TDC pin stuck in flywheel

Damomma · 08-09-2006, 12:09 PM

This project has been cursed from the get go and now it knows it has me on the run.

I was setting the cams with the cam aligner and the TDC pin through the bellhousing mount into the flywheel. I forgot to pull the pin after assembly and tried to turn the motor over to build oil pressure prior to starting. OOPS! The pin will not come out and must be bent. It is strange though because it comes almost all the way out and then stops dead without tightening up first. It seems like if it had a radius bend that it would get tight before it stopped moving on the other hand the steel seems to be too rigid to be bent at a complete right angle.

It pulls out far enough to allow full unimpeded engine rotation and I'm tempted just to pull it forward and tie it off and leave it. It will block the hole like the old factory rubber stopper use to. If anyone has seen that rubber stopper it is very long and the remaining tool inside is not near that length so it shouldn't touch anything.

Any thoughts? Cut it off and let it drop into the bell housing and fish it out? Drop the tranny and flywheel and remove it from the back?

Thanks, Jamie

Wayne 962 · Wayne 962's Garage

Hmm, interesting problem - never quite heard of this before.

If you get a long piece of pipe and tap it a few times, can you slightly deform the hole in the transmission enough to pull it out? How about getting the back end of a hammer under there and deforming the hole that way?

-Wayne

Damomma · 08-10-2006, 09:04 AM

Success! I put a punch through the handle of the tdc tool after removing the fuel filter and holder to get more room. I then extended the punch with a pipe to hold a slight bind on the tool and began hitting the punch/pipe toward the front of the car. I hit it with a small enough hammer that I could get a swing on until my knuckles were bloodied. I gave up and was going to just tie it forward.

I stopped swearing, regained my composure and decided to make one last effort and hit it non stop for 5 minutes. It came out in minute 3. The smaller diameter end was bent sideways about 15 degrees which was enough to keep it from coming through.

Damomma · 08-10-2006, 09:26 AM

Well I got everything back together and the TDC tool out and it started right up but will not take any throttle and barely runs at idle. I unplugged the MAF and it runs exactly the same so i tried to trouble shoot the MAF. I did the heating element test and it glows perfectly. I tested the ohms between pin 5 and 6 and it's right on 3.2 ohms (ok is 3-4 ohms).

Not sure what to do next but I guess chase the MAF plug back to the DME and make sure I don't have a broken wire? Could there be codes I need to clear (disconnect the battery?)

It was running perfectly before I broke the timing chain. Clearly the maf is not getting its signal to the computer since it runs the same plugged in or not correct?

Wayne 962 · Wayne 962's Garage

A simple vacuum leak will cause the same problems - I would look there first.

Glad you got the tool out - that would have personally bugged the heck out of me if it was stuck in my car while I was driving it...

-Wayne

Damomma · 08-11-2006, 06:58 PM

How about a large vacuum leak?! It was the large hose that comes off the underside of the intake manifold. I must have moved the manifold around too much as I was positioning it. The car runs perfectly. Thanks Jamie

Wayne 962 · Wayne 962's Garage

Cool - just what I figured!

That hose is a huge pain to get to...

-Wayne