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'97 camshaft alighment tool pictures / dimensions? (plus other stuff)

2K views 10 replies 2 participants last post by  Jlerch 
#1 ·
Greeting Gents.

The '97 intrepied ES HAD been running like a top for the last 9 months or so, no problems.

Then the tranny died, $2300 later tranny works. Got us thru the holidays.

Found an oil leak from front timing cover, Drivers side camshaft seal is leaking, I here rumor a special tool is needed to re-allign the camshaft and Pulley. Anyone have a picture and maybe a few measurements so I can fabricate up my own?

OH, almost forgot the most enjoyabel event. While looking for the oil leak, I poped the top off the coolant resevoir and to my dismay found a "strawberry Milkshake" like substance inside. Oh yea, joy... the Radiator in-tank tranny cooler appears to have "Magically fallen apart", just two weeks after have the tranny rebuilt.

OH well, radiator is under warrenty, dropped tranny pan and amazingly no anti-freez / coolant evident in the transmision. (weird). But I have a ton of tranny fluid in the coolant passages of the motor, what a mess.

OH yea, and on a side note, anyone know where I can purchase a new set of headlamp and turn signal assemblies for the front clip, mine are being held in place by shear (aka Shear Luck, all the plastic bits are broken)..


Thanks Gents,
 
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#2 ·
Search the forum - there is plenty of info I posted a while back. I bought two of these tools for about $15 each so I would think it would be easier to buy them than to make them since they are precision tools and even a tenth of a mm off on the alignment pin will result in your timing being off by 10 degrees. Call SPX Miller Tools at 800-801-5420 (http://www.miller.spx.com).
Here is a link with a diagram of the tool: http://www.lpcinc.us/miller/miller6642.jpg. You need two, make sure to replace the camshaft thrust plates and seals as well. You will also want to replace both camshaft seals and make sure to clean off the old loctite from the sprocket bolts and re-use with new loctite. Blow out the bolt holes as well. Replace the water pump and all three o-ring seals for the water passages at the rear timing covers and the block. You need a factory service manual for all the torque specs and timing procedures as you will also need to use a dial guage to measure the #1 piston at exactly TDC. I used a long socket extension and a magnetic base for the dial guage with a plunger that rested on the socket end of the 12" socket extension. The camshaft thrust plates were worn as the camshaft contacts these at the rear of the heads. The seals for the thrust plates were completely shot causing oil leaks that I could never pinpoint before.
 
#4 ·
Ahh-ah, that explains why I fought so hard removing the plastic air intake plumbing last night.. But I did get it out :0

BTW, the rear Camshaft plates are the one with three bolts on the back side of each head, right?

Are these plates also the the thrust plates, or is there more stuff behind the visible plate?

Are these parts (other than the Miller tools) going to be stealership parts, or will NAPA be able to come up with them...

Thanks for the help!
 
#5 · (Edited)
The covers are the thrust plates and must be purchased at a dealership. I paid much less than list price on the parts I needed by ordering them thru www.allchryslerparts.com. Remember, the alignment of the cam sprockets (that can be adjusted about 20 degrees on the camshaft) is criticle to proper engine timing. You must use a dial guage in the #1 cyl for TDC if you take loose the camshaft sprocket bolts. You will need a large open end wrench to hold each sprocket while you use a long breaker bar to loosen up the sprocket bolts. Do not try and loosen up these bolts with just the Miller tool keeping the camshaft from rotating. Install the Miller tools with the engraving on the edge facing up and the slotted ends facing away from the engine. I found that my engine's timing was screwed up by being retarded about 10 degrees too much on the starboard side camshaft. The shop who replaced my timing belt last messed up when they released the tensioner.

Here is a link to their engine parts: http://www.trademotion.com/schematics/images/mechanical/CZP025.gif
You will need #19 (2 ea), #20 (2 ea), #18 (2 ea), #23, #24 (2 ea)

You can look this same diagram with parts list by going to www.allchryslerparts.com and searching under OEM parts under engine>cylinder head and selecting the "view diagram". The thrust plates sell at this site for $7.42 and list for $10.42.

I removed the oil pan and oil pump in order to replace the oil pump gasket (#44) and front crank seal (#41). To remove the oil pump, you have to remove the oil pan. To remove the oil pan, you have to remove the sway bar mounting brackets and slide the sway bar aft over the tranny hump. You also have to disconnect the sway bar link bolts as well. To remove the oil pump, you have to use a good puller to remove the timing gear sprocket from the crankshaft. Then you have to carefully tap out a tiny steel dowel pin and knock it thru the crankshaft into the center bolt hole and fish it out. You have to buy a new dowel pin (I can get you the part # if necessary but it wasn't on the diagram in the above link). When tapping the dowel pin back on, use a feeler gauge to measure .75mm (or whatever the manual specifies) so you don't hammer it in too far (or not in far enough). When putting the sprocket back on, you have to be carefull as to how far you push it on the crankshaft because you can push it on too far. I used a long straightedge to make sure it was aligned with the camshaft sprockets. Use a new (not reman) water pump. Also order a timing belt component kit (includes a new belt and tensioner pulley - #29). I ordered the non OEM parts from www.rockauto.com (also very cheap and fast delivery).
 
#8 ·
Big3 said:
If you need a new tranny, order one from www.rockauto.com for about $100.
New rebuilt tranny for $100??? I figured the core charge has gotta be higher than that

I just installed a new radiator and I ordered it from them - very inexpensive compared to the same radiator from the same vendor costing $175 at NAPA.
Fortunatly my radiator was under warranty from NAPA, so no hassels w/ replacement, even if I do suspect the tranny shop of screwing it up with their "High pressure trans coolant flush" they did before putting the tranny back in.

Now, ask me the question "Why did you pay someone to work on your car?" I'd answer, "I must have been on good drugs or something, what a STUPID idea, they made more problems than they fixed.

Items Fixed:
Transmission works now.

Items fubared:
A) "Couldn't remove drivers CV shaft, so cut it out with a torch"
B) replaced CV shaft, but forgot to install ABS sensor ring
C) Missing one tranny pan bolt, and both 10mm bolts for flywheel dust cover
D) Pried the exhaust off the manifold with BFing screwdriver, ruining the flange (they wanted to install new exhaust, I took it home and tig welded / hammered / ground it back into shape
E) Somehow the radiator tank tranny cooler "just came apart" even though it was only 9months old, and had no problems....

MOFO's Never again, lesson learned, good judgment comes from experiance, experiance comes from bad judgment...

Done venting :0
 
#9 ·
Big3 said:
Hey I was checking out your websites - did you do all those projects yourself? That is a big ass generator. Located somewhere in FL maybe?
Yea, idle hands and all. I'm in Parrish Fl, just south of the Skyway near the Elenton Outlet Mall, You?
 
#11 ·
{INSERT EVIL LAUGH}

OK, maybe I got luck or lazy, your call but...

When I found the oil leak from the camshaft, I had only removed the black sheet metal timing cover, and observed the 'river of oil'.

Last night when I pulled the alluminum timing cover off, I found to my surprise that the existing camshaft seal had literally fallen out of the head and was just dangling on the shaft behind the pulley.

I carefully reached thru the openings in the timing pulley, coated the outside of the seal with red locktight, and carefully re-seated the seal with an 1/8" brass rod.

Ran the motor for a couple hours last night while constantly flushing the cooling system and not a single drop of oil, sweet.

The only thing still bothering me is "why" did the seal pop out of the head? I checked the pvc valve and line, good flow, crank case breather looks clear, maybe it was just "one of those things" that happens after 158,000 miles..

Anyway, thanks for the great right up!
 
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