My manual shows some guy doing a t-belt replacement. For the cam sprocket on the DOHC he is using a set of large ChanneLocks to grasp some sort of flange on the interior of the cam sprocket. He makes it look easy - anyone here done that?

 

Clearance between intake/exhaust sprockets (DOHC) is such that I don't think a chain wrench would even fit.

 

Special tool is $47 and would rather have sweet pliers for that money.

 

Ryan

Giant slip-joint pliers are awesome!

Try a rubber belt wrench instead. You can lock it around the toothed portion of the pulley without risk of any damage.

 

I think another name is a strap wrench. I got a set of two different sizes of craftsman strap wrenches from my Mom and Dad for Christmas a few years ago.. I have only used them a few times. The most valuable use was to hold the cam sprockets on my 2.2 while doing the timing belt.

 

matt

Or buy the ChanneLocks, and wrap a piece of the old timing belt around the sprocket to hold it.

The strap wrench idea is good but won't work on the DOHC. The two sprockets are too close together to slip the strap in.

 

I like the BIG pliers idea too. I was brainstorming in the garage while staring at my motor and came up with my own plan: cut the old t-belt in half, loop around crank and cam, held in place with utility clamps, and tighten cam nut pulling against the crank sprocket.

 

As far as loosening, i'll loosen the cam nuts with the old belt still installed.

 

I'll try the big pliers trick first.

I used the BIG Channel locks on my old timing belt wrapped on the sprocket and it worked great - but I needed a second pair of hands to handle the locks

Sorry but whats wrong with a 17MM wobble head box wrench? Fits right on the bolt head and turns the cams and sprocket effortlessly. Turning the cam with the sprocket off, use a set of channellocks and just dont tear up the notch, otherwise you really cant hurt anything. You could even thread the bolt into the cam once the sprocket is off and turn it with that.