, but I don't know if it actually hurts anything. That's the way I do it...

The bearing cap bolts will really want to strip. I replaced all those bolts with M8x40 stainless steel socket head (allen head) bolts. They were much cheaper than Porsche bolts, they are much easier to work with, and they function well. Yes, the allen bolt head is taller, no, it doesn't cause any problems . I've been running them for 18k miles.

FRporscheman

Well you do need the 27mm offset wrench to retension the BS belt. But I guess you could just use a grinder on a plain 27mm wrench to make it thin, and then bend it.

luckett

I use a regular off the shelf open/closed end wrench and it works fine for me. I used no special tools and did not have a problem with any part of the job. The special tools may make it easier and give you that warm fuzzy feeling inside, but they are absolutely not necessary.

FRporscheman

This is what Raj means about locking the cam. The cam sprocket has a wide keyway, however the zinc shield and the "propeller" have a narrow keyway. After you take out the cam bolt (the bitch bolt), be carefull not to spin the cam sprocket as it will be able to spin a few degrees either way. Use 3 bolts to clamp the loose cam sprocket to the thing behind it. These 3 bolts go into the holes where the 3 rotor bolts went.

Then you can slide the whole thing off as one piece and put it back on as one piece.

FRporscheman

The warm fuzzy feeling is not necessary??

That's good to know about the wrench!

luckett

Instead of the bolts, you can just scribe a few reference marks on the zinc coated piece like shown here.

PorscheDude1

I know of a few cars that have been timed a couple degress off from the factory.

Shamus

Raj,

I need to do the clutch first (starting to slip - original) - but probably in the next 6 months - its been on the todo list since I hit 100,000 miles - now at 104,000.

Is common wisdom still pads and chain at 100,000 and full unit at 150,000? Porsche recommends the full unit, but I thought most people feel that is overkill

luckett

I'd change the pads when they look worn, but many just do it immediately for peace of mind. I would closely examine the cam gear teeth for wear before making any decisions to change anything. Mine looked fine at 160K.

968workaholic

+1


Shamus, the unit itself is pretty reliable. So changing the whole unit, which is expensive, isn't really required. If the pads aren't worn, then they don't need to be replaced. As previously stated, its more for piece of mind. Cheap pads and a chain or a new head? Its a no brainer in my book.

FRporscheman

That's exactly how I do it too. Most people prefer to use the bolts though.