[V8] Dodged a major bullet

[Mike LaRosa]

that was an awefully big bullet dave :)


I'm lucky to have a custom bike shop close to me for
those sort of things :)  Wizard Cycles in Nashua...
shameless plug :)

Mike,

--- Dave Head <v8q at bellsouth.net> wrote:

> I've been holding off posting until I got the car
> running. Started it 
> today and breathed a major sigh of relief...
> 
> About 2 weeks ago I had to go in and replace the
> water pump. Since I was 
> in a hurry I didn't approach it like a full timing
> belt job. My first 
> mistake was in not pulling off at least one valve
> cover to check the TDC 
> marks on the cam chain gears.
> I ended up with the belt off and 180 out. By the
> time I had it figured 
> out, I had one of the cam pulleys lose. Didn't
> realize that the cam 
> locks were offset and wouldn't seat correctly with
> it out 180.
> In tightening down the drivers side cam lock, I
> heard a 'tink'... To my 
> horror I had broken the distributor mounting tab off
> of the last cam 
> bearing. I was looking at doing a head replacement.
> Talked with Keith and Bruce. Bruce stood by to ship
> me a head and 
> gaskets if needed. Since it was a clean break we
> decided to try and have 
> it welded up. The rear cam bearing has no real load
> on it (it isn't even 
> listed in the torque procedure in the manual). It
> took me a few days, 
> but I found an 'old time' machine shop. Dirty as
> hell, 2400 square foot 
> building with 3+ of every machine tool, lathe and
> milling machine ever 
> made (all in use) and a 6'x6' office. Not a guy
> there under 50.
> The guy I talked with was worried the heat would
> warp it - I told him I 
> wouldn't be out anything if it didn't work...
> Came back the next day and he had done a great
> welding job. Owner asked 
> me if I was paying 'cash, check, or charge'. I know
> this game!
> "Cash...".
> "Need a receipt?"
> "Nope."
> "15 bucks."
> "I'll give you 20..."
> 
> Took it home and put it on. I was quite worried as
> it didn't go on as 
> easy as it came off. Had to wait about 10 days as
> the rain down here has 
> been unrelenting. Finally got it together today.
> Whee! Good as new! What 
> a frikkin relief!
> 
> FYI - if you are still having distributor oil
> leakage, take off the 
> distributor mount (2 torx bolts - T27 I think)) and
> use some silicone 
> gasket sealer on the flat gasket in there. I always
> thought it was 
> leaking at the o-ring gasket on the distributor
> itself. It was actually 
> always leaking at the mount seal!
> 
> Dave
> Highly relieved.
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