Remove or Disconnect

1. Negative battery cable.
2. Drain coolant.
3. Belt tensioner and belt, or drive belts, as applicable.
4. Upper engine torque strut.
5. Timing pointer plate (as applicable).
6. Both forward hood bumpers.
7. Install engine support fixture - J28467-A per Service Manual.
8. Raise vehicle.
9. Both front wheels.
10. Drain engine oil (remove oil filter).
11. Steering shaft pinch bolt at steering gear.
12. Right front lower ball joint.
13. Right front brakeline-to-body bracket.
14. Right front wheelhouse engine splash shield.
15. Flywheel/flexplate cover.
16. Crankshaft pulley (have assistant hold flywheel).
17. Frame (cradle) bolts and insulators (4).
18. Lower vehicle.
19. Timing gear cover bolts (8).
20. Lower the passenger side of the cradle/powertrain assembly 4 inches with support fixture (may require lowering of driver's side).
21. Raise vehicle.
22. Timing gear cover - do not distort.

CLEAN:

- Timing gear cover and engine sealing surfaces.

23. Align crankshaft/camshaft timing marks on gears.
24. Drill and tap the existing camshaft center hole (8 mm drill, 1/2 inch deep).

CAUTION: WEAR SAFETY GLASSES TO AVOID EYE DAMAGE.

USE CARE WHEN DRILLING AND TAPPING CAM GEAR TO AVOID DAMAGE TO THE CAMSHAFT.

IMPORTANT: COVER OIL PAN OPENING WITH RAGS TO PREVENT CHIPS FROM FALLING INTO PAN.

25. Tap the 8 mm hole with a 3/8-16-NC bottoming tap.

IMPORTANT: AVOID BUILD-UP OF CHIPS. BACK OUT THE TAP EVERY FEW TURNS AND REMOVE CHIPS.

26. Center punch and drill (2) 3 mm pilot holes in the metal hub of the cam gear (180 degrees apart).
IMPORTANT: USE CARE TO AVOID DRILL WANDER THAT COULD DAMAGE CAMSHAFT.

27. Enlarge pilot holes with 5.5 mm drill; 1/4 inch deep.
28. Tap 5.5 mm holes with 1/4-28-NF bottoming tap.
29. Drill a hole no larger than 1 mm (.040 in.) in the front oil gallery plug. This provides improved lubrication to the timing gears.

CLEAN:

- Oil pan of debris.

30. Remove cam gear with J24420-B - do not move cam or crank.

INSPECT:

- Thrust plate for scuffing and/or grooving. If evident, install new thrust plate, spacer ring, and key. Thrust plate-to-block bolts torque - 10 N-m.(90 in.lbs.).

IMPORTANT: LUBRICATE FRONT THRUST PLATE SURFACE WITH CLEAN ENGINE OIL.