Dreaded stuck timing gear nut

[ChicagoBob]

Well, here we are in August, and my car is disassembled. Although it was running well, I found several teeth missing from the timing gear, and disassembled the front of the engine to install a new one. However, there is apparently no force on earth that can remove the old cam nut. I've tried the M.A.C. tool (only about 1/4" deep, so wrenches, impact guns or breaker bars can't get a purchase), a giant crescent wrench (same problem), and a 3-lb hammer and cold chisel, and that nut hasn't budged. I've got the car in gear and a rag between the gears.

I'm out of ideas. Any suggestions?

[alexiskai]

When you say wrenches can't get a purchase on the cam nut tool, what do you mean? I didn't have a problem putting a breaker bar on mine.

[31AAFORD]

watch the youtube video they will show you,,

[old ugly]

i don't know what a M.A.C tool is.
i made a socket to fit onto the camgear nut and i put my 1/2" impact onto it. they all come off.
the hammer and chisle method is brutal on the nut i wouldn't do it. see if you can borrow the tool from a club.

[alexiskai]

Originally Posted by old ugly

i don't know what a M.A.C tool is.

I assumed he meant one of these.

[Bill G]

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Impact gun worked on mine but it hadn’t been on for years and years either.

[jack backer]

Don’t be afraid to use heat. When you get the nut off buy a hex nut from the vendors.

Stripped timing gear teeth and fiber residue tends to plug the oil pump pickup screen.. you might want to check yours, lose an engine if that screen plugs up.

[MALAK]

I've seen red locktite used on the cam/nut before. So, if that's the case it's going to take some heat to get it to break free.

[Dick M]

I would not use a rag to jamb the gears. Use some slats of wood about 4 or 5 inches long. Place them on both sides of the cam gear and clamp tightly with 2 'C' clamps. Both pieces of wood will lodge against the pan/block when you begin to turn the cam nut loose. Use the same method when installing the new cam gear. I have a good impact wrench and used 100 psi of air. The impact wrench struggled a bit at first, however, after some banging on the nut, it came loose...
One thing to know: If you place the cam nut wrench all the way onto the impact wrench stud, the cam nut wrench will not seat on to the cam nut. Place the cam nut wrench onto the cam nut. Then, put the nose of the impact wrench into the cam nut wrench as far as it will go. It will hold and hopefully break it loose.

[nkaminar]

It is possible that there is some Loctite used which responds to heat, as Malak said. The heat may also expand the nut enough to get it to move. A hot torch works best as it will heat the nut without too much heat getting into the cam thread, resulting in expansion of the nut and not the cam thread.

I have an engine I am working on and the nut would not come off. I took a cutoff tool on a Dremel and cut one edge of the nut almost all the way through. I used a worn cut off tool that had a smaller diameter so that I could cut close to the cam face. I then split the nut with a chisel so that it was expanded and then turned off the nut. Buy the hex nut as Jack recommended.

[john in illinois]

I would also reccomend heat first. I use the cam tool with a 1/2” impact.
Also hex nut for new cam gear. Those wrenches do not last long.
John

[old ugly]

Originally Posted by alexiskai

I assumed he meant one of these.

ok the one i built looks like that.

could a guy warm it up as long as you stay steer clear of the cam.

[john in illinois]

Originally Posted by old ugly

ok the one i built looks like that.

could a guy warm it up as long as you stay steer clear of the cam.

Yes just use a torch to heat nut.

John

[ChicagoBob]

Originally Posted by alexiskai

I assumed he meant one of these.

Yes, that one. The problem is keeping it on the cam nut. It's so shallow that it pops right off, and doesn't have enough meat to take a breaker bar or impact drive. I'll try it with heat, though. Usually, perseverance is what does jobs like this. Anyhow, thanks for the suggestions.

Update: Job done! I did use a torch on the nut for about 2 min, but I ended up removing the radiator and using a 1/2" impact driver, after cutting the nut a little with a Dremel disc cutter. I used a 2-foot piece of 1" oak jammed behind the crank pulley to force the tool against the nut so it would grip. The new aluminum gear went on relatively easily, and I'm waiting for a new nut.

I'm also going to drain and flush the oil pan before I put the front cover back on, in case any junk got past the rags I stuffed in the opening.

[Synchro909]

The timing gear is already shot so I see absolutely no point getting precious about a rag between the gears or anything else. Replacement nuts are cheap so I wouldn't worry about beating that one to death either. I MUST come off - fair means or foul. I also suggest heat on the nut.

[alexiskai]

It might be just me, but I don't understand the drive to switch to the hex camshaft nut. Unless you're able to borrow a conventional nut tool from your club, you have to buy the tool anyway to get the nut off. If I switch to the hex nut, I have to buy (and keep track of) two sockets - the conventional one and a 1.5" socket.

Once you have the standard tool, you can use it to put the stock nut back on. When I do a timing gear, I put anti-seize on the nut threads and I only torque it to 50 lbs, not 100 lbs, so I have no trouble getting it off later.

[goodcar]

Originally Posted by alexiskai

It might be just me, but I don't understand the drive to switch to the hex camshaft nut. Unless you're able to borrow a conventional nut tool from your club, you have to buy the tool anyway to get the nut off. If I switch to the hex nut, I have to buy (and keep track of) two sockets - the conventional one and a 1.5" socket.

Once you have the standard tool, you can use it to put the stock nut back on. When I do a timing gear, I put anti-seize on the nut threads and I only torque it to 50 lbs, not 100 lbs, so I have no trouble getting it off later.

Either or--$$ kaching.

[CarlG]

Owning a Model A is just an excuse to buy more tools.

[Bill G]

Originally Posted by CarlG

Owning a Model A is just an excuse to buy more tools.

Boy, ain’t that the truth!!

[shew01]

Originally Posted by alexiskai

I assumed he meant one of these.

I was scratching my head on how that tool would work, until I saw what Henry used on the original cars. How in the world did he come up with that shape for a nut? [emoji2357]

https://www.brattons.com/STOCK-CAMSH...ductinfo/8770/


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