L series sheared cam wheel off

tmh983 · Post by **tmh983** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 9:51 am

My sister has been driving around in an old L series for the last year or so, the other day she called up to say it had broken down. We went to have a look at it, checked the basics like fuel and spark which all checked out ok. Then did a compression test and found no compression on either cylinder in the right bank. After a lot of stuffing around we pulled the tappet covers off and discovered that the camshaft on the righthand side is not turning when we crank the engine!
Haven't had time to have a proper look at whats happened, but i'm guessing the key in the cam wheel has sheared. Anyone ever heard of this happening before?

Point · Post by **Point** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 10:16 am

more likely that the cam belt has broken on that side.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 10:33 am

yeah, unless you can see the shear off , me say camshaft timing belt broke too, easier to pull the front plastic covers off to see, so long as no dude before has over tightened and/or stripped the retaining bolts

RSR 555 · Post by **RSR 555** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 10:45 am

+3 for timing belt.. best to replace both

guyph_01 · Post by **guyph_01** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 11:32 am

+4 for timing belt. Isn't it always the Right side that gives way first?
Don't worry, its not a big deal, those engines the valves and pistons don't touch if the belt snaps. All you have to do is replace the belt, Better both of them, yep they have two belts, and away you go:)

tmh983 · Post by **tmh983** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 11:51 am

wait, do these engines have 2 seperate belts left and right? i assumed it was a similar setup to the ej motors

guyph_01 · Post by **guyph_01** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 1:59 pm

Yeah they have two seperate belts. Nothing like the ej.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 5:49 pm

you may notice looking from above that one bank is slightly further forward of the other - about a drive cogs width. Belts are not same length and one must go on before the other in a sequenced installation. Dizzy side also drives oil pump so good fail safe for engine life. Imagine if one side drove oil pump, the other the dizzy .....

tmh983 · Post by **tmh983** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 7:07 pm

Ok thanks for that. We had basically accepted that we were going to have to scrap the engine! Lol. Will go and check out the cam belts when I can be farked

guyph_01 · Post by **guyph_01** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 7:19 pm

definitely but new belts on it and she will give you plenty more k's, Its a subaru:)

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 9:12 pm

Get a kit that includes the tensioner pulleys and the idler pulleys as well - otherwise you may end up with the same situation.

All the best!

Bennie