Good morning everyone. I have my cradle out. I have my head out for a valve job. I want to remove my timing gear cover to inspect the timing gears. I do not want to disturb the camshaft. The crankshaft pulley looks as if it is a seperate part from the hub. I have the small bolts removed. how do I proceed from this point?

Many thanks in advance.

You did not say what year -- but I assume you have a big bolt in the center that goes into the crank shaft. To get this out for the purpose of inspecting the timing gears,you will need to immobilize the crank shaft somehow. One way is to hold the flywheel or flexplate at the other end. In any case, you do NOT want to use an impact wrench on that bolt, unless you don't care if you damage the camshaft timing gear.

I would recommend that you replace the gear, since you have the engine out. You probably won't see much through an inspection, as the fiber gear just strips out when it goes.

As for lining up the gears, there are marks on them, when you remove and install, you will see them.

quote Originally posted by TopNotch: In any case, you do NOT want to use an impact wrench on that bolt, unless you don't care if you damage the camshaft timing gear.

How is this possible? I've never heard that before.

I probably will replace the timing gears it is a 86 with 151K on the odometer. So the pulley and hub are both bolted on with the big bolt and the pulley is also attached to the hub with three smaller bolts. Tomorrow I'll make a bracket to bolt to the flywheel and stop at the cradle. to hold the crank to remove the hub nut. Got it, Thanks

quote Originally posted by jscott1: How is this possible? I've never heard that before.

The Duke uses gears, not a chain. The bigger gear on the camshaft is a fiber composite (plastic).
That's why they sometimes strip with age. I could see how a sharp impact could break the teeth.

There are metal gear kits available (have them on my Indy SD4). Check www.rockauto.com

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quote Originally posted by fierosound: The Duke uses gears, not a chain. The bigger gear on the camshaft is a fiber composite (plastic).

Another example of cost cutting dumb moves from the 80s GM cars.

I remember my 51 Ford had some sort of pre-plastic era composit timing gears too . I got the pully removed with very little difficulty and all is well now.

[This message has been edited by Phil Gilbert (edited 02-14-2012).]

The metal gear set is the way to go...

Just point me in the right direction and I'll get me one.

www.michiganfieroclub.com look under the tech articles, I have a write up about changing the timing gear, with part numbers.

What is your name on the write-up ? were you referring to the aluminum gear?

yup, the alum. gear.

http://www.michiganfieroclu...iles/4cyltimgear.pdf

I have the engine out for a tranny swap, valve job, clean & repaint While I'm at it may as well replace the timing gear while it is easy to get to. I didn't plan to disturb the camshaft. I didn't realize rhe timing gear wasn't merely splined to the camshaft. The Melling site showed the listing but I couldn't see anywhere to a checkout. Maybe I'll just paint the cover and put it back together, the gear doesn't look too worn. Thanks.

You can get the gear set from The Fiero Store, if you can't find it anywhere else. And yes, you need to replace the gears as a set.
Your old camshaft gear can look fine one day and disintegrate the next.
You can take your camshaft to a machine shop to have the gear changed. Much safer than doing it yourself.

I guess I will. I have just the machinist to do it. If he get's my valve job done before he has another heart attack. LOL

The one thing I'll say about the aluminum timing gears is: Gear lash.

The gear lash on my set was way more than the allowed; 20-something thousandths when the prescribed allowed amount of something like 6 or 8 thousandths

The procedure for changing the gear lash?
Buy several sets of the PRESS-FIT gears and mix-n-match until the lash number is acceptable.
To me, not acceptable.

You can remove the cam gear with out removing the cam shaft from the engine. You need to use a gear pullerto pull the gear off the cam and then you thread the end of the cam to use a bolt to press the new gear on. It has been 20+ years since Ireplaced the timming gears in a 2.5 and I dont rember whitch tap to use for threading the cam. maby OGERS CAVE has the specs.

Thanks for your help.
Phil

quote Originally posted by KurtAKX: The one thing I'll say about the aluminum timing gears is: Gear lash. The gear lash on my set was way more than the allowed; 20-something thousandths when the prescribed allowed amount of something like 6 or 8 thousandths The procedure for changing the gear lash? Buy several sets of the PRESS-FIT gears and mix-n-match until the lash number is acceptable. To me, not acceptable.

Where did you buy your press fit aluminim gears from?
I'm doing the timing gear on my Fiero, and figured since I've got an extra engine, I'll do an overhaul on that, and get the aluminum timing gear, so I should never have to worry about replacing it again.

I just can't find the aluminum sets on RockAuto, and don't know if TFS would take too kindly to me buying multiple sets and returning a few if I don't get the proper tolerances.

~Brian

Brian, I'm not the one who posted that comment.
Phil

Gear lash? I didn't have that problem when buying my set from Melling.

?

quote Originally posted by Bstrickler934: Where did you buy your press fit aluminim gears from? I'm doing the timing gear on my Fiero, and figured since I've got an extra engine, I'll do an overhaul on that, and get the aluminum timing gear, so I should never have to worry about replacing it again. I just can't find the aluminum sets on RockAuto, and don't know if TFS would take too kindly to me buying multiple sets and returning a few if I don't get the proper tolerances. ~Brian

They're regular aluminum timing gears, it's just that the cam gear presses on. It's a pain to do that over and over.

The gears I used are just the regular Cloyes parts.

[This message has been edited by KurtAKX (edited 02-21-2012).]

quote Originally posted by KurtAKX: They're regular aluminum timing gears, it's just that the cam gear presses on. It's a pain to do that over and over. The gears I used are just the regular Cloyes parts.

Were you able to return the ones that weren't within tolerance, or no?