Ok so I was going to put my timing belt on tonight but couldn't find a way to hold the camshaft whilst I tried to undo the sprocket bolt. Is there a particular spanner size or tool to hold the camshafts? I've been told its a no no to use the timing locking bar for obvious reasons.

Need a solution asap as want to crack on and get the bloomin' engine back in

Ta

Andy

I made one using 3 bolts and 2 lengths of flat bar. Google zetec cam sprocket tool, there's a picture . Don't use the timing bar in the back of the cams, you could break them.

I ground out a 24mm open ended spanner from a Lidl set (that cost peanuts) till it fitted the flats on the cam. You can buy or make a cam sprocket holding tool which is probably the best way to do it.

When I changed the cambelt (twice) on my Silvertop there was no need to loosen the cam sprockets. When the new belt was fitted and tensioned the timing slots lined up perfectly with the crank on TDC. Blacktop did need one of the cam sprockets moving slightly but I have verniers on this engine and adjusting is a doddle.

But if you need to loosen the cam sprocket bolts you need to make a tool that holds the sprocket while you loosen/tighten the bolts. Its a 2 person job to do it accurately. I made mine form a diagram in Haynes manual. Do not rely on the timing bar to hold the cams, you will damage them.