RajDatta

Ernie, there is a circlip that holds the pivot arm. You should not be trying to remove the pivot fulcrum. Take a look at the front of the pivot fulcrum, you will see a circlip that holds the tensioner pivot arm. Once you remove the circlip, the tensioner can be pulled with some force. There are 2 O'ring on th pivot fulcrum.
You are making it more complicated than it is.
Raj

968turbos2

The break-loose you felt is just a M10 bolt in the oil pump. Not bad just torque it back to spec. Yes it is also the pivot for the tensioner Idler. You do not need to remove it. If you are trying to remove your tensioner so you can get it in a vise, use a small pry bar/screw driver and place the flat end on the housing that the tension bolts to. It is behind it. you can use that surface to get the tensioner out without removing the Tensioner Idler. Unless your goal is to do something front seal oil pump related if so then remove the circlip and then you would have to remove the pivot because it is also an oil pump bolt.

968turbos2

earossi

Please disregard the previous post. I was looking at the wrong bolt! The thing is now coming along ok. I did have to take the crank pulley off, though, to get access to the tensioner.

Ernie

earossi

Thanks for all the input. You are absolutely correct. The nut I was attempting to remove was on the bolt that attaches the tensioner pulley to the tensioner fulcrum. Stupid mistake on my part, since I wasted your and my time on a non-issue! At any rate, I am now complete with the removal of the tensioner system from the motor.

Which brings me to the next issue. I removed the oil supply tube that feeds oil to the Varicam actuator. This is the little ""S" shaped line that has a banjo fitting on one end, and a 2-bolt flange on the other end (where the flange makes up to a mating flange on the actuator body).

Once the line was removed, I used a pair of tweezers to pull the cuff and check valve from the actuator flange. My understanding was that the "green cuff" and check valve were all attached as a single assembly; however, when I pulled the cuff out with the tweezers, the check valve remained in place. It does not appear as through the cuff and checkvalve were attached. If they were, then they have separated. Advice here would be appreciated.

Thinking that replacement of the cuff and check valve assembly would be easy to do, I called Sunset for pricing and availability. The answers I got were $200 (includes a 15% expediting fee) and 12 days out of Germany! That makes this check valve more expensive than the oil supply tube! Incredible.

So, my questions are what to do:

1. Reinstall the (now) two piece cuff/check valve back in place and be carefull to not disturb the installation when I bolt down the oil supply line.
2. Source a "used" cuff/checkvalve from somewhere (ideas would be appreciated!!).
3. Take my lumps and shell out $200 for a part that would be a $2 part if installed in a non-Porsche application.
4. Come up with a repair scheme to join the cuff to the checkvalve body.

All comments would be appreciated.

Ernie

968turbos2

That Check valve will stay in the Varicam Assembly housing when you remove the oil feed tube. It is nothing but a ball baring inside a plastic housing. It will come out just use a magnet. I took it out and used compressed air when setting up the intake cam. Only reason to buy a new one would be if you broke it

968turbos2

They are two pieces, I forgot to say that

earossi

One more small hurdle to getting the cams out of the head. I have not been able to break the Loctited joint between the head and the (4) bolt front cam shaft bearing carrier. This is the solid alloy piece that spans both cams at the front of the head. There are (4) bolts that hold it down, and the piece is Loctited for a seal to the head.

No problem breaking the (4) bolts loose. But, I have not been able to break the Loctite bond between the piece and the head mating surface.

I have used a wood block and have progressively used bigger hammers to pop the piece loose, but have not been able to do so yet. Obviously, I am concerned that I could break the alloy piece by hitting it to hard.

So, is there a trick to get the joint to break loose? Or, do I just put more muscle into hitting the wood block?

Ernie

968workaholic

There are two slots in the cap on either side. They are on the bottom of the cap and you can use a screwdriver to pry the cap off. The hammer method wouldn't do much good because there are sleeves that locate the cap into the correct position.

968turbos2

You can also use a piece of wood on the inside of the bearing saddle where the red arrow is. The loctite 574 used should not be what is binding this unless something else was used in a previous surface. The advantage of Loctite 574 is that in anaerobic conditions it dries to the form of the mating pieces enhancing the seal. That is why you do not have to clean it off when parts are separated. You can pry slightly with a screw driver where the red arrow is as well. You really only need to get it rocking back and forth. Then just wiggling should bring it loose without alot of effort. Me thinks you may have a bolt remaining. The rear timing cover is off right? I mean sometimes when it is too much effort there is a bolt that may have been missed.

earossi

Thanks guys. It's all apart now. I have the cams out on the workbench and will disassemble tomorrow, inspect the sprockets and begin to go back together.

I did find the two very small slots on either end of the cam front saddle. And, when I used a small screwdriver, the piece lifted right off. Other then being smaller than I would have anaticipated, the slots were covered in some grease.

One more question. When I reassemble the cams (new chain and pads) and have the chain on correctly (which is straight forward), I'll set the assembly in the head. My question is what is the best way to get the cams at least rotated roughly in place? It looks as though I can't get them in the proper position until I mount the sprocket rear cover and the sprocket (both of which have the proper alignment marks).

Thanks.

Ernie

RajDatta

Ernie, there are notches on the cams that you need to align with the colored chain links. I would suggest reading Arash's DIY. He has pictures of this.
There are 5 links between these colored links. This is your best way of getting it aligned from the get go.
Read Arash's DIY and it will be clear.
Raj

earossi

Raj,

I understand the technique of puting the chain on the cams OK. My question has more to do with rotation of the completed cams/chain subassembly in order to drop the assembly into the head.

I am concerned that if I do not have the cams indexed correctly (though roughly) with the crank I could get a valve to run into a piston as I begin to torque down the bearing caps. I can't really tell exactly where I am until I am able to reinstall the rear sprocket cover and the cam gear so that I can then rotate the cams until the timing marks align.

So, my question is how to rotate and index the cam assembly before I have the gear assembled that allows me to dial it all in.

Thanks.

Ernie

rdhayward

Remember the long bolt that held the sprocket onto the exhaust cam? Reinstall that, and you can use it to turn both cams.

968turbos2