Hey Jim,
My tool box has a few pieces of pipe in it too.

I bought the same socket at the pawn shop. I used an air grinder to hollow out the 3/4" square drive to let the end of the cam stick through it. I then welded the socket to a piece of 1/4" X 2" stock about 3' long. This with an 18MM wrench allowed me to take get the cam nut loose by hand.

Love those pawn shop tools.

David Duffield

FWIW, I bent the metal handle of my cam holder tool trying to get the nut off with the crow foot wrench. They can be a beyatch to remove.

The modifications mentioned here are great improvements over the base tool.

Sherwood

I get that buying a factory tool to build one engine at home is excessive and I appreciate ali the cleaver means to avoid doing so. What I don't get is the suggestion that these tools function better than the factory tool. I'm been using the factory tool for over 30 years and can't remember having a problem with it. '
It is a fact that I'm getting old, maybe I have C.R.S. :) http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1129903309.jpg

Hi Henry,

I had the factory tool in your photo, and was annoyed with the way it handled. It seemed to be rather bulky and cumbersome, and fit loosely, and often slipped off at unopportune moments. After having built and used the Snap-on modified crow-foot, I sold the factory tool, as it only sat in my tool box, unused.

I really can't speak for the other DIY cam nut tools, but the Snap-on derived tool I described has been used to remove and install a lot of cam nuts, certainly a lot more than "building one engine at home". For me, it functioned better than the factory tool.

Some of us are always looking for better ways to do things, included better engine sealants than the factory recommends.

It's also a fact that I'm getting old, and I might have C.R.S. too, if I knew what it was.

What you describe sounds like a personal problem.
Let's try not to blame the tool for your lack of manual dexterity. :)


C.R.S = Can't Remember *****.:)

Henry,
What was that C.R.S post for? I forgot.

Hey Jim,
What do you think you spent on your wrench??? Its a very good idea and makes a safer open style wrench that a crow foot. When my engine is ready to reassemble I plan to use my socket set up. We'll see how well it works for that.

Hi Craig,

The latest Snap-on price list I have (1999) says the crow-foot cost $25.50. The welding was free.

Why use a crowfoot at all?

I used this $10 tool, that I bent in the right place:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1111673791.jpg

That bend job on the wrench is excellent. I love to see how people solve problems. I'd like to see more options of how to fabricate alternatives to expensive Porsche tools.

Thanks for sharing!

Great Picture...$10 bucks. I looked for a wrench that big, couldn't find one. Im with Riskybusiness, What other tools /ideas have the readers came up. Please share.

Magnus,

Looks like something I would have done myself, if I'd thought of it....

What is the length of the wrench? I was wondering how much leverage it provides for loosening those really stubborn cam nuts.

I have a chineese tool exactly like it. Just looking for my picture. If I find it I will post, but why, its the same.

It was 543mm (~21.4 inches) before the bend, I guess it´s about 2 inches shorter now. I got quite a good leverage with it. Loosened my cam nuts with that and big breaker bar on the cam holder on my own.

The cam holder socket is another topic, it bent and slipped on my cam.... Worst piece of crap I have seen anyone call a tool....

I just used this method tonight...OMFG!!! It was a piece of cake. I did it solo in a couple of minutes with no busted knuckles or anything. Thanks for the valuable tip!

Great ideas! But, how about putting things back together? Other than the crow's foot, how are you applying the correct torque?

I'd think the crow's foot or modified socket are the only way.

I have the factory tool also. Granted, I have poor hand eye coordination, but I find the factory tool a little clumsy as well.
I wonder if Henry's 30 yr old factory cam tool is a better fit than the "factory" (reproduction?) cam tools we get now?
-Chris

Clumsy yes, but the galvy pipe makes it work.