Removing camshaft 2.5L N/A

mgdotcom · 10-07-2006, 02:55 PM

Any input on how to get the camshaft out of the housing ? Is the cam shaft sprocket right or left hand thread ? I would like to remove it and change the seals and get it power coated as well.

speedracing944 · speedracing944's Garage

I think it is keyed. I am currently removing my cam tower as I type this.

Speedy

swimmingly · 10-07-2006, 03:27 PM

Clarks-garage.com has a nice write up on it:
http://clarks-garage.com/shop-manual/cam-03.htm

schwank · 10-07-2006, 04:21 PM

I just did mine for the first time. It's remarkably simple once you have the right tools I made a 6mm bit out of a 1/4" drive narrow socket and a cutoff allen key. Made the job cake to get the housing off.

Follow clark's as the prev poster advised and you'll be fine. Just take it easy on the 12pt bolt inside the front of the cam. Once you have that it is not hard at all.

Razorback1980 · Razorback1980's Garage

The cam bolt is right handed. I don't know of any left hand threads except for the belt tensioners but I could be forgetting some but I don't think so. The twelve point cam bolt can sometimes be stuck in there pretty good. I know you are not suppose to reuse that bolt but several have.

Slam · 10-08-2006, 05:30 PM

Ah yes - and I'm one of them. At least, until AFJuvat set me straight. The cheesehead bolt can be a real PITA, and once it's stripped you're in for quite a picnic. I actually ended up pounding a 12-point driver into it with a small sledge and then beating the stuffing out of the vice-grips clamped to the driver. YMMV. It is righty-tighty. Make sure to replace it when putting the new cam in.

The clark's write-up is a good one. One more tip - wire the heater tube out of the way. You can just loop some wire around the exhaust. Makes reinstall easier 'cause you can lower the cam housing straight down. A little grease in the 6mm bolt heads and you won't be dropping them into the tower. Same with lifters, which will spill everywhere when you lift the cam tower off if you're not careful. Use new crush seals on the cam plugs. The cam sprocket is keyed onto the cam. Rather than try to get the allen-head bolt out of the rotor, take out the standard-head one located further back and tap the rotor off the cam. The allen-head retainer gets stuck, and if you're wanting to do this quickly, removing the other retaining bolt is quicker. You can also take the cap housing off without having to remove the cap itself - three bolts (once the belt cover's off) instead of fighting with the cap's spring-loaded retainers. As you unbolt the cam tower it will start to lift - don't worry. Remember the lifters are under pressure from the cam lobes and you're relieving it. Leave one bolt at each end snug till you're ready to remove the tower. Take out ALL the inside ones.

Porsche recommends not using sealant on the cam gasket, but I did this time. I've had to do this job twice in the past 8 or so months because I got leaks over the #1 exhaust. Hence the sealant. Any good anaerobic stuff will do, I've found. Hylomar comes recommended.

HTH