This will be the first time i have work on a pontiac engine now, and i am building it for a friend. My question is where can i buy the half moon key for the crank and camshaft for the timing chain.

Does anyone know of a good site i can look at to figure out how the pontiac waterpump/timing chain assembly is done, it is confusing to me since ive only worked on chevey engines so far.

Thanks, Eric

You can get the woodruff key(half moon) at most hardware stores.

The timing chain job is not really any different than on a Chevy. The oil pan seal is a little easier because you don't have that pain in the $$$ front rubber gasket. The harmonic balancer slides right off because it's not tapered like a Chevy. You can leave the water pump attached to the timing cover and then you will not have to mess with the divider plate.
Jim

The bolt holding the harmonic balancer gets tightened to 160 ft-lbs so it will be mother tight. Plan on using a big cheater bar and having to do something like leave it in gear with the wheels chocked (manual trans)to keep the motor from turning. The bolt is standard thread so lefty loosie.

ok thanks
and right now the motor is out of the car so i will have to tighten it as much as i can get it and finish it up when it gets in the car

A flywheel turner helps. The thing is that you need a gopher, something that is in short supply around my house

Bolt an 8 foot two by four to your flywheel and have at her. A steel bar would be better but the 2x4 is more common.
Jim

Scott (Six Starved) taught me a exceptionally clever way: Remove one plug and stuff a length of nylon rope into the cylinder. Leave a tail hanging out. Slowly rotate the motor over until the engine locks up and the bolt will loosen. Remove the bolt and the washer and re-install just the bolt - but only a few turns. Install your balncer puller and rotate the motor the opposite way far enough that you can pull out the rope.

Scott (Six Starved) taught me a exceptionally clever way: Remove one plug and stuff a length of nylon rope into the cylinder. Leave a tail hanging out. Slowly rotate the motor over until the engine locks up and the bolt will loosen. Remove the bolt and the washer and re-install just the bolt - but only a few turns. Install your balncer puller and rotate the motor the opposite way far enough that you can pull out the rope.

I had to break loose the bolt with the engine out of the car (on the floor), head off. That was NOT easy. Next time I will do it in the correct sequence!

I've used the rope trick before, but how do you ensure that you don't bend a valve?

You have to make sure that the piston is at TDC on the compression stroke so the valves are closed.

Just go a little past TDC so the piston is heading downward again, then feed in the rope, and reverse your rotation.
It works for both loosening and tightening, but you have to think about the direction of engine rotation and where the piston is before you feed in the rope.
It doesn't take much rope. Both valves are closed for several degrees before and after TDC/compression.

I just used this method on a Honda (which run backwards) and it worked very well.

Trying to remember exactly what we did - it was a 2 person jobber. Amervo can give you the details. We put 2 bolts on, and wedged the tire iron in there to hold it steady while the other person cranked on it. Worked like a charm - wish I had pics!

Want to see a pic of what that can do to your flexplate?

Not my first choice of techniques...

Okay, now I know who to call and have over for a weekend when I have to do this job!!

My fellow Maryland buddies! (You two still paying those state taxes??) :p

I take an old set of vise grips & clamp them to the flexplate as tight as I can, then use a long breakover bar along with the handle from my big floor jack & it works like a charm! It's just a pain to crawl under the car, lol!! Oh well, you had to get under there to get the bottom timing cover bolts anyways!

Steve :p

I just removed mine (harmonic balancer bolt) and used an impact gun on the bolt and got it off with little problem (well with a few tries,I own a small compressor)

David

tin - wait, you had to crawl under the car to do what?? With the fan and accessories out of the way, you can just reach in from on top to get to the bolts underneath.

I have it on jackstands, naturally, lol!!

Steve :p