Can NOT get this bolt out!

Northern Chev · Post by **Northern Chev** » 06 Feb 2012, 13:32

2000 V70 XC SE 2.4 LPT

I need to remove the cam gear from the exhaust cam on this 2000 V70 with VVT.

I can NOT get the center bolt that holds the VVT unit to the exhaust cam out. It's been a month now trying to get this bolt out and we're at our wits end. I've pushed so hard I'm afraid of breaking something.

I've removed the outer plug and gained access to the bolt. The bolt fits a T55 star socket.

I have the gears locked down so they can not move. I then put the socket on the VVT center bolt and turn counter-clockwise. The bolt moves counter-clockwise about a quarter inch and then stops; ALTHOUGH what's really going on is that the cam is physically spinning inside the gear (since the gears are not keyed on the cams) until the VVT unit internally stops it or the cam pushes a valve into a piston (if I had to guess by the feel of it, I can't tell). At that point the cam stops spinning inside the gear but the bolt wil NOT budge past that point. No matter HOW hard I push... And I've been pushing it really hard. It feels like I'm going to break something before this lets loose and I cannot afford to do that.

Please help.

Post by **jimmy57** » 06 Feb 2012, 16:27

Do you have a cam locking tool on back of cams?

Northern Chev · Post by **Northern Chev** » 06 Feb 2012, 17:51

To answer your question: I have the cam gears on the front locked together now because the rear locking tool snapped one of the slotted lips off the exhaust cam. This lip broke off the cam when trying to loosen this front bolt... I'm actually surprised the tool didn't break first or the cam snap in half. And yes, I had it installed correctly.

That's just how damned tight this front bolt is... You now see my problem. This bolt will not come loose so I can't get the gear and VVT off and thusly I can't remove the top cover. This car has a blown head gasket that needs replaced.

Post by **JDS60R** » 06 Feb 2012, 20:39

I once had a similar situation and later found out someone had used red loctite on it. Loctite destroys itself at 600F. That temp is easily reachable with a heat gun and can be monitored with a non contact thermometer ($10 at harbor freight). Until i treid heat on mine nothing worked and nothing moved. Once I got it over 600F it came right out.

Have you considered not removing it and finding a way to tap the old seal back into the new head. I didn't know the details on how old the seal was. You could also just take the cam with VVT to a machine shop to have them mill off the head of the bolt.Or perhaps a used cam with VVT would be cheaper. (Just ideas)

Billc1015 · Post by **Billc1015** » 07 Feb 2012, 05:34

I just tore apart a Subaru engine that had the same problem. I had to drill off the head of the bolt. Once the head of the bolt was off, the rest just unthreaded very easily. It was literally just the tension between the threads that was causing the problem.

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Northern Chev · Post by **Northern Chev** » 07 Feb 2012, 06:15

The cover that holds the cams in the car will not come off until you take the front gears off the cam. The gear won't come off the cam until this bolt is out. So taking the cam somewhere to be milled is out of the question until this bolt is out.

And this bolt is in a super tight spot. It's recessed two inches inside the VVT unit which itself is down in a three inch space between the engine and the passenger-side shock tower. Just barely enough space to get a ratchet with socket in there with the wiring harness moved out of the way.

Honestly, when I'm loosening it it doesn't feel like the bolt is "stuck" it feels like it's NOT supposed to be turned counter-clockwise (lefty loosey). I've never taken one of these apart. Is counter-clockwise even correct for this bolt? And I can't lock the back of the cams any more since that tool snapped one of the grooves off the back of the cam when trying to get this bolt out. That's how bad this bolt it. It broke the back of the cam off before it let the bolt loose. The cam is still in completely useable condition though. It just broke one of the shoulders off the end.

Post by **JDS60R** » 07 Feb 2012, 10:08

The bolt is standard thread (lefty loosey). With the tool in the vvt and the tools arm pointing towards the radiator you should be lifting "Up" to remove the bolt.

Please send a pic of the interference between the VVT and the cam cover as I don't have one in front of me but recalled the last one I did (on an 06) did not have that issue. I remember it sitting on the bench with the VVT still on. (Just dont remember if I put it on after removal) I have never had an issue getting a VVT off so I am far from an expert on this one.

If you snapped off the cam end then you have a loctite or misthread issue. Or cam lock tool was not fully inserted (not accusing - just listing possibles).

Depending on how flat the broken area is you can use a flat block of metal and use the remaining tab as the lock. With one bolt in the end of the cam and another in the block or with any counterhold you want you should get one more shot.

The problem is the torque you applied last time broke off one tab. I see no reason why it would not break the other.

Do you have any reason to believe the cam tool was faulty or not fully inserted on the last attempt?
Do we have reason to believe this may have been off previously?

Post by **JDS60R** » 07 Feb 2012, 10:10

The 8mm outer screws also come off and allow the gear removal without hub removal. If the outer gear is the only issue (still like to see a pic of yours) then this should help you.

let us know - interesting problem

Post by **JDS60R** » 07 Feb 2012, 10:15

This is the set up I am used to seeing. The back of the VVT hub is usually flat and sits on top of the seal with no interaction or restriction of the cam cover. The 8mm bolts allow the outer gear to be removed by sliding the gear off the VVT.

Northern Chev · Post by **Northern Chev** » 07 Feb 2012, 12:37

JDS60R, your advice on removing the exhaust cam gear and NOT worrying about removing the VVT first has saved the day!

All my manuals have been telling me to remove the VVT with the gear attached as to not mess up the slotted timing spec of the exhaust gear in relation to the VVT - but in light of the center bolt not coming out of the VVT your advice to just take the gear off anyway separate from the VVT was exactly what we needed to get back on track. Fear of not being able to time it correctly has prevented me from doing this before but I'm glad you said just go ahead and do it, because it worked. I'll worry about getting the gear lined up with the VVT properly when the time comes. I marked it's relationship before taking it off. So I won't be too far off.

I now have the top cover off and can better access that VVT center bolt.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread.