Help! SOHC front timing cassette removal with head in?

[2000StreetRod]

front cassettes

I can't find any edgewise photos. Mine are all broadside.

I'll have to go in the storage room to get an edgewise comparison. But I seem to recall that the bushing/pivot is similar to yours.

 

[Sedition]

How far does it slide down before it gets caught up and what does it get caught up on?

 

[bigredscowboy]

This is where the guide is normally

but this is as far north as mine goes before the pivot (near the bottom "finger") hits the bottom of the head

 

[bigredscowboy]

How far does it slide down before it gets caught up and what does it get caught up on?

on the downside it is currently hitting the jackshaft. broke my ratchet so waiting for tomorrow to get a 3/8" breaker bar or a T55 1/2" drive.

 

[2000StreetRod]

pivot bushing length

The total length of the pivot bushing is about 3/4 inch. Mine looks identical to yours. You have to work the cassette from side to side to get it out. A lot of force is not required. I assume that you have removed jackshaft front sprocket retaining bolt and the cassette lower mounting bolt under the jackshaft sprocket - both shown still in place in the photo below.

 

[Sedition]

Do you have a 3/8" to 1/2" adapter or possibly a 24hour Wal-mart nearby?

 

[bigredscowboy]

Alright, I went digging around and found my old head and was going to show ya'll that the d.mn guide did not fit through that hole. Well sure 'nuf, it does (but BARELY)

so i looked back on my motor and saw the problem: the head is not perfectly aligned to the block, it actually overlaps 1/8", enough that even using a hammer to bend the pivot of the guide towards the front and pulling up on the top was not enough to get it through.

Any suggestions?
(i can't believe this has never happened to anyone. I'm also pretty sure it's factory bc the frequently offending 3-spring main chain tensioner was still in there)

 

[bigredscowboy]

Do you have a 3/8" to 1/2" adapter or possibly a 24hour Wal-mart nearby?

I do but it's currently on a stand so there is limited room (enough to get a 3/8 Craftsman drive in there and consequently break it. hooray for lifetime warranties. speaking of, does OTC warranty their tools? stupid welds broke on the timing tool) and I'm not really wanting to break out the hoist until its time to put her in.

 

[bigredscowboy]

Thanks for all the help so far. Unfortunately my day was wasted on this s-t-u-p-i-d piece.

 

[Sedition]

I am happy to help anytime... The SOHC can be challenging at times but it is well worth the effort.

 

[2000StreetRod]

different angles?

Try inserting at different angles (pivot near the inside vs pivot near the outside) with different separations (squeezed together vs spread apart) of the upper two sections of the guide. It sounds like the head opening is aft of the block opening reducing the clearance. I would be hesitant to grind the block casting but is seems unlikely that the head and the block are misaligned. As I recall there are two head alignment guides in the block for each bank. According to my 2005 Mustang assembly instructions the heads are installed before the cassettes.

 

[bigredscowboy]

Try inserting at different angles (pivot near the inside vs pivot near the outside) with different separations (squeezed together vs spread apart) of the upper two sections of the guide. It sounds like the head opening is aft of the block opening reducing the clearance. I would be hesitant to grind the block casting but is seems unlikely that the head and the block are misaligned. As I recall there are two head alignment guides in the block for each bank. According to my 2005 Mustang assembly instructions the heads are installed before the cassettes.

I twisted, closed, open and tugged till I was irate...

the head is about 1/8" forward (towards the bumper, what's the opposite of aft?) from where it should be to allow clearance for the cassette pivot. It's an even 1/8" for the 4" that are showing, so I wouldn't think its on there crooked, just 'forward.' I just checked my old head and motor and it looks like the guides are snug so I don't really understand how this could be out of line. I'm scared to force it out lest the new one doesn't go back in...

 

[bigredscowboy]

good news! after a good rest I got it out but it was a PITA
Used 22oz Estwing hammer as a long lever and block just below jackshaft as a pivot. Accidentally broke the plastic finger but I think it helped. Slowly put all my weight into it while pulling up hard. Heard/felt the metal cassette pivot sink into the head and then was able to let go of hammer without cassette falling back down. Then I was able to pull firmly for 1/2" for the whole pivot to get into the head, at which time it came out easily.

Now off to the store to get a 1/2" t55 and replace my broken 3/8" Craftsman driver

 

[2000StreetRod]

perseverance

I'm glad that your perseverance paid off. Hopefully the new guide will go in easier. Try not to break off the lower finger of the guide.

 

[bigredscowboy]

had to gently hammer in the new one. didn't want to go in but I got it in without breaking it

i'm going to ask some questions on the saga thread if anybody wants to continue with all the very needed help

 

[RandyPa]

Stuck Left Cassette

had to gently hammer in the new one. didn't want to go in but I got it in without breaking it

i'm going to ask some questions on the saga thread if anybody wants to continue with all the very needed help

I had the same problem - thought the brute force method was the only solution - but if you spread the guides at the top and pull them towards you and at the same time stick a screwdriver blade up from the bottom and gently push the hinge hub towards the front it will move up as you pull. The replacement did take a couple light taps to slide back down. Thanks to Bigredscowboy for posting

 

[99SportX]

Wow, when I did mine I never had any issues like that. I guess I got lucky. Mine went in fine, although it was pretty close.

The machining on both the head and block castings must have been at opposite ends of the tolerances.

 

[bigredscowboy]

Yeah, they were probably about the width of a dime offset (front-to-back). Led to some interesting days of trying to get the guide out. I had to use a LOT of lateral force to get it out and had to gently hammer in the new one.

 

[bigredscowboy]

but if you spread the guides at the top and pull them towards you and at the same time stick a screwdriver blade up from the bottom and gently push the hinge hub towards the front it will move up as you pull.

This is exactly what I did but it required a hammer-as-lever and my body weight (150lb) pushing down on the hammer handle while simultaneously pulling up on the cassette to get the metal pivot over the lip on the head (a very unusual situation, there should not have been a lip there, and there wasn't on the other side). Once the first mm crossed over the lip I was able to tap it out.

 

[theplayer906]

what is the name of the cap or part number for the cap that you must take off in order to access the bottom bolt of the rh timing cassette?