Difficulty Retarding Camshafts

[Bob Sacamano]

I would be afraid to wach the wrench of breaking the hollow, high carbon fragile cam. You eventually have to remove the vanos and the hubs, then why not removing them first then turn the cam at ease?

I hear you, but I am not an expert, and all the guides were saying to retard the cams before removing the VANOS. If I start dismissing what the guides say, it gets very muddy very quickly as to what to pay attention to and what not to.

[sapote]

I got it, but it took some pretty hard wacks with a rubber mallet to the wrench. Not my favorite method, but it eventually got it to rotate. Now on to the seals.
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I would be afraid to wack the wrench of breaking the hollow, high carbon fragile cam. You eventually have to remove the vanos and the hubs, then why not removing them first then turn the cam at ease?

[sapote]

They will not. I recently reinstalled cams and when one of the lobes starts pressing down on a valve, it will have a good amount of resistance.

Yes, it has good amount of resistance but should not locked up that requires rocking the cam back/forth to get it moving. The rockings are to unlock the helical splined shaft from the hub.

[Slideways]

Haha, I'm sure he's not 7 yrs old.
Cam with no connection to the splined shaft will turn easily over the valve springs.

They will not. I recently reinstalled cams and when one of the lobes starts pressing down on a valve, it will have a good amount of resistance.

[Bob Sacamano]

I pulled with all my effort but that didn't get the exhaust to budge. I got it, but it took some pretty hard wacks with a rubber mallet to the wrench. Not my favorite method, but it eventually got it to rotate. Now on to the seals.

Appreciate your help, everyone.

[sapote]

He is fighting valve spring pressure, that is all.

Haha, I'm sure he's not 7 yrs old.
Cam with no connection to the splined shaft will turn easily over the valve springs.

[Slideways]

OP already removed the solenoid pack and the vanos front caps, so pressurized oil by the piston is not the reason for hard to turn the cam. It's the helical cut on the splined shaft that resists the turn.

He is fighting valve spring pressure, that is all.

[sapote]

the reason it is jammed cause there is still oil trapped in the vanos piston and it can not move back any further

taking off the caps like the fatboys garage video did will assist in draining the vanos of oil

OP already removed the solenoid pack and the vanos front caps, so pressurized oil by the piston is not the reason for hard to turn the cam. It's the helical cut on the splined shaft that resists the turn.

[BL92]

As above

rock the cam back and forth until oil squirts out from under the vanos

chuck a rag under the vanos to save mess

the reason it is jammed cause there is still oil trapped in the vanos piston and it can not move back any further

taking off the caps like the fatboys garage video did will assist in draining the vanos of oil

BS021 kit should have replacement o rings for the end caps

[Cubieman]

I get doing it that way from the perspective of someone hasn't done any real internal engine work, its intimidating.

Beisan is trying to have comprehensive instructions that are laid out in order to reduce mistakes so they can sell more products to DIY people likely.

I forgot about this step, and while not strictly necessary I do remember wanting to follow their directions to the T as I was still pretty green when it came to things like that.

[eacmen]

I think the reason the instructions tell you to do it that way is two fold:

1. to make sure you actually have the timing tool before removing the vanos
2. measure to see if timing was off before vanos removal

[sapote]

Just so I understand: why then does everyone suggest fully retarding the cams and confirming with the timing block before removing the VANOS?

I don't know why people doing the hard way.
I just remove the vanos and loosen the hub bolts, then it's easy to turn the cams.

Nothing's wrong with removing the vanos before setting the cams to TDC, as long as the crank is already at the TDC.

[Slideways]

Just so I understand: why then does everyone suggest fully regarding the cams and confirming with the timing block before removing the VANOS?

Rock the cam back and forth slightly to get it to move and then fully retard it. You are doing this so you can push the exhaust splined shaft forward and easily access the connection between exhaust splined gear and VANOS exhaust piston to undo them with the 7mm and 10mm wrenches.

Continue following the Beisan instructions.

[Bob Sacamano]

You have to remove the hubs to get to the cam sleeve bolts, and this makes turning the cams so easy

Just so I understand: why then does everyone suggest fully retarding the cams and confirming with the timing block before removing the VANOS?

[sapote]

You have to remove the hubs to get to the cam sleeve bolts, and this makes turning the cams so easy