05-22-2015, 01:52 AM
4K mile oil changes baby 
...and now that i think about it.. The oil has been changed maybe 4 times in the last 6K miles...huh...
Well dave and I milled over the engine for a good 20 mins tryna figure out the next step and did not come to a safe conclusion, so that means its Q&A and research time. Pics first:
![[Image: pSdAHDc.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/pSdAHDc.jpg)
![[Image: eegHJvX.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/eegHJvX.jpg)
![[Image: QF0vjSn.jpg?1]](http://i.imgur.com/QF0vjSn.jpg?1)
![[Image: Fl5Ukwm.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/Fl5Ukwm.jpg)
So after some brief research it seems i have two options.
Option A - Take off the cams
This seems extremely meticulous and delicate. I'm not sure if I can handle that. Even in just reading the background knowledge and procedure this is not something that I want to tackle with no experienced hands or eyes near by. However, IF I were to remove, can someone walk me through this? A slightly more simplified version and personal version than whats on the internet I think would help. I kind of have this already from Jake -
"Unbolt smaller timing chain that goes from exhaust cam to intake cam. Hang it up somewhere - you will have two sprockets and the chain as one unit and you do not want to let the chain skip a tooth on either sprocket. Hanging it will allow it to stay in time." <- that is also then followed up with some other fancy dazzy shit haha.
Umm. Y'all I'm afraid to touch that shit. Seriously. Like I'm pretty ballsy but i know when to stop and i think this is it. Tell me something. I think another issue i'm running into is a little terminology. I don't know what some of these things are or what they look like.
Okay and this part: "Unbolt cam caps. The cams are under a lot of tension, they are hollow and can snap easily. BE GENTLE." I was reading pelican and he basically said don't do this. They guy who wrote that said to do something with the valves, which I can't even see. It was along the lines of the valves being down or compressed so theres no tensions on the cam so that it won't spin or break while you're loosening it. I'm not 100% on that, i'm not done reading it but i'm tryna write this first. Bear with me, i've got like a 100 sources of info. I'm also just flat out scared to do this step tbh.
Okay that's Option A which i'd rather leave alone
Option B - Remove the head with the cams on.
This sounds quite dandy to me. I love this option. Lets talk about this. So my biggest concerns here are, can i just pull the header bolts? Like literally just stick the socket+bolt past the cam and start to loosen? This, even with the cams in, still needs to be done in a slow even manner to dissipate the tension, right?
Then when i have this out with the cams left in, the machine should be able to remove the cams for me and reinstall them, yes? (I'll call tomorrow and double check). When they reinstall them do they need to be reinstalled in any particular fashion? I read briefly on timing (for when i put it back together)...thats gonna be another story in itself.
The timing cover. Does the vanos need to come off before the timing cover? If i have the solenoid disconnected from the wiring harness can i leave it screwed into the head and take it off as a part of the timing cover? It kind of looks like it comes off with it. The right gear of the timing chain (see pic) has that big circular thing blocking it. It has bolts on the left side but its also connected to the timing cover on the right side, how do i do this? I cannot access the bolts on the left. 4th pics shows what i'm talking about best.
Also is this the part that i don't want to break anything? Cause i am being super cautious around this thing and i don't even want to touch it lol.
NEXT, can you talk me through disconnecting the cam from the gear. I'm pretty sure its as simple as Dave said and as it looks. Which is to pull those torx on the gear and it disconnects from the cam, but is it really that simple? Is it gonna peace the fuck out into another dimension and take my wallet with it?
When I go to pull the head off, with the cams on, whats gonna move and whats not gonna move? This is in respect to the timing chains at the front. A big part of my problems here are visualization, what to expect, what things are, what they're called, what they do and so on. Everything i'm staring at is brand new to me and i am at a total loss, i just don't know anything and for some reason reading is not helping, just presenting more questions.
Okay, I think thats all for tonig...OHP NOPE. I WAS WRONG. I GOT MORE. Personal notes
-Gonna delete the SAP
-Need to tape and label as many hoses as I can remember. I have pics but still. Re-installation is gonna be sketchy to say the least.
-Clean/degrease everything
-Figure out how to create a new rubber seal for cowl
-Make list of everything broken that may need to be replaced
-Make list of gaskets and double check with fcp kit
-Replace one or two vacuum hoses, the really bad ones.
-New intake boot, anyone have spare? DJ?
-New air filter
-CPS, forgot to get them with fcp order
-Knock sensors, forgot to get them with fcp order
-DRAIN COOLANT FROM THE BLOCK AFTER PULLING HEADERS!!
