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How to Properly Torque the Cam Sprocket

HttpWayne

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Auburndale, FL
I have a 2000 XJ with the auto.

How do I keep the crank and cam sprockets in place to torque the cam timing gear to spec? I have an auto and even in 1st gear the crank just spins freely. When you're putting those sprockets on you don't have a harmonic balancer to use to lock it down to the sway bar with a coat hanger. How does anyone ever torque these things down?

I've always just hit it with an impact gun but I want to try to do it right this go around. I impact gun'ed the crank bolt as well since I had the engine on the stand at the time but I found it wasn't hard to get that bolt to come off, so proper torque needs applied.
 
You can buy a socket that is desinged to slip onto the end of a crankshaft like a harmonic balancer does. second way would be to wedge something between the flexplate teeth and the bell housing to stop the flexplate from rotating.
 
You can buy a socket that is desinged to slip onto the end of a crankshaft like a harmonic balancer does. second way would be to wedge something between the flexplate teeth and the bell housing to stop the flexplate from rotating.


Sounds dangerous. I already am missing half a tooth back there.

Wait... I should be able to put the balancer on the end of the snout and coat hanger that to the sway bar. That just might work. I guess waiting to reassemble the timing sprockets always needs to wait until the engine is reinstalled.
 
I have a 2000 XJ with the auto.

How do I keep the crank and cam sprockets in place to torque the cam timing gear to spec? I have an auto and even in 1st gear the crank just spins freely. When you're putting those sprockets on you don't have a harmonic balancer to use to lock it down to the sway bar with a coat hanger. How does anyone ever torque these things down?

I've always just hit it with an impact gun but I want to try to do it right this go around. I impact gun'ed the crank bolt as well since I had the engine on the stand at the time but I found it wasn't hard to get that bolt to come off, so proper torque needs applied.

This is my 2k. Use something as a "spanner" to hold the cam gear and "offset" torque the bolts(torque against the rotation, leverage is your friend).
There are several "webs" that you could grab on to with a ratchet hanlde.
P1080510_zpszrlfib5k.jpg
 
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What timing set is that? I have a cloyles. That crank sprocket has a lot of options for you to choose from.

I ended up using the harmonic balancer with a coat hanger to the sway bar.

One day I'm going to have to pull the transmission and torque those engine to flywheel bolts properly. I just hit it with an impact gun several times like I did last time.
 
It's a Rollmaster TC set with a 7 way adj crank gear.
 
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