Removing the head on a 1.7; A questions but also a few tips

[TB2]

The tips go first:

1) I always found it incredibly aggravating how hard it is to push the timing belt tensioner back to release the belt, especially with so little space available to push the tensioner. Here's the idea I had today: Use a big clam upside down between the tension spring and where the engine mounting bracket goes. If it fits, it's a breeze to just tighten it a little, pushing in the tension spring upwards and slackening the belt!



2) Access to the rear of the engine is terrible. The Haynes manual says that you should 'pull the engine forward' to gain access. Easier said than done with just one pair of hands. So I used one of those crankable straps (in orange) between where the engine mounting bracket goes and the front of the car, pulling the engine forward and holding it in place. (Cover the radiator with a piece of plywood to make sure not to damage it):



Here goes the question, then:
Haynes says that I should A) remove the M8 bolt from the camshaft sprocket, B) hold the camshaft in place using the 'special lug between the 3rd and 4th cam' and C) remove the bolt on the sprocket to remove the sprocket. Now why can't I just leave the M8 bolt in, remove the bolt on the sprocket and not bother with that lug, risking to turn the camshaft? And if I should 'hold the camshaft in place', how should I manage to do that? It's going to be impossible to just hold a spanner on the lug with one hand and pull on the other...

Thanks!

[docchevron]

if you try to undo the cam sprocket bolt by only using the M8 bolt to hold it, the likelyhood is you'll rip the bolt out of the head, it's soft alloy..

It's easy enough to whip the cam cover off, stick a big adjustable on the lug on the cam shaft and use a 16MM spanner to undo the cam sprocket bolt..

[citronut]

there is a 3/8th square hole in the tensioner base plate just below the cam sprocket specificly for bringing the tensioner of,

i use a 2"inch'ish short 3/8th extention with a ratchet, easy peasy,


or even place a 16mm ring spanner on the srocket bolt and give the spanner a couple of light blows with a hammer,

this usualy works for me,


regards malcolm