Rep Power: 209

i had my sprocket off a few years ago during timing belt service,

don't know why i did this now (probably too much beer) but when i put the cam bolt in and torqued it i used some red locktite on it

i need to remove this bolt in the near future, my fear is that the locktite will have the bolt welded in there so tight that i might snap the head off the bolt, leaving the threads in the cam with no way to remove them

is there anything i can do to make this bolt easier to remove?.....would heating up the cam/bolt loosen the locktite at all?

what are the odds the head of this bolt could snap off?

 
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I know the red threadlocker needs to be heated to 200F to be removed, I'd just heat the end of the bolt for a minute or so.

 
Rep Power: 518

200F would be operating temperature, it won't hurt the bolt.

Read up on how hot it has to get to soften the red loctite

 
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Lol not awake yet, apparently I meant 550F

http://us.henkel-adhesives-blog.com/...-Threadlocker/

 
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Next question, what brand?
Is red threadlocker by Loctite the same as red threadlocker by Permatex? Others?

 
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i actually can't remember,

but the name Permatex does sound familliar, so its probably that,

i will see if i can find the tube, its probably buried at the bottom of my tool box

 
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That sound more like it. You need a hot mapgas to get it hot fast so it just does not soak the heat away. It would probably come out with a good impact anyway. After you get the sprocket off, look closely at the shoulder undercut on the cam for cracks. I had one break there in that radius under cut where the sprocket shoulders up.

 
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impact or leverage is not the issue, i can stick my 6 foot breaker bar on it,

the only thing im worried about is snapping the head off and leaving the threads inside the cam

 
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Threadlock......on a cam gear bolt?
The service manual calls for engine oil on the threads of that bolt, not threadlocker.

The engineers specified a torque value for that bolt, 27 ft-lb.....

Wait a minute---you refuse to use a torque wrench below 30 ft-lb. Explains a lot about your strange theories now.

 
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thanks

 
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Ive got an inductive heater that would probably be safer than an open flame for heating the bolt.



If you use a lot of heat to remove it, you may want to replace the cam seal.

 
Rep Power: 209

that was my next question, how safe would a flame be with the valve cover removed?


thats the reason i am removing it

 
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I'd burn it using a SMALL flame without fear, but I would aim the flame away from flammable substances....and concentrate on the bolt head for fear of ruining other parts that aren't so cheap to replace.

Heating the bolt head should send enough heat through the rest of the threaded area to reach 500-550*F to release the locker, but at the same time that heat will conduct through all the other metal in contact, the cam gear and the camshaft and head.
I was just reading up on tempering steel.....Seems like as long as you don't have to turn the bolt a different color to reach a temp high enough to release the bond, you can probably reuse the bolt. Problem is, the bolt is probably nickel plated and will turn colors when heated anyway.



Leave the valve cover on but not bolted, that way you can yank it off as needed?

 
Rep Power: 209

thanks, i have to remove the valve cover to remove timing cover as im sure u know, so i guess i will re-install it again before flaming takes place,

im always nervous using a flame anywhere near a car, but more specifically in the engine compartment, and even more so in that area where oils and gases are present,

would something as small as a barbeque lighter be a big enough flame? or should i use an actual torch (propane)

 
Rep Power: 518

I first pictured using a wrench to hold the cam, but then I guess it's not that simple.

The "blue wrench" is an essential tool in the rust belt. Don't be scurred.
I do hesitate when I can smell gasoline, I definitely try to not be stupid with it.....but at the same time I'm not above scaring the poop out of the young uns in the shop. (A box of sparklers in the toolbox can go a long way LOL)

They did not teach use of fire at school. I received my first practical education in my first year of a real wrenching job. Never got good enough to be a welder by trade though.


BBQ lighter = extra long Bic? No. Not enough heat.

Propane? May have enough heat but won't be concentrated in a single pinpoint flame if using a general plumbing unit. You will get a lot of stuff hot with it, but have little control over what gets heat and what doesn't. It's like blanket coverage, everything in the area gets flame and it's relatively low temp means a long time heating things up...so everything gets hot.


I'd be using oxy-acetylene.
I'd pick the smallest tip in the set, or if we had a jewelers micro torch tip I'd pick that.
Heat very concentrated and quick on just the head of the bolt.
Then probably blast it with a 3/8" impact gun LOL....planned on replacing the bolt anyway.
Heat more than once if it doesn't come loose right away.


Pinpoint flame means I can concentrate heat on the bolt head without fear of flaming the gear or oil seal right away. Gotta be quick with it though, or you heat up everything in the area instead of just the bolt head.

If only the head of the bolt gets red, most of the heat will still be in the bolt itself ---at that moment.
You could have the head of the bolt slightly red at 1000F, the shaft of the bolt be 700-800, the surrounding metal (camshaft) at 150-250 and rising. Threadlock softened, bolt comes loose without damage to cam or sprocket. Get the bolt out and the rest of the stuff cools down.

If you don't get the bolt out on the first try: as the head of the bolt cools the heat is dissipated into the surrounding metal, all parts slowly reaching equal temp of 400ish (random numbers used for example).