Intermediate Seal snafu
 

I got a little ahead of myself and didn't have the Pelican Parts checklist in front of me when I finally gained access to the IMS cover, and I missed a couple of now obviously CRITICAL steps--I didn't install the set screws through the cover mounting bolt locations, nor have I released the tension on the chain by loosening the bolts a bit. I somehow managed to get the cover off anyway, and the sprocket became a little cocked in the IMS access hole. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience in this area and if I will now still be able to loosen tension on the chain and install the set screws?? My hope is that the set screws will 'push' the sprocket back into place if I can loosen the tension on the chain enough. Does anyone know how far I can back the chain tensioning bolts out of their holes? (The Pelican Parts IMS replacement guide and pictorial only shows about 1/4-1/2" gap under the bolt head, and I'm not sure that will be enough or not.) Or, have I got myself in such a predicament that I'll have to remove the engine entirely and the case will have to be split?

Thanks for any help.

Hmmm, I am in the process of doing this project and can't find the set screws needed but that is another post.
I am interested in what those that have completed this project have to say about your predicament. If I understand it correctly, loosening the tensioners will give you the ability move the IMS shaft back into position and then lock it in place. This is assuming of course you have marked or locked your cams in place. I would most definitely proceed with extreme caution at this point. On the other hand it may be a great excuse to buy some cool (read expensive) tools.

How big a problem may lie in if you have a five chain motor or a three chain motor, and if the cams are locked; what year is the car?

Either way, you need to recheck the cam timing. You can muscle it back into place with the new bearing, but you then need to definitely check the timing...

-Wayne

The correct way to resolve this would be to loosen the bolts for the cam sprockets at the heads with the chain tensioners out and engine at TDC and follow the procedure for resetting cam timing. Never apply excess force where not prescribed and most certainly, don't apply that kind of force with the new bearing, as you will certainly damage it and predispose it to a future failure. The intermediate shaft itself should not be forced over since the sprocket at the end is only press-fit onto the tube with a few hundred thousands of interference and is quite easy to mess up.

+1. If the correct procedures have been followed (engine locked at TDC, cams held by locking tools) before you got into this position, releasing the tensioners, centering the shaft and checking (or resetting) the timing is a fairly straight forward proposition. But I fully agree that attempting to force the shaft back into position can be a recipe for grief........