jcdenton

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?

roadkillrob

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.

jcdenton

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!

roadkillrob

Yes the large phaser bolts are single use if you stretched them by following the torque sequence. Technically the thin friction washer they recommend replacing also but if that is already new I don't see any reason to replace it like the bolt. I have seen Taso's reuse those bolts if fairly new but for the 15 or 20 bucks I would just get new ones and sleep better at night.