Does anybody know of an easy way to remove just the cam gears without removing too many other parts to change the seals? Valve cover, timing belt, and pulleys are off. Any tips and tricks to get this done fast and easy?



_________________________________________________________
Jen & Cody - http://dsmxtsi.freehomepage.com
-1995 Eagle Talon ESi
-1990 Eagle Talon TSi AWD
-1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder GS-T
-1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX
-1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX

remove the cam gears, then the back half of the timing belt cover, possibly the t-belt tensioner, and idler pulley, then you can carefully pry out the old oil seals. Use a socket the right size to install new ones, by using the socket to push in the new seals. Be sure to put a light coat of oil on the entire seal to help it go on without it binding up or kinking (trust me on this one).

"remove the cam gears, then the back half of the timing belt cover, possibly the t-belt tensioner, and idler pulley, then you can carefully pry out the old oil seals. Use a socket the right size to install new ones, by using the socket to push in the new seals. Be sure to put a light coat of oil on the entire seal to help it go on without it binding up or kinking (trust me on this one)."

Yes, I get that part. My question was just how to get the cam gears off. Timing belt/cover, tensioner and all that are off already too. I was just wondering if I have to take out all the cams to get the gears off or how to go about taking just the gears off. Vice grips on the cams? Hold the crank?

I know how to change the seals. I just need to get the cam gears off (hopefully without removing anything else that hasn't been removed yet).



_________________________________________________________
Jen & Cody - http://dsmxtsi.freehomepage.com
-1995 Eagle Talon ESi
-1990 Eagle Talon TSi AWD
-1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder GS-T
-1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX
-1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX

She's alive!

Best bet is to break the bolt free while the timing belt is still on. Hold the crank still and use the tension on the belt to hold the cams still while you loosen the bolts (stock crank bolt threaded back in the crank).

Please for the love of God, do not use vice grips on yoru cams.

If you already have the timing belt off try this: use a small rachet and catch the rear timing cover bolts (8mm I think) to hold the cam gears still while you loosen the bolt. Then once the bolts are out then just pull the gears off.

One who displays himself does not shine.
One who justifies himself has no glory.
One who boasts of his own ability has no merit.
One who parades his own success will not endure.
- Lao Tzu

Well i used a thick screwdriver to hold the gears in place while the bolt is loosened. I had to find the right spot to rest the screw driver as not to damage anyting while loosening. The bolts are on very tight also, and i think i had to use an open end wrench on the intake cam because there was not enough room to get a socket wrench on the bolt. I at one time used a 1/2" socket wrench extension rod, like about 10" long one, to also hold the gears in place. That worked very well if i remember right. You can also buy the special tool they make to get the gears off, at the dealer.

Thanks. I thought about the screw driver technique, but didn't wanna damage the cam gears. I know how easily they can break or chip. Once again, something that's much easier to do on the 4g63 :) Those cam gears were designed to come off with just 2 wrenches...



_________________________________________________________
Jen & Cody - http://dsmxtsi.freehomepage.com
-1995 Eagle Talon ESi
-1990 Eagle Talon TSi AWD
-1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder GS-T
-1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX
-1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX

I used a screw driver also to get mine off. If you have air tools you can just zip them off while holding the cam gear with your hand (use a towel or something the gear is sharp and leaves nice cuts that hurt for days). It is usualy best to break the bolts loose while the belt is still on though. BTW 4g63's are not easier to work on lol

Stop being a woos and stick a screwdriver in there and break the nut loose! :-)

>I used a screw driver also to get mine off. If you have air
>tools you can just zip them off while holding the cam gear
>with your hand (use a towel or something the gear is sharp
>and leaves nice cuts that hurt for days). It is usualy best
>to break the bolts loose while the belt is still on though.
>BTW 4g63's are not easier to work on lol

with air tools i didn't even need to hold mine.

>BTW 4g63's are not easier to work on lol

Yes they are. I know, look at my sig :)

>Stop being a woos and stick a screwdriver in there and break the nut loose!

Cody's being the woos. He wouldn't believe me about the screw driver till he talked to you. You'd think he trusts me now since he wouldn't have fixed the '90 without me at his side ;)



_________________________________________________________
Jen & Cody - http://dsmxtsi.freehomepage.com
-1995 Eagle Talon ESi
-1990 Eagle Talon TSi AWD
-1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder GS-T
-1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX
-1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX

Well smack him upside the head. :-)

That’s one thing I enjoyed about working w/ him on cars, he was always so cautious when he ran into something he wasn’t too sure about. It can definitely be entertaining sometimes. Good luck and tell him that 30 ft lbs on the water pump bolts is too much and that he should listen to me because I know everything. ;-)

Brian

>Well smack him upside the head.

I'm afraid if I do that I'll be stuck working on the cars all by myself. He already gets very grumpy when he realized that I come up with the better ideas and solutions :)

>That’s one thing I enjoyed about working w/ him on cars, he was
>always so cautious when he ran into something he wasn’t too sure
>about. It can definitely be entertaining sometimes.

Tell me about it :)

>Good luck and tell him that 30 ft lbs on the water pump bolts is too
>much

I'll let him know. Actually, I'll add it to his notes that he took while talking to you on the phone...

>and that he should listen to me because I know everything.

After he was standing infront of the car for about 20 minutes just staring at it, not moving a finger and my dad asked him if he was trying to fix it mentally, I told him to give you a call. Thankfully, he listened to me then :P


_________________________________________________________
Jen & Cody - http://dsmxtsi.freehomepage.com
-1995 Eagle Talon ESi
-1990 Eagle Talon TSi AWD
-1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder GS-T
-1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX
-1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX

Hey Jen! Wanna do a writeup for me when you finish? I need guidance for the whole process cuz I got my AEM cam gears sitting around collecting dust. =(

Did you have to take the crack pulley/underdrive pulley off? I dread having to do that.

>Did you have to take the crack pulley/underdrive pulley off? I dread having to do that.

Crack pulley? :wary Is that what they call it now?

Yes, I did. However, I was replacing the timing belt, tensioner, all pulleys and water pump also. So the UDP had to come off no matter what :)



_________________________________________________________
Jen & Cody - http://dsmxtsi.freehomepage.com
-1995 Eagle Talon ESi
-1990 Eagle Talon TSi AWD
-1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder GS-T
-1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX
-1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX

>
>Crack pulley? :wary Is that what they call it now?
>

I like to make up names. :9

edit: hey wait.. it is called the crank pulley. I think i missed your joke. :wary too.

The under drive comes off but you don’t have to take the crank gear off, obviously.

For just at t-belt change you don't have to take the cam gears off. Cody and Jen are replacing the oil seals that are behind the gear on the cam shaft, so they do.

There is a walk through right out of the FSM on the main page I think. Because you are putting new gears on your going to have to take the old one off, again obviously. The place where Cody goofed was he took the belt off first before he went to work on getting the gear bolts off (or loose). It is a little easier if you break them loose w/ the belt on and w/ tension to it. All you have to do is have someone hold a wrench on the crank bolt so it doesn't turn.

I found it to be a little easier that way.