camshaft sprocket / gear removal

Talk and Tech about turbocharged 924/944/968 cars
944TurboS
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in my quest to change my waterpump , change all the belts and seals and hoses on my 951, I am trying to avoid having to pull the camshaft housing with tappets just to replace the camshaft seals. Most people seem to recommend pulling the camshaft housing to avoid any chance of damaging the pistons when trying to remove the camshaft gear/sprocket with an engine locked in place with with a flywheel lock.

So here my, maybe naïve question. Would there be a problem if the M10 x 65 mm bolt cheesehead screw which holds the retaining collar and the camshaft sprocket to the end of the camshaft is loosened BEFORE locking the flywheel and BEFORE removing the timing belt. This way you can hold the retaining collar with an 1-1/4 offset wrench and the 10 mm cheesehead tool without worrying about hitting cylinder tops with the valves because the timing belt is still in place and moves the pistons accordingly. Once the cheesehead bolt is loose, I would tighten it lightly and revert back to the normal procedure-locking flywheel @ TDC, de-tensioning the timing belt, removing timing belt, etc. Once you get to the part of having to remove the sprocket camshaft, now you can easily hold the sprocket steady when removing the cheesehead screw because you have already broken loose the previously 50 ft-lb torqued screw which has been in there maybe over 30 years.

My question is, whether my procedure can be done or would it run afoul of something I am unaware of....
'88 Porsche 944 Turbo S-Rose Silver
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'82 Porsche 924

#1

barnwerks
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You're over thinking this. I have not heard of removing the cam housing in order to change front seals before. If you lock the crankshaft with the cam pulley around 10 teeth before TDC, the pistons will be down and offer no risk of contact with valves. Be sure to use a puller, not prybars to remove the cam pulley. There is risk of breaking the camshaft if the pulley is pried or hit unevenly.

#2

944TurboS
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Thank you for tip on gear instead of a prybar.
Loosening the cheesehead screw before removing the timing belt is removed just to break the 30+ year hold, was a good idea....
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'88 Porsche 944 Turbo S-Rose Silver
'01 Mercedes ML500-Brill. Silver
'16 BMW X5 40i-Space Grey
'20 BMW X1-M Sport-Blue
'20 BMW X1-Space Grey
21 Audi Q3 S Line -Cosmos Blue
Sold:
'06 Mercedes S55 AMG
'89 Saab 900 SPG Black
'86 Porsche 924S
'82 Porsche 924

#3

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Tom
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Those look like original 37-year-old fuel lines. :shock: You most definitely want to replace those, including the little jumper off the damper. Factory originals are available at a price, but most people use something like this:

https://944online.com/fuel-line-repair- ... -STL&gQT=1

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ROB III
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Tom wrote: Wed Feb 19, 2025 1:31 pm


Those look like original 37-year-old fuel lines. :shock: You most definitely want to replace those, including the little jumper off the damper. Factory originals are available at a price, but most people use something like this:

https://944online.com/fuel-line-repair- ... -STL&gQT=1
I'd second that as you don't want to have a fire after doing all the work under the hood.....not pretty! :shock:
Rob
89 944 Turbo
Musik-Stadt Region

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whalenlg
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Tom wrote: Wed Feb 19, 2025 1:31 pm


Those look like original 37-year-old fuel lines. :shock: You most definitely want to replace those, including the little jumper off the damper. Factory originals are available at a price, but most people use something like this:

https://944online.com/fuel-line-repair- ... -STL&gQT=1
Roger that Tom - I'll also be finishing my Rennbay fuel line update this week (new jumper already in place).
1986 951 - Silicon Valley

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Belgian951
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If you hear a crunchy sound when you remove / manipulate those old fuel lines, you'll know it was a good decision to replace! If you don't, it would still be a good decision ;).
1986 944 Turbo Garnet Rot Metallic

#7

944TurboS
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Does anyone has the instructions how to graft Ian’s fuel lines in? Wondering where those lines should be cut for that set?
'88 Porsche 944 Turbo S-Rose Silver
'01 Mercedes ML500-Brill. Silver
'16 BMW X5 40i-Space Grey
'20 BMW X1-M Sport-Blue
'20 BMW X1-Space Grey
21 Audi Q3 S Line -Cosmos Blue
Sold:
'06 Mercedes S55 AMG
'89 Saab 900 SPG Black
'86 Porsche 924S
'82 Porsche 924

#8

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usury
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When I did mine with a similar kit years ago, I made the splice in the right front wheel well. Access is straight forward once you remove the fender liner (and the wheel, of course). You can sit on the ground and not kill your back.
Freelance New Age Renaissance Man
and Wrench Warrior
1987 944na with S2/Turbo facelift
Seattle, Washington, USA

#9

944TurboS
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Thx! I just found the instructions of the LR fuel lines set. Any experiences with that set?
'88 Porsche 944 Turbo S-Rose Silver
'01 Mercedes ML500-Brill. Silver
'16 BMW X5 40i-Space Grey
'20 BMW X1-M Sport-Blue
'20 BMW X1-Space Grey
21 Audi Q3 S Line -Cosmos Blue
Sold:
'06 Mercedes S55 AMG
'89 Saab 900 SPG Black
'86 Porsche 924S
'82 Porsche 924

#10

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