TB, WP, and 60K Maintenance Video Guide

[auto obsessive garage]

Hi again everyone, I'm about to dive into this rather large job. Plan to take my time and thoroughly document my progress to help others in the future. I believe I have all the parts I need to complete the list of jobs to do. My plan is to tackle TB and WP, and "while I'm in there" take care of the valve shims, intake manifold gasket, vc gasket, front crank seal...and anything else that looks like it needs attention. My IM is flaking, so I plan to sand it down and give it a fresh coat of engine paint to refresh the engine bay.

It will probably take me quite some time as documenting every step slows progress for sure (but is totally worth it). I will probably be adding to this thread over time for clarifications and help.

Can't wait to get the car back on the road and the peace of mind this service will give me.

 

[auto obsessive garage]

I plan to follow this guide:
http://www.wikisho.com/wiki/Timing_Belt,_Water_Pump,_CPS_and_Crank_Seal_Replacement_for_the_3.0l_MTX

Which is amazing by the way.

Any reason to not use air tools/powerful electric impact to remove crank bolt vs. the guide's ratchet on frame/crank engine technique?

 

[SHOdded]

Dunno about yea or nay re power tools, but definitely keep a good bit of PBlaster or similar product on hand to douse a few hours before work is to begin. Kroil is another good product.

 

[auto obsessive garage]

Dunno about yea or nay re power tools, but definitely keep a good bit of PBlaster or similar product on hand to douse a few hours before work is to begin. Kroil is another good product.

Totally agree with this advice. I have soaked everything (that is currently accessible) with PBlaster. The benefit of going slow on these jobs is that as I move along I can soak newly uncovered areas and allow enough time for it to penetrate. I'm not in the business of delaying jobs further due to stripped/snapped bolts.

Just wanted to know if anyone else had used air tools or similarly strong electric impacts to remove the crank bolt and were successful...and didn't just snap the head off the bolt (nightmare scenario).

 

[Irish Pride]

The problem with the crank bolt and air tools is, it can round the head of the bolt with repeated use of an impact if the impact isn't strong enough to break it loose. If your impact is good enough then have at it. The bolt isn't going to break coming loose. Using the starter bump on the subframe method is just a guaranteed way of getting it to break loose.

Guy on Facebook earlier this year just kept trying to use his impact over and over until the head was so rounded his only option was to use a hole saw to cut the head of the bolt off. It was a whole ordeal online. Lol

 

[Irish Pride]

Regardless of how good your impact is I would still use a proper torque wrench when reinstalling. Not having the damper properly torqued will cause bad things to happen.

 

[auto obsessive garage]

The problem with the crank bolt and air tools is, it can round the head of the bolt with repeated use of an impact if the impact isn't strong enough to break it loose. If your impact is good enough then have at it. The bolt isn't going to break coming loose. Using the starter bump on the subframe method is just a guaranteed way of getting it to break loose.

Guy on Facebook earlier this year just kept trying to use his impact over and over until the head was so rounded his only option was to use a hole saw to cut the head of the bolt off. It was a whole ordeal online. Lol

Whoa!

Yeah, I know well enough that if it doesn't break loose near immediately not to just keep powering at it. That is crazy. I have personally seen a rusted on crank bolt head twist off with a powerful electric impact and that's a bad situation to be in.

Good deal, I will use the starter bump method with my 1/2" Craftsman driver.

And ditto on the torque wrench. I have never ever remotely considered just tightening the crank bolt back down on any car not to factory spec. I've got a 1/2" Snap-On torque wrench that I live/die by when it counts.

While I'm at it...what's the factory spec on the crank bolt when I get to that step?

 

[luigisho]

If the starter method doesn't work, which has happened to me at least once, using 1/2" sockets/drives, get a long extension Like https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-1-2-in-Drive-Socket-Extension/1000596271 or https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-1-Piece-1-2-in-Drive-20-in-Socket-Extension/3380294

to clear the fender and a 4' cheater pipe https://www.lowes.com/pd/Southland-Pipe-1-2-in-x-48-in-150-PSI-Galvanized-Pipe/3357854

over a strong ratchet or preferably a breaker bar https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-1-2-in-Breaker-Bar/1000595997

and lean into it. It'll come off with enough leverage. Make sure you clear the fender with the cheater pipe over the end of the ratchet or breaker bar. Don't mess up your metal. This will twist off about anything.

Links for pics for those that never had to use such things...yet

 

[auto obsessive garage]

^That’s awesome advice. I got lucky on mine...1/2 second crank and that bolt popped loose. Just used an old heavy duty 1/2” driver with a 19mm impact socket.


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[auto obsessive garage]

Also what are the chances of this?



Top dead center with all timing marks aligned with no adjustments necessary. Just popped the upper timing belt cover off and boom. Usually I have to rotate the crank a little bit.

Is this a sign of how well this job will go? Better find some wood to knock on.


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[auto obsessive garage]

Making pretty awesome progress on this and really trying to document every step of the way. I was actually able to create even more room to work by removing the power steering reservoir. All it took was removing one 8mm bolt and popping it off a clip. I was then able to relocate out of the way using a small bungee cord. Space to work is a premium on these transverse mounted engines.

 

[auto obsessive garage]

Look at all this real estate!




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[blk\blk90]

I didn't have any problem with my crank bolt either. Impacts work great!

 

[auto obsessive garage]

Nice! That thing looks like it makes some torque.

 

[auto obsessive garage]

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[auto obsessive garage]

Cleaning as I go. Quite a bit of carbon build up. I’m also cleaning out the intake manifold. I’m a little obsessive.


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[auto obsessive garage]

Hit a snag today as the plug wires I purchased from Rockauto don’t actually fit the SHO.


Does anyone have the absolute without doubt correct P/Nfor the correct plug wires (preferably Motorcarft)?


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[auto obsessive garage]

Got off my lazy butt and found the part number spreadsheet in Dropbox...and boy...Autolites and Accell are all out of stock. Motorcraft ones are ultra expensive and the only ones I can track down are the Bosch ones for nearly $100! Eeeesh.


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[auto obsessive garage]

And look to not be able to ship until the end of November looks like I’m going to test the OEM ones and reinstall with the new plugs.


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[zoomlater]

did you look on the Shosource website for wires, they have some inexpensive sets