cam cover "pull-down" tool?

Kel · Post by **Kel** » 26 Apr 2008, 00:20

I got my head back (97 850GLT) from the machine shop, and will be installing on Sunday. In the Haynes book it describes fabricating a pull down tool to set the cam cover on the camshafts. Is it necessary to do this? It seems that if you simply tighten the bolts in order it should bring it down more evenly than the contraption described in the book. Maybe the bolts arent long enough to do this? Thanks

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 26 Apr 2008, 04:34

I must qualify this as I haven't done this on a Volvo. Based on other motors that I've done top end work on what you are fighting is the valve springs as some of the valves will be open or opening as you draw the cover into place.

Given the liquid gasket seal I would be inclined to fabricate the "tool" to draw it down.

...Lee

Post by **pfeener** » 29 Apr 2008, 05:51

I haven't done this myself, but I do remember other forum members describing doing just what you said......drawing the cover down with the bolts a little at a time.

Kel · Post by **Kel** » 08 May 2008, 01:49

I fabricated the tool and probably a good thing I did. Using the bolts might have worked, but I think there would have been a good chance of stripping threads, or maybe getting uneven force on the cover and tweaking it. The Haynes book describes "signifigant resistance" from the lifters. I would say that is correct. I used 1/4" steel for the pull down tool and bent both of them while using it. It did work perfectly well though.

trtvolvo · Post by **trtvolvo** » 03 Jul 2012, 13:15

to build the cam cover pull-down tool, how did you drill the hole in the spark plug? Those suckers are hard and I am unable to make much progress.

byeboy · Post by **byeboy** » 03 Jul 2012, 17:24

Could someone post a picture of this tool, and where it attaches?

Post by **jimmy57** » 03 Jul 2012, 17:24

Get all thread in 3/8 inch, 24 inch long, and 6 nuts and 4 washers. Also get a 12 inch piece of angle steel 1/8 inch thickness or more with 1 inch width.
Cut the steel angle and the all thread into two equal length pieces.
Drill 3/8 hole on one of the flats of the angle on both angle pieces.
Take two old spark plugs and knock the ceramic out of the middle with hammer and punch. Use a vise to hold the plugs on the round body above threads and below the hex for pounding out the ceramic.
Put a nut on the all thread and run it up a couple of inches and insert into the spark plug body and then put a nut on the bottom just to the point the nut is fully on the threads. Now run the nut down the all thread to the top of the plug body and tighten it to hold the all thread onto the plug body.
You can insert those rigs into #2 and #4 and use the angles with a couple of washers and run the nut down to pull the head top down. Tap on the top where the dowels are as you pull it down to make sure the dowels don't hang you up.

trtvolvo · Post by **trtvolvo** » 03 Jul 2012, 17:34

This is the tricky part, "insert into the spark plug body". My plug body is solid metal, could drill hole to clear the plug body... But, I found that spark plug air adapters should do the trick - threaded on one side for spark plug hole and other side for threaded rod. I will br trying this tonight.

Post by **MoVolvos** » 03 Jul 2012, 17:35

byeboy wrote:Could someone post a picture of this tool, and where it attaches?

This maybe helpful for installation
Volvo 5-cylinder: How to Replace the Head Gasket

Blessings,
BKM
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Post by **erikv11** » 03 Jul 2012, 23:30

BKM98 S70 T5 wrote:
byeboy wrote:Could someone post a picture of this tool, and where it attaches?
This maybe helpful for installation
Volvo 5-cylinder: How to Replace the Head Gasket

Blessings,
BKM
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byeboy, don't be confused by this post from BKM: the traceystrusoaps tutorial contains no information at all about the spark plug tool you asked about, or where it attaches, etc.

Instead, the tutorial describes how to use clamps to accomplish the same thing. And the clamp method works, too!