I'm thinking of installing a timing gear set from Cloyes. This allows me to advance my valve timing. Anyone have any experience on how to pull the existing gears? What kind of puller, pitfalls, etc...

Thanks

Fred

 

Your gonna need two different gear pullers.

I just did mine on a 87. Used a steering wheel (Looks like a peace symbol without the outer circle) puller and a 4"-6" 2 jaw puller from sears.

Fairly straight forward.
Assuming you DON't have A/C.

1.) let engine cool.
2.) drain anti-freeze
3.) remove grill
4.) remove radiator, fan belt(s), clutch fan.
5.) make sure #1 cylinder is at T.D.C. on compression stroke. remove plug and stick a long extension into bore and turn by hand until you feel the extension start to rise and back off till centered. Timing mark should be at 0 deg.
6.) LOOSEN large bolt from center of harmonic balancer and attach stering wheel puller using bolts from kit. Turn center bolt (large) on puller to back Harmonic balancer off crankshaft nose(NOTE: you will have to back off puller and loosen balancer bolt a couple of times).
7.) once you have balancr off remove the bolts holding the gear cover on. There are 5 bolts on oilpan front edge to remove.
7.) remove cover.
8.) using 2 jaw puller from sears remove gears.
9.) Mark both gears teeth at timing mark with white or yellow paint (one gear is male, other gear is female) 0< <0
10.) install cam gear using a bolt of correct dimensions and a nut with a large fender washer (screw the nut all the way up, put washer on bolt, then center cam gear on end of cam, with offset pin lined up on hole, install bolt snug down bolt. holding bolt with wrench, use nut with washer underneath) press cam gear on cam.
11.) install crank gear on crank, mating up painted teeth and bottom gear out on crank. Timing marks on both gears should be together. If offset, then r&r crank gear, offsetting as necessary.

Make sure you use RTV at oil pan/block/camgear cover joint. trim oil pan gasket, install new gasket to front of oilpan. Remove and install new crank seal. Button everything else up in reverse order from above. When you've got it all together fire it up.

Make sure you DON'T NICK, or drop Harmonic balancer. Clean and mark with paint timing mark on pulley. Clean and paint timing marks on cover. (This will make timing a lot easier, especially if you've got crummy eyes like me (tri-focals at 46,AAAGGGHHH!)


Larry

 

Wow Larry!
Tomorrow we will go over "How to build your own THERMAL NUCLEAR DEVICE" with just a few hand tools.

Great description on what to do. Only one question teacher?

You say "Install the crankshaft gear..." how is that? By hand, is it a slip fit or do I have to press it on and if so, how?

Thanks again for your help especially the description of the cam gear...using a bolt and a nut thereby keeping the cam from turning. Any chance you know what the bolt size and thread pitch is?

Fred

 

Sorry Fred.....left a couple of things out.

Seems to me it was either 5/16x20 or 3/8x20. The cam will turn doing it this way. Minimize it by taking a turn on the nut, then backing off with the bolt. Careful as the bolt may back out from the cam if not bottomed out. You can use the above set up, add a couple inches to the bolt and then put a 7/8" socket on the bolt (large end away from the bolt head). add another nut. Bottom out the bolt and snug up the second nut. (kinda like double nutting a bolt!) tighten down original nut, washer, and socket to cam gear.

The crank gear is slip fit until it hits the shoulder about 3/4" from bottoming out.

Slip the gear on as far as you can, lining up the marks. Put the harmonic balancer over it and run it down with the center bolt holding the balancer on. You will have to back out the balancer again with the puller. But it beats hitting the gear with a hammer and possibly damageing the bearings from side shock loads.

Larry