Cam Nut removal options???

[Jim Sims]

A far better tool than the 46mm crowsfoot is a 1-13/16" 3/4" drive socket with the 3/4" square drive featured bored out so tool P202 will slip down inside. A 3/8" to 1/2" square drive adapter is welded to the side of the 1-13/16" socket to provide a drive feature (a 1/2" breaker bar is typically used). This tool is far less awkward than the official crowsfoot tool and doesn't spread open under load. I helped a friend break free a very stuck cam nut earlier this week with this tool set-up. We had to slip pipes over the handles to obtain sufficient leverage and easily applied over 250 ft-lbs before the nut released. Jim

[snowman]

AN impact wrench is the easiest, least likely to damage anything, method to remove the cam nuts. No crows foot is required with an impact wrench, maybe higher air pressure or a bigger impact, but thats all.

[dtw]

After the impact wrench buzzes the nut off in 0.5 seconds with zero sweat, blood, or other drama, you're going to say, "Doh, I can't believe there was a two page thread on this". Just make sure you're not using 50 lbs. of air and some Harbor Freight air wrench. Get 100+ lbs. of air and a professional grade wrench.

[GraybeardsGhost]

Finally got the nuts off. Used a 46 mm socket, 3/4 drive...heated up the nut, banged the handle of my socket wrench a couple of times with a hammer, then used the 4' breaker bar. Came loose with some good effort...engine on floor, both feet braced against the motor, both hands on the bar. My sincerest appreciation for all the help with this.
Returned the C-4 for credit, bought more parts.

[Jim Sims]

Congratulations!

"Give me a firm place to stand, and I will move the earth" (or cam nuts ) - Archimedes, 3rd Century BC

[David]

I was skeptical of the crowsfoot when I saw it so I made my own tool:



The small piece fits on the cam and is driven with a 19mm wrench or torque wrench. Unfortunately I'm not in a position to make these for sale but maybe someone else could (Elephant?).

While I'm at it, here's a tool I made for drilling out head studs with a hand drill. Three holes are fit for existing studs and the fourth hole accepts a hardened drill guide. The bore is fit to the piston so the piston acts as a plug to keep shavings from getting in the engine.

[David]

Here's another pic of the drill guide so you can see how the skirt fits down in the cylinder:

[fred cook]

A friend of mine (who lives in Norway) is in the process of tearing down his 911 engine and ran into the same problem. We discussed the problem via emails and came up with this solution.
Basically, it is a 46mm socket with the drive end cut off and then welded to a piece of pipe to make it deeper. He then welded a piece of steel on to use as a handle. The special tool socket that holds the cam in place simply fits thru the hole in the welded up 46mm socket. A little crude, but it works and you don't have to subject your engine parts to potentially damaging heat!




Good Luck with your project!

Fred Cook
'80 911SC coupe

[GraybeardsGhost]

Thanks Fred,
I've gotten the nuts off and have completely torn the rest of the engine apart. Now for the cleaning...

[Wayne 962]

Another method that I often use is to get a Dremmel tool and cut notches in the nut that you are trying to remove. Typically one notch almost all the way to the threads of the bolt (or cam in this case) is enough to weaken the nut. Sometimes you need to get a chisel and wedge it in the crack to expand the nut. I have some special carbon-fiber type cut-off wheels that are great for this purpose - they can cut through a nut like this in about 3 minutes. I used to try all of the other methods first, but my patience is short lately. I give myself about 10 minutes with traditional methods, and then go to the Dremmel. If you're careful and skilled (as I have become, using it many times), you can make the cuts without damaging anything else.

Just an FYI...

-Wayne

[YTNUKLR]

I had this problem today. Locked the flywheel and used an impact wrench. Didn't have to muscle anything. Click, click, click, zoom. Done.