-come back and make this list longer soon
Le sigh, as stressful as this sounds this is 10000x better than the clutch. This is just a matter of doing the right things in the right order. Clutch was just a mess hehehe, I think it helps that I get to be standing :roll: :lol:
...and now that i think about it.. The oil has been changed maybe 4 times in the last 6K miles...huh...Well dave and I milled over the engine for a good 20 mins tryna figure out the next step and did not come to a safe conclusion, so that means its Q&A and research time. Pics first:
So after some brief research it seems i have two options.
Option A - Take off the cams
This seems extremely meticulous and delicate. I'm not sure if I can handle that. Even in just reading the background knowledge and procedure this is not something that I want to tackle with no experienced hands or eyes near by. However, IF I were to remove, can someone walk me through this? A slightly more simplified version and personal version than whats on the internet I think would help. I kind of have this already from Jake -
"Unbolt smaller timing chain that goes from exhaust cam to intake cam. Hang it up somewhere - you will have two sprockets and the chain as one unit and you do not want to let the chain skip a tooth on either sprocket. Hanging it will allow it to stay in time." <- that is also then followed up with some other fancy dazzy shit haha.
Umm. Y'all I'm afraid to touch that shit. Seriously. Like I'm pretty ballsy but i know when to stop and i think this is it. Tell me something. I think another issue i'm running into is a little terminology. I don't know what some of these things are or what they look like.
Okay and this part: "Unbolt cam caps. The cams are under a lot of tension, they are hollow and can snap easily. BE GENTLE." I was reading pelican and he basically said don't do this. They guy who wrote that said to do something with the valves, which I can't even see. It was along the lines of the valves being down or compressed so theres no tensions on the cam so that it won't spin or break while you're loosening it. I'm not 100% on that, i'm not done reading it but i'm tryna write this first. Bear with me, i've got like a 100 sources of info. I'm also just flat out scared to do this step tbh.
Okay that's Option A which i'd rather leave alone
Option B - Remove the head with the cams on.
This sounds quite dandy to me. I love this option. Lets talk about this. So my biggest concerns here are, can i just pull the header bolts? Like literally just stick the socket+bolt past the cam and start to loosen? This, even with the cams in, still needs to be done in a slow even manner to dissipate the tension, right?
Then when i have this out with the cams left in, the machine should be able to remove the cams for me and reinstall them, yes? (I'll call tomorrow and double check). When they reinstall them do they need to be reinstalled in any particular fashion? I read briefly on timing (for when i put it back together)...thats gonna be another story in itself.
The timing cover. Does the vanos need to come off before the timing cover? If i have the solenoid disconnected from the wiring harness can i leave it screwed into the head and take it off as a part of the timing cover? It kind of looks like it comes off with it. The right gear of the timing chain (see pic) has that big circular thing blocking it. It has bolts on the left side but its also connected to the timing cover on the right side, how do i do this? I cannot access the bolts on the left. 4th pics shows what i'm talking about best.
Also is this the part that i don't want to break anything? Cause i am being super cautious around this thing and i don't even want to touch it lol.
NEXT, can you talk me through disconnecting the cam from the gear. I'm pretty sure its as simple as Dave said and as it looks. Which is to pull those torx on the gear and it disconnects from the cam, but is it really that simple? Is it gonna peace the fuck out into another dimension and take my wallet with it?
When I go to pull the head off, with the cams on, whats gonna move and whats not gonna move? This is in respect to the timing chains at the front. A big part of my problems here are visualization, what to expect, what things are, what they're called, what they do and so on. Everything i'm staring at is brand new to me and i am at a total loss, i just don't know anything and for some reason reading is not helping, just presenting more questions.
Okay, I think thats all for tonig...OHP NOPE. I WAS WRONG. I GOT MORE. Personal notes
-Gonna delete the SAP
-Need to tape and label as many hoses as I can remember. I have pics but still. Re-installation is gonna be sketchy to say the least.
-Clean/degrease everything
-Figure out how to create a new rubber seal for cowl
-Make list of everything broken that may need to be replaced
-Make list of gaskets and double check with fcp kit
-Replace one or two vacuum hoses, the really bad ones.
-New intake boot, anyone have spare? DJ?
-New air filter
-CPS, forgot to get them with fcp order
-Knock sensors, forgot to get them with fcp order
-DRAIN COOLANT FROM THE BLOCK AFTER PULLING HEADERS!!
-come back and make this list longer soon
Le sigh, as stressful as this sounds this is 10000x better than the clutch. This is just a matter of doing the right things in the right order. Clutch was just a mess hehehe, I think it helps that I get to be standing :roll: :lol:
2013 Honda Fit, 1991 Mazda Miata, Princess Blanca, Mystery, 1993 Volvo 940 - sold, 2003 Mazda Protoge5 - carmax'd, 1996 BMW 328is - sold, 1996 Honda Accord - sold