so, my RS is finally back together w/ rebuilt head w/ new ss valves + competition multi angle valve job, crower springs + retainers and of course, the resurfacing to correct the warp.

Major props goes to Jason (again) for his dedication!!!
and to Jackson auto machine that performed the head job.

Car runs great now but when I tried to change the cam gear setting on my 5 bolt AEM gears they snapped to max. retard setting. They would'nt budge at all! Prior to this job, the gears would turn freely by hand. So, I'm puzzled.

Timing was set, the car ran great but now the cam gears are not ajustable. We plan to rotate them by turning the cams.

Did we miss something? maybe cams were installed "off phase"???

 

When we adjusted my aem gears we had to put a socket on the bolt that holds the gear to the cam and use a wrench to adjust it. Once we had it where we wanted we tightened the adjusting bolts and voila! A pain in the ***, but it works.

 

Thanks!
hopefully, the valves did'nt hit the cylinder when it snapped!!!

 

Upgraded valve springs would make it hard to adjust.

 

if you could turn the cams by hand with the cam gear, something wasn't right. you need to loosen all the bolts, then put a socket on the cam bolt and turn it. And the valves didn't hit anything.

Sounds to me like someone didn't tighten the nuts down on the cam gears.

 

thanks guys!

we put her back together and she runs better than before w/ the angaled valves!

and you're right, valves feel just fine!

 

My cam wheni try to adjust it. when i lossen the 5 bolts it turned all the way to the right and it's seem like it's stuck. How exactly do you adjust the gears? please explain throughly as you can i didn't get how to adjust it? I mean when you say turn the bolt on the gear to the cam, when you turn that bolt wouldn't the bolt come lose? sorrry to bother but i really need to understand what's going on before i make a mistake again. Thanx

 

I've never adjusted cam gears, but here's what I've gathered the procedure is from some of the locals here:

1. Remove spark plugs

2. Rotate engine until you are at a point where there isn't a high point of tension in resistance

3. Put a wrench (probably ratchet/socket) on the cam gear bolt to hold the cam.

4. While holding the cam gear bolt, loosen the cam gear adjustment bolts.

5. Rotate the cam to advance or retard it to the desired setting while the outer gear/belt stay stationary.

6. While still holding onto the cam gear bolt, retighten the cam gear bolts.

 

You are correct that if you use enough force on the bolt that holds the cam gear to the cam, you could loosen the bolt. But you won't need to use that much force. So after you loosen the 5 cam gear bolts that hold the cam timing in place, the cam will most likely rotate to a new position due to the valve springs wanting to find the most "relaxed" position. When you put a socket on the center bolt that holds the cam gear to the cam, you only need to use enough force to compress whichever valve springs relaxed, and rotate the cam to the desired position. It shouldn't take a whole lot of force, maybe 20 ft. lbs. or so, not enough to break the center bolt loose.