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How the hell do you get the camgear off???
by
srgtlord
on 07 Nov, 2011 17:49
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Alright, I tried to use a punch inside the little hole onb the back of the metal engine cover on the back of the camshaft ghear, I attempted to use a 2 arm gear puller with no sucess and I tried various other wacks and pokes with no sucess, How do you get the darned gear off? Im tried to pull the head on the spare engine that came with my car 3 years ago to check for any issues. Any advice is welcome.
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#1
by
8v-of-fury
on 07 Nov, 2011 18:10
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Loosen the bolt a thread or two and then gently tap the pulley around the edge.
Chances are its just stuck on, its only a pressure fit!
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#2
by
rabbid79
on 07 Nov, 2011 19:01
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It's amazing how well they stay on there. I put a new gear on a new cam last year during my build, and even before torqueing it to specifications, I loosened the bolt and tried to remove it and it was SOLID. It eventually came off with a few hard whacks.
Maybe try using some PB blaster and some heat.
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#3
by
ORCoaster
on 07 Nov, 2011 19:24
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I second the PB or brake fluid and some long soak times the the quick heat and whack it methods. There is no Keyway on it so you might try a whack in the 90 degree direction. A rotational hit, just be sure not to use the outside of the gear teeth. One of those holes in the pulley itself. Big flat punch or a bolt. BFH recommended here with good eye on where it is to connect to punch or bolt. No Knuckle busting please.
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#4
by
RabbitJockey
on 07 Nov, 2011 20:09
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i always had good luck just tapping it with a hammer
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#5
by
burn_your_money
on 07 Nov, 2011 20:09
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Any penetrating oil residue will help the cam slip.
Just make certain that you remove it all before you go to put it back together!
I usually just hit it with a hammer and brass punch. Sometimes you really have to give'r
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#6
by
Toby
on 08 Nov, 2011 00:21
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I see there is some confusion on how to do this. Loosen the bolt about 1/8" and give the sprocket a sharp rap with a small steel or brass hammer on the back side of the cam sprocket parallel with the centerline of the cam at the very edge of the rim. The sprocket is retained by the taper and is designed NOT to come loose. You will have to "persuade" it by the whack with a small hammer. It does not take much, but the rap MUST be sharp. A soft hammer will not do it. Part of what makes the taper release is that the tapered hole flexes as the blow from the hammer momentarily deforms the sprocket as it "rings".
When removing the IP sprocket, take some tension with the puller and whack the back of the sprocket (gently) and/or tap the big center bolt in the puller. Be judicious with the force of the hammer, but the rap must be sharp. Like you were striking a dinner bell. I usually hold the hammer with 2 fingers when I do the pump sprocket.
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#7
by
92EcoDiesel Jetta
on 08 Nov, 2011 08:38
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I would advise not trying to aim the hammer to hit the cam sproclet because you are likely to miss and hit something else and cause unnecessary damage. There is a hole through the sheet metal plate that you can place a punch through onto can sprocket (a round file works well in a pinh). You hit the punch, not the sprocket.
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#8
by
Toby
on 08 Nov, 2011 09:31
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Are you serious? The sprocket is a huge target. If you can't hit it you have no business owning tools. Besides you aren't driving railroad spikes or breaking up a concrete driveway. A small ball peen and 2 fingers will usually do it. If the cover is in the way, hold the cover tight up against the sprocket and hive them both a whack, just be sure not to bend the cover. Hit it in a spot that is flush with the rim of the sprocket. You guys are making way too big a deal out of this.
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#9
by
8v-of-fury
on 08 Nov, 2011 13:55
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Toby chill out man. Like everything there is generally more than one way to accomplish the same thing in the end. If the pulley comes off intact, who cares how its done? (Within reason).
There is no need for such behavior. You stated your way on what to do, and someone else stated their's.. Is it necessary to go after someone for it?
Being polite always wins over being rude, try it sometime.. It just might work out for you.
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#10
by
Toby
on 08 Nov, 2011 18:03
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Sorry if I seemed harsh. So much of this stuff gets turned into hammered buffalo s#*t because young/inexperianced guys break things trying to get stuff apart. Any technique other than a hammer tap to unseat the taper is likely damage the sprocket to some degree and the hammer tap is so quick, easy, and safe. I may make a video of the correct method and post the link.
FWIW using a puller on a taper such as a Mazda rotary flywheel will never get one off w/o breaking something, but one hammer blow will pop it off in 1/2 a second. Tapers sometimes grip tighter when the puller is used on the wrong spot. A hammer blow will virtually always do the trick.
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#11
by
ORCoaster
on 08 Nov, 2011 18:41
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I haven't had much trouble with my VW responding to the sharp rap of a hammer or the first snap of the wrench but it has to be clean and quick and above normal torque it seems. To get my cam or IP pulley off all it do is loosen the nut a bit like described here and pop it one. But that wasn't the case the very first time. I had a gear pull on the front of the IP pulley and had it tensioned up real tight before I finally resorted to the hammer under torque technique. With removal being a near monthly exercise it comes off clean now with a lot less effort.
In my beginner days on extremely rusted bolts in MI my dad showed me the wrench alternative. First the vice grips then if that failed the torch and chisel on a tangent whack. I have had to use that on some VW bolts like the hex heads that are all rounded out because the PO used the wrong kind of tip on the bolt. A hex not a torx bit for example.
Getting anything unstuck is an art and science combo. You want to preserve the bolt for reuse but sometimes it just has to be hashed to remove it. At least this guy has replacements.
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#12
by
Vanagoner
on 09 Nov, 2011 06:18
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After loosening the bolt, I like to wedge a couple of screwdrivers behind the cam gear (where I can't reach it with the hammer). This puts a little pre-load tension on the back side of the gear. Then I whack it with a brass hammer where I can reach it.
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#13
by
92EcoDiesel Jetta
on 09 Nov, 2011 08:18
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VW put a hole in the sheet metal plate behind the cam sprocket specifically for a punch and a hammer so why not use it? Hitting the rim of the cam sprocket directly with a hammer may distort a few sprocket teeth and cause a raised sharp edge. If the timing belt rides off center and hit that sharp edge, the belt gets chewed up. Do you really want that?
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#14
by
8v-of-fury
on 09 Nov, 2011 12:47
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You do raise a very good point sir.
Typically though we tuners like to undo what the manufacturer has put in place
I doubt even the VW techs back in the day took the time to grab the hammer and punch from the toolbox
lmao. Jusssayin'
If you are aware of the dangers, it can be easily achieved with the tap of a hammer.