Kaos22B Posted February 8, 2009 Share Posted February 8, 2009 How many of us have been in this position. You’re removing your engine, tearing it apart to do whatever cool (or necessary) changes to it, and all that is stopping you from getting your heads off your block, is the pesky, retarded, anger-fueling cam gear bolts. They stand in defiance to the most brutal tools. They are the devil. And therefore, they should be destroyed. I have taken apart/assembled many Subaru engines, and always dread removing these bastards, especially if it’s the first time the stock engine has been taken apart, I swear Subaru has Godzilla tighten those damn things at the factory. The 10mm hex bolts have called for, and been the cause of multiple tool breakages, bolt removers, welding, and drilling to get them off. Sometimes, if you are lucky, you only get one out of the four that’s a pita (somehow always the last one), and if you ever get them off without issue it’s a miracle and you should go out and buy a lottery ticket. As you can see I’ve stockpiled extra cam gears and bolts just incase (these are just the extras, not counting the 2 sets on my engines!) http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss142/Kaos22B/IMG_1314.jpg?t=1234133776 There was always the issue of holding the cam gears steady. 2.0 liter cams always had that handy hex on the cam that allowed you to hold it steady with a wrench, no such luck with the 2.5liters. They do have the actual tools for that, or even having an old belt, and clamping it tightly around the gears so they doesn’t move still leaves you with the task of getting the bolt out without bending/breaking a tool! So, I assembled my tools J http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss142/Kaos22B/IMG_1313-1.jpg?t=1234133971 C-Clamp, vice grips, old timing belt, 22mm for crank, breaker bar, BIG breaker bar and super cool new 10mm hex Wrap the old belt around the gears, and clamp down like your sanity depends on it (cus it might). http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss142/Kaos22B/IMG_0282.jpg?t=1234134112 But my biggest complaint wasn’t from holding the gears steady, its from being unable to break the bolts lose with crappy tools like this little thing. http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss142/Kaos22B/IMG_1324.jpg?t=1234134399 I would have shown you all the broken ones I’ve had over the years, but luckily Sears takes them back in exchange for new ones… As you can tell, sub-par tools frustrate me, and there’s nothing worse than being frustrated when working on your car. Luckily I had ran into Marc at Ultimate Tool Co. (ultimatetoolco.com, yes I plugged it!) since I had bought their T70 torx drive for the transmission drains. I thought maybe he could help me from breaking any more of those cruddy 10mm’s I had been using before. He delivered…. THIS http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss142/Kaos22B/IMG_1320.jpg?t=1234134474 http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss142/Kaos22B/IMG_1317.jpg?t=1234134536 Its a "Koken" 10mm hardened steel 1/2" drive So simple, no? Don’t let looks fool you. My curiosity got the best of me, and I quickly walked up to a block (which was being prepped to be removed from the car), took the timing belt covers off, rotated the crank till the pistons were down (just incase!) stuck the shifter in 6th, and cracked each bolt loose with one hand on a small breaker bar and the new tool. No snapped hex! I called shenanigans, walked over to another block being disassembled (on a stand this time) strapped the cams down with my old timing belt that I keep around solely for this purpose, and proceeded to crack each one loose again! One needed some more push, but she gave in after some fighting J. No crazy air tools, no 6foot long jack handle over your 2 foot long breaker bar with you hanging off the end like a monkey whilst the bolt stands in defiance as you break the 10mm bit! I didn’t realize what a difference having just a nice 10mm would make, but it really is so much nicer to deal with. If it wasn’t I wouldn’t be so happy to write about it! I’m ordering another, to plan against going crazy just incase I lose mine. oh yah, another shameless plug, since I'm so glad they sourced this for me! http://ultimatetoolco.com/Koken10mm.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Capacity Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I have found these work great too. I order these for the real tough counter sunk screws in a frame for a item well build for the US Navy Sub's. http://www.cooperpowertools.com/catalog/pdffiles/TC-100_EN.pdf Can't remember what they cost, but work pays for them. There is no substitute for great tools. Good find there. 305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD). CHECK your oil, these cars use it. Engine Build - Click Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ultimakf7 Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 +1 for Ultimatetoolco! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxkita Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 cooperpowertools.com no longer exists. Don't click the link. the link for the Koken 10mm has changed - http://ultimatetoolco.com/koken10mm Build my car Boxkita Track days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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