Cam timing tool not fitting

[Stunnagabe]

Hey guys having a little issue with the cam timing, so I'm trying to remove the head, I locked the engine at TDC pin went in just fine and crankshaft lines lined up perfect. Here's the issue, the camshaft timing tool will not fit I even opened up the tool wider to see if it fit but no luck I returned it to how it was Tried fitting it again and realized the manifold camshaft is off to the left and needs to go to the right so tool does not slide in to lock them in place, what to do?

[Redchugger]

remove the cams and re time them that's what I did when my friends m3 had that
in my case somebody went in there and had removed the cams and swapped the cam bearing caps and didn't use the flywheel pin so we had to retime everything without a flywheel pin
everything worked out

[pbonsalb]

Since you are removing the head, you do not need to use the cam timing blocks. You will retime the cams upon reassembly.

Just get in the ball park, remove the chains, rotate the cams manually about 30 degrees off TDC, and then remove the cams. This takes a little spring pressure off some of the valves.

[Stunnagabe]

Since you are removing the head, you do not need to use the cam timing blocks. You will retime the cams upon reassembly.

Just get in the ball park, remove the chains, rotate the cams manually about 30 degrees off TDC, and then remove the cams. This takes a little spring pressure off some of the valves.

Oh okay thanks Glad to make sure that I would be able to adjust them at reassembly I appreciate it!

[pbonsalb]

Yes. I should have written to get around TDC then rotate a little more so none of the pistons are quite at the top. This will reduce spring pressure a little. I have always pulled the cams and then the head but if you can get the bolts out with the cams in place you could take the head and cams off together. When removing cams, I go very slowly, like 1/4 turn each cam cap nut up and down to evenly and slowly unload. A few people have just started zipping them totally off and cracked a cam. The cams are apparently hollow.

[rajicase]

Yes. I should have written to get around TDC then rotate a little more so none of the pistons are quite at the top. This will reduce spring pressure a little. I have always pulled the cams and then the head but if you can get the bolts out with the cams in place you could take the head and cams off together. When removing cams, I go very slowly, like 1/4 turn each cam cap nut up and down to evenly and slowly unload. A few people have just started zipping them totally off and cracked a cam. The cams are apparently hollow.

Holy crap you must spend three days just unbolting the cams.
Rotate the cam so the number one lobe is straight down and is the only one with any pressure on it, zip all the bearing cap nuts off except for the #2 bearing cap (holding down the #1 lobe) and then loosen it a 1/4 turn at a time. Much more efficient.

[boarder2k7]

Holy crap you must spend three days just unbolting the cams.
Rotate the cam so the number one lobe is straight down and is the only one with any pressure on it, zip all the bearing cap nuts off except for the #2 bearing cap (holding down the #1 lobe) and then loosen it a 1/4 turn at a time. Much more efficient.

This. I think I did the 1&2 caps out of extra caution.

[pbonsalb]

I'll try to remember that for next time. My method takes about 15 minutes and is a pain but has always worked without issue. How do you reinstall the cams?

[NoLastName]

How do you reinstall the cams?

Reinstallation is similar but reversed. Ideally you'd be able to position the #1 lobes straight down to start, but that's not usually possible with the length of the cam studs. I found there's not enough thread to start the nuts. I drop the cam in loosely and put the 2nd cap in position, just barely catching the first threads of the studs. Then using a big wrench on the flats at the back of the cam I rotate the camshaft so #1 lobes are straight down and hold it there. You have to hold the cam the whole time so it doesn't rotate accidentally. Tighten the two nuts on the cam cap 1/2 turn at a time, alternating back & forth. You should be able to get that one cap pretty much fully seated when the cam is oriented properly. You have to be careful though because if you're off a few degrees some of the other cam lobes toward the rear cylinders start applying bending force on the cam. Needless to say you want to avoid bending load at all costs, and you also want to keep the camshaft parallel to the head. To be safe I typically keep one hand on the wrench through the whole operation to prevent the cam rotating, and as I start getting close to fully seating the #2 cap I put the other cam caps in place and snug them down a little where I see any other cam lobes starting to engage even slightly. The key is to keep all spring force applied to the #1 cam lobes until you get all other caps in place and seated.

It's a little unnerving the first time you do it this way - but it's actually easy and simple once you understand the process. Pelican has a pictoral tech article on this here:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/tech...ft-removal.htm

[Stunnagabe]

remove the cams and re time them that's what I did when my friends m3 had that
in my case somebody went in there and had removed the cams and swapped the cam bearing caps and didn't use the flywheel pin so we had to retime everything without a flywheel pin
everything worked out

Yea I'm going to retune after I get them off thanks

- - - Updated - - -

Yes. I should have written to get around TDC then rotate a little more so none of the pistons are quite at the top. This will reduce spring pressure a little. I have always pulled the cams and then the head but if you can get the bolts out with the cams in place you could take the head and cams off together. When removing cams, I go very slowly, like 1/4 turn each cam cap nut up and down to evenly and slowly unload. A few people have just started zipping them totally off and cracked a cam. The cams are apparently hollow.

Wow that's great info to know I would of taken them of fully one by one, so just untighten each little by little to release pressure right?

- - - Updated - - -

Holy crap you must spend three days just unbolting the cams.
Rotate the cam so the number one lobe is straight down and is the only one with any pressure on it, zip all the bearing cap nuts off except for the #2 bearing cap (holding down the #1 lobe) and then loosen it a 1/4 turn at a time. Much more efficient.

Great info thanks guys! Saved me a grand in new cams haha

[pbonsalb]

So even if the shortcut method is fine for removal if you have the cam in the position described in the shortcut method, plan on a slower reinstall. People have pulled the cam cap studs out of the head. Better to go slowly and get the next nut started and so on. You are fighting 60 lb spring pressure.