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[philsteward]

Hi All and Merry Christmas!

I am a bit stuck.  Just at the latter stages of finishing the head gasket change on my 2.2, all has gone well so far, until now.  I cannot get the inlet cam gear to stay at TDC.  The exhaust one is fine, and I have checked that the crank is still correct (notch in line with the spike).  The inlet cam must be pushing against the cam followers/valves as if I rotate it to TDC, it springs away when I let go. 

Don't know what to do, as I have tried aligning the belt on whilst holding the gear in place, but before I can rotate the engine the gear will spring back and there is slack on the belt between the two gears.  I am reluctant to rotate the engine with the use of a third hand, as once I have done that I will have lost TDC and have no idea what to do!

Any suggestions?  I thought maybe I had put the inlet cam on rotated by 180C but that cannot be the case due to the locating lugs on the gear.  So just stumped now...

Look forward to all the suggestions coming flooding in!

Cheers

Phil 

[Andy B]

...

Look forward to all the suggestions coming flooding in!

Cheers

Phil 

You're using a cam lock tool? 

eg clicky

[philsteward]

...

Look forward to all the suggestions coming flooding in!

Cheers

Phil 

You're using a cam lock tool? 

eg clicky

Nope!  From reading on here they are not essential on the 2.2 and I thought they were to stop the cams from moving accidentally, not to stop the cam from springing around?  Surely when the engine is in TDC is it not also the point where the cams should be free from pushing anything (i.e. all valves are closed?)

Any idea where I can get them locking things from today!  eBay prob wont get them to me until the new year!

[tunnie]

Any decent motor factors should stock those locking tools

[Andy B]

....
Nope!  From reading on here they are not essential on the 2.2 and I thought they were to stop the cams from moving accidentally, not to stop the cam from springing around?  Surely when the engine is in TDC is it not also the point where the cams should be free from pushing anything (i.e. all valves are closed?)

Any idea where I can get them locking things from today!  eBay prob wont get them to me until the new year!

And therein lies your 'problem'  You have 8 valves under the cam, some closing, some opening & there is a point where they are fighting against where you want it to stay ...... and it wins - that's what the cam lock is for. They're a few quid, but the Sunday before Christmas isn't the best day to find out you could do with one.
Isn't there a hexagon cast into the cam somewhere?  If so, you can use a spanner to turn the cam towards the correct tooth of the belt.

I have one here you can have - used to have a 16 valve Astra - but it'd cost you more in fuel to come & get it than it would to buy one locally. 

[philsteward]

....
Nope!  From reading on here they are not essential on the 2.2 and I thought they were to stop the cams from moving accidentally, not to stop the cam from springing around?  Surely when the engine is in TDC is it not also the point where the cams should be free from pushing anything (i.e. all valves are closed?)

Any idea where I can get them locking things from today!  eBay prob wont get them to me until the new year!

And therein lies your 'problem'  You have 8 valves under the cam, some closing, some opening & there is a point where they are fighting against where you want it to stay ...... and it wins - that's what the cam lock is for. They're a few quid, but the Sunday before Christmas isn't the best day to find out you could do with one.
Isn't there a hexagon cast into the cam somewhere?  If so, you can use a spanner to turn the cam towards the correct tooth of the belt.

I have one here you can have - used to have a 16 valve Astra - but it'd cost you more in fuel to come & get it than it would to buy one locally. 

There is a cast hexagon in the cam, can do that but then I have to take off the cam cover and so loose the timing mark!

If I am not doing any damage, then I will try holding the gear in place, locating the cam, and with that third hand, rotating the engine.  Just don't understand how it will work though, as until the tensionner is tightened, it will just spring back and be loose.  Also, when I took it all off, there was no spring on the cam as far as I can remember, as once the belt was off I checked all the TDC marks before I removed the cams.

So, if I get hold of one of these sets, how do I use it?  Get both cams to TDC and then wedge the plastic thing in between so it cannot spring out of position?  Assume I then guide the belt round and tension the belt as best I can.  Remove the wedge and rotate the engine?  Not sure as done plenty of cam belts (on other cars) but never used a locking tool!

[henryd]

Its a bit of a bodge but if you position the cam wheels in the correct position and (gently) clamp the two sprocketsto each other with a mole grip or similar,just don't place too much force on the grips

[philsteward]

Would this be the correct one?  Only says it is for the 1.8 or 2.0 but assume it will fit?

http://www.wilcodirect.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=11_333_409_414&products_id=1840

[plym ian]

I tried to do my vectra without a locking tool it was always 1 tooth out no matter how hard I tried it would always spring back. got a locking tool to do the omega paid about £7 from motor factors
which looks the same as the one you are looking at.

[Andy B]

Would this be the correct one?  Only says it is for the 1.8 or 2.0 but assume it will fit?

http://www.wilcodirect.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=11_333_409_414&products_id=1840

Could be  ...... my link does though   

[Andy B]

....
So, if I get hold of one of these sets, how do I use it?   .....

you would have turned the engine to TDC & inserted it between the cam sprockets before you took the belt off. 

[Andy B]

....

There is a cast hexagon in the cam, can do that but then I have to take off the cam cover and so loose the timing mark!
 ....

If you use a spanner on the cam sprocket bolt to turn the cam, it'll be tight enough to allow you to jiggle the cam a little to align the marks up without unscrewing from the cam itself.

[Steve B]

If you have not got the locking tool,  but need to get job done why not align cams up and bodge a soft wedge of wood in there,,

[Marks DTM Calib]

If clamping or wedging then be careful as the can sprockets are sintered and hence brittle

[tunnie]

Would this be the correct one?  Only says it is for the 1.8 or 2.0 but assume it will fit?

http://www.wilcodirect.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=11_333_409_414&products_id=1840

Looks like it, almost triple price though, should be around a fiver