Camshaft Sproket bolts thread direction

[face2six]

Before I go completely destroying bolts, or anything else, that hold the camshaft sprockets on my 92 4runner 3 liter, can anyone tell me if they are reverse threaded. I have a haynes manual (= worthless). in which the diagram seems to indicate that they are reverse treaded but no where in the copy does it actually say they are. So I thought I d consult this forum before I break something.

...Yes my head gaskets blew.
...Yes it was already fix once in 98 for the recall

...Yes I will be consulting here more often as I get further into this can

thanks you for your help

 

[toyoboy]

standard thread,

 

[fd59]

I feel your pain! I just went through the same thing.

They are standard threaded and a pain in the *** to get off. Especially if the mechanic that last put them together used green loctite.

I ended up getting loose by using a nylon tie down strap with hook wrapped around the sprocket and a long (4 foot) and thick iron rod with a "T" on top run through the hook on the end. Then myself (215lbs) and a friend (200lbs) used a 1/2" drive pull handle with a 5 foot cheater pipe to break the bolt loose. We literally were hanging from the cheater pipe when it finally broke loose. The iron rod ended up wrapping completely around the sprocket before the bolt broke. I'll take pictures for proof if needed.

But back to solution -

Step 1 - Get a "two-piece" tie down strap and wrap the long piece clockwise around the sprocket. Use the whole thing because the nylon protects the sprocket.

Step 2 - Drop a long iron rod between the hook on the end and the sprocket. Let the long end of the rod rest against the frame. You might need to put a "T" on one end of the rod to keep it from going through the hook.

Step 3 - Start turning until everything is tightened up.

Step 4 - Put a cheater bar on a 1/2" or 3/4" drive pull handle and start praying that nothing breaks when the bolt breaks loose.


GOOD LUCK! - You are going to need it.

 

[face2six]

Im clear on everything except step two but I think I can figure it out.

Thanks for the help

 

[face2six]

Thanks FD it worked like a charm. :bigok: I only weigh 220 but it was enough. Step 2 didnt
make sense to me until I had it all in place. Not sure if I did everything as fd59 explained but it worked great this way for me

Hopefully someone might find these photos of the process useful.

Heres a list of stuff used:
Breaker bar:
17mm Socket
Hook end of tie-down strap
4 ft (or so) length of 3/4' Pipe (to leverage the tie down)
4 ft (or so ) 1" pipe (for cheater bar)

First wrap the tie down, clockwise, around the sprocket. Note $50 'special' tool for removing sprocket (useless for this operation). Hopefully will be of some use when I put them back on.

Position the 3/4" pipe cantilevered on top of sprocket by hooking it through the tie-down hook, Then turn sprocket with 17 mm socket ccw until the bar is levered against the body.

Look , I actually found a use for my haynes manual . Actually it gave the extra clearance need to avoid contacting the brake fluid res.

This is the whole set up. Once your here grab a friend and start hanging on the cheater bar. Be sure to move wife's A4 first.

Both mine came off pretty easily once I had this set up in place. Guess I was lucky.

Thanks again fd59

 

[fd59]

Glad to see it worked!

On one of my sprockets we had over 400lbs of a** hanging from the cheater bar and it wasn't breaking. We had to do additional coaxing to get the bolt to break. But when it did it made the loudest "CRACK!!"- absolutely scared the mess out of me - taught I had broken something besides the bolt. But then I was able to remove the bolt with my hand.