Lock plate slipped off while unscrewing cam adjuster bolts
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Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2019
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Past: 300zx TT 500hp Current: '12 C63
Lock plate slipped off while unscrewing cam adjuster bolts
I was replacing my cam adjusters, have the valve cover open, engine is at TDC, and I had the lock plate tool locking the driver side cam shafts in place while I removed the the intake cam adjuster. Then once that was finished, I put the intake cam adjuster
back on, started on the exhaust side (had to take off the front lock plate, but back was still on), and began unscrewing only to realize the back lock plate must have slipped off. Now the driver side cam adjusters are out of wack, lock plate won't go back on the driver side,
and I'm not sure what my options are now? Is it possible to manually realign the cam shafts?
The passenger side is still aligned, the lockplates fits on correctly, but I guess due to valve spring pressure, the driver's side is out of sync. Whats the safest way to re-align the driver cams?
back on, started on the exhaust side (had to take off the front lock plate, but back was still on), and began unscrewing only to realize the back lock plate must have slipped off. Now the driver side cam adjusters are out of wack, lock plate won't go back on the driver side,
and I'm not sure what my options are now? Is it possible to manually realign the cam shafts?
The passenger side is still aligned, the lockplates fits on correctly, but I guess due to valve spring pressure, the driver's side is out of sync. Whats the safest way to re-align the driver cams?
Last edited by jcdenton; Jan 28, 2023 at 02:14 PM.
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Joined: Aug 2016
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12 C63BS Magno Alanite Grey, 25 X5 Msport, 08 BMW E93, Ducati Hyper 698
First I hope you are not at TDC you should be at the 40 degree mark on the harmonic balancer to time the engine. If the rear cam locking bar slipped off, you can just loosen the cam adjusters bolts turn the cam as it will be free with a wrench to get the rear locking bar in place then put the front locking bar back on, put the timing tool back on and align the cam adjusters timing wheels until the timing tool fits and torque the cam adjusters bolts. If you already torqued them, then technically you should get new bolts again as they are single use, although I have seen Taso’s reuse them with a slightly lower torque spec.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 21
Likes: 2
Past: 300zx TT 500hp Current: '12 C63
First I hope you are not at TDC you should be at the 40 degree mark on the harmonic balancer to time the engine. If the rear cam locking bar slipped off, you can just loosen the cam adjusters bolts turn the cam as it will be free with a wrench to get the rear locking bar in place then put the front locking bar back on, put the timing tool back on and align the cam adjusters timing wheels until the timing tool fits and torque the cam adjusters bolts. If you already torqued them, then technically you should get new bolts again as they are single use, although I have seen Taso’s reuse them with a slightly lower torque spec.
are you saying the large 18 mm cam adjuster phaser bolts are single use? If so I’ll order some new ones
thanks!
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 2,405
Likes: 724
12 C63BS Magno Alanite Grey, 25 X5 Msport, 08 BMW E93, Ducati Hyper 698
sorry for the confusion, yes I am at the 40 degree mark. I was able to re - align the cam shafts, so they are all lined up now and locked in place using the wrench method you suggested. Lock bars are in place
are you saying the large 18 mm cam adjuster phaser bolts are single use? If so I’ll order some new ones
thanks!
are you saying the large 18 mm cam adjuster phaser bolts are single use? If so I’ll order some new ones
thanks!
