The cam chain tesioner gasket is the biggest PITA. The timing belt is cake once you get the front end off. But that gasket is a pain to get out due to the fact that there is hardly any room to work even after using the tool.

 

Thanks for the heads up. I ordered the parts and will see how it looks once I get the front end off, if there is any obvious oil leaks, etc. Not in a rush, so I will attempt, unless I find something else really obvious.

Ok, the spedometer is possessed. Took it to the store tonight and it worked fine for a bout a mile or so, then it looked more like a tach than a spedometer, bouncing around. Came out of the store and it stayed at zero all the way home. Sounds like it is an electric wired spedo and read one thread recommended above and some guy talked about pulling those wires and damaging them when changing oil, so maybe they are damaged and when it gets warm, it stops working, who knows...

 

Could also be the cluster. You can check my thread on here. I recently changed my CCT gasket and Timing belt.

 

The cam chain tensioner gasket is only a PITA if you're trying to do it without removing the cams. But since mekeraudi is going to be able to take the cams off, the gaskets will be just sitting there waiting to be lifted off.

At least, that's what it looks like according to the Blauparts video. Once the cams are lifted off, the two gaskets are just sitting there.

But I totally agree with you if a person is just trying to replace the cam chain tensioner gaskets and valley seals without removing the cams. I did that this past January in the middle of a Minnesota winter, in an unheated garage. It definitely was a PITA, although it was doable.

 

Looks like the cams just get lifted out. Gotta make sure I mark positions on all shafts, pulleys, belts, cams, chain, etc and also taking pictures along the way, so I can refer back to them for my own reference. Not thrilled about lifting the cams out, but looks necessary, so I have a little 2x4 cradle to sit them and they should be fine.

 

I wouldn't remove the cams on these cars unless ABSOLUTELY necessary. Not something you want to mess up on these cars. Just use the tool it's a not super hard just not as easy as the TB

 

Sounds like good advice, trying to leave them right where they sit.

Wow, Blau was pretty impressive, I put my order in yesterday morning and it was on the front steps here by noon today.

 

Yeah, this is the only case where living in Minnesota has its advantages for shipping. Since Blauparts is located in Wisconsin, I always get my parts the next day from them, even when using cheapo ground shipping.

 

I got the tensioner out and in without removing the cams, did the valve cover gasket, tensioner, tensioner gasket, the whole works basically, just one small problem, I left out this plastic part which sits on top of the larger cam shaft and appears to be a shield under the oil fill hole. I am wondering if it is really necessary since I would prefer not having to tear it apart to put in a non-essential part.

 

Can you post a pic of this piece?