Save me from breaking something (headgasket question)

[Oldmactech]

Working outside gonna be warm and a Sunny for a few days so I’m itching to get the head out but my timing kit won’t arrive for 2-3 more days.

I want to pull the vanos and the cams but don’t want to break anything without locking everything down .

I have watched and re-watched a bunch of YouTube’s on pulling the cams but still makes me nervous.

I guess my question is if I set the the crank to TDC and stick an exstemsion or something into the lock hold can I get the cams out without breaking something. I know about the 40degree twist to free up the lifters and about using a3-a5 to relieve the tension but having never done this, sorta clueless.

Am I jumping in the wrong end of the pond?

[crystalworks]

I've done it without the timing kit, I've even done it without locking the flywheel with a pin/tool. Installation is where all of that is critical. I removed them by setting TDC and sequentially loosening cam caps so as to avoid twisting/flexing of the cams.

[oldskewel]

Do you have the Bentley?

I myself would wait for all the right tools to arrive.

Have you got the intake and exhaust manifolds completely off, etc.? Because those need to be done anyway, in case you decide to wait for the right tools and want to take advantage of the weather.

When I did mine, I left the camshafts in, and removed them, etc. on the workbench, and that's what I would do again.

In general, I'd say this job is not about doing it really well as much as it is about not screwing something up. So it's good to be paranoid. I was always checking things, following multiple instructions, watching the video right down there with the engine as I was doing stuff.

You mention the crank at TDC. More specifically, you want cylinder #1 at TDC, which happens once per two crank revolutions. Make sure you're not one rev off. Cam lobes for #1 should be approximately facing eachother in that position. Fitting the flywheel pin in place can be a little tricky. Easy to think it's in when it's not. When it is in properly, the crank should be locked from moving less than one degree (of course if you've got a thinner rod as a substitute, there will be a little more wiggle room there, but it should not be moving 10 degrees or anything like that).

In that location, if you want to proceed without the timing tools, you can hack it by clamping a straight edge of some sort to hold the square rear ends of the cams locked in place with respect to the head. You can then proceed with VANOS removal. I used zip ties to hold the secondary chain to the sprockets, and also white-out to mark alignment on ***everything***. Wiped off oil so the whiteout would stick. Photos too. All of those made reinstallation easier, and may have saved me from a mistake.

After doing all that, removing the timing stuff, the crank and cams are at TDC for #1, but if you are going to be removing the cam lock (necessary when you remove the cams; and obviously, the cam lock stops the cams from rotating), there is a concern that cams could rotate on their own due to cam/spring pressure, and two of the cylinders (#1 and #6, I think) are at the very top, flush with the top of the block. So the procedure at that point is to keep the cam locks in place, remove the crank-locking pin, and rotate the crank 30 degrees counterclockwise (yes, backwards). That backs cylinders #1 and #6 down a little from the top, so all 6 cylinders have some clearance below the valves. Makes it safer to avoid valve-piston contact if things move unexpectedly.

At that point, it is safe to remove the cam locks and proceed with cam disassembly or head removal.

If any of the above is a surprise, I'd recommend waiting for the tools and taking it slow and careful.

[Oldmactech]

Thanks. Yes, I do have a Bentley.

My biggest problem is getting in a hurry, and on this repair there is no deadline. I have the intake mostly out. By mostly I mean it is off the studs but not completely loose as I am still trying to figure out how to go about loosing the brake booster line. Funny how those You tube Guys just give a nice firm tug and it comes loose. On mine it seems I have to take 1/2 the firewall out to get too it. Even looks like the drivers wiper mechanism is in the way.

I’d really prefer to leave the cams attached during removal but I don’t have an assistant and I was hoping it would remove enough weight to get the head off smoothly.

Finished for today, back at it short while tomorrow.

[crystalworks]

Comprehensive response oldskewel. If time is non-essential, waiting for the tools is definitely not a bad idea. I was just relating that it can be done... LoL, not whether it should be.

Yep, make sure the lobes are pointing in the right direction to confirm pistons are where they need to be.

[Oldmactech]

I have a feeling I’m going to have a mighty struggle getting the exhaust manifolds out.....

Watching 50skid struggle with an e46 is daunting. Maybe more room on an e53.

[crystalworks]

I prefer to pull the head with the manifolds on the head. I unbolt from the collectors as the studs will pull out of the head on 50% with the nuts.

[Oldmactech]

I get that but I don’t have a way to get it up except by hand and I’m old and tired. But if I can’t get them out I guess I’ll have to come up with a strategy.

Going to try to take the engine mount loose, shim the engine up a bit and see what happens.