Well I was putting in a new camshaft today into my d16y8, and while trying to put my cam gear on, my cam gear key fell into the bottom of the LOWER COVER. Is there any way to get it back out without removing the lower pulley? I was thinking of just buying a new Cam gear, but my neighbor said that if I leave that key in there, it can catch one of the gears and blow my valves... although this is possible I don't know how if it's lying at the bottom of the cover. I rotated the pulley 2 rotations and nothing caught... so I'm assuming it won't if I drove it.

 

magnet pen.

 

I tried using it, but it didn't pick anything up. The tensioner prevents it from going through the middle.

 

In all honesty take the lower pulley off. Your better safe then sorry. It would cost less to take a pulley off. Then have to get your head rebuilt from your timing belt slipping. And it's not pretty trust me i slipped a timing belt at 105 mph and my motor was gone.

 

Yeah, I'm halfway into removing it. The alternator and power steering pulleys are loosened. The 3rd one... forgot what it's for, the tension won't loosen. I loosened it, but the bolt went up instead of the pulley going down... Gonna try to rummer hammer it down tomorrow. It's dark and I'm doing the work in my driveway, so my car gonna but stuck on 3 wheels all night. Is the lower pulley hard to pull off after you get the crankshaft bolt out? We already got the bolt out, but when I tried pulling the pulley off it wouldn't budge. Should I WD40 it before I pull it?? And do I need my lower cover? I'm thinking of leaving it off after this.

EDIT:: I can't even run my car without that key, since it's an AEM cam gear it won't even move the camshaft without that key to lock them together.

 

hahahaha

 

Do you wanna rock to fly into your timing belt. If not put the cover on. But the pulley should slide right off if you disconnected all the drive belts from it. Powersteering, A/C , Alternator. Take the belts completely off. And see if you can get it. If not hit it with a rubber malot a few times to knock it loose.

 

skriblah, yes it's a sad situation, but shut up.

And thanks for the advice. I just realized I should TDC my pulley before I remove it, or mark it. Prolly whack it with the mallet a few times before I try anything... Gotta loosen that A/C tensioner first...

 

use a long antenna and stick a magnet on the bottom

 

LOL... Yea that might help alittle bro. And yes get your entire motor TDC. Before you yank that pulley off.