Hi all. I'm new to the forum and just purchased my first Montero which I'm really excited about. It's a 95, 3.0 SOHC. Just turned 100k, got it for $2500 and runs great.

The previous owner mentioned it did leak a little oil, so I immediately got to working on that. Turns out the oil cooler lines we leaking. Had a hydraulic shop make me some new ones using the existing fittings. Now it leaks a lot less, but still leaking.

Looks like it's the crankshaft oil seal. Previous owner stated he recently had the water pump replaced and timing belt. Since he didn't do the seals or pulleys, and did only half the job, I now have to tackle this myself.

I have downloaded the FSM. Read it several times, watch videos on YouTube, and read over these forums. The following video on YouTube I find to be very helpful even though it's not the same engine I have.

https://youtu.be/lkG396-0Y7E

Although I'm not afraid to tackle this my self, never having done this before, I am concerned about bending the valves and ruining my new car.

My questions are as follows:
1. He states in the video that the passenger side cam is under spring tension. You can see when it snaps in the video as he rotates it. If I have brought the timing to TDC before removing the belt, will the cams stay at TDC when I remove the belt or will it snap out of TDC?

2. If it does snap out of TDC , would it crash with the cylinder head? If so, will it bend the valves, or does it require more force than just that spring tension to bend the valves such as starting & running the car off time?

3. Instead of allowing it to snap down, would it be best if I gentily lowered the cam myself manually so that it's not under the spring tension? Would that keep it from possibly bending the valves?

4. At one point, he mentions that if dealing with an engine that the timing has been moved off of TDC, that you can simply rotate crankshaft counterclockwise 4 teeth and then re-align the cams back to TDC. Would this work with my engine as well?

5. If the above step worked, wouldn't it be best if I simply did all of the work I needed to do with the cams slightly off TDC so that there's no spring tension threatening the movement of the cams, and then when I am ready to put the belt back on, simply brink the cams and crank back to TDC?

Any help from people with experience with this procedure is greatly appreciate. I'm so greatful to have found this forum.

From the video it appears (four teeth turn) you have an interference 3.0L. Is that correct?

Having the cams snap forward at about TDC is a problem on my engine as well. I found to let it snap past TDC then turn the cam backwards, CCW to TDC and it should hold. You can turn the cams and the crank CCW as long as the belt is not installed.

Once you have TDC I'd get a helper to get the belt on - wife bonding works.

Hi. Thanks for the response. Yes the 1995 has the interference engine. I read that the interference engines started in 1993. Which allowing it to snap past TDC may be safe to do it on your 1992 montero, but it may not be safe to do it on mine. I don't know.

So what does the FSM say? I'm thinking the four teeth BTDC position of the crank pulley means when the cam opens the valves they will not impinge the pistons. So having the cam snap past TDC will be OK. Once you have the TDC set for cams then you can advance the crank the four teeth to TDC.

They assembled these at the factory, you should be able to do the same.

Yes. I would think you are correct, unless the 4 teeth things only applies to that specific engine. I would think not, Inwould think that they would mostly be all the same for Mitsubishi engines. The FSM, although nice to have, doesn't explain anything. It just give you guidelines. Says to bring it to TDC.

There are members here with interference engines. Maybe they will be more helpful.

So I found this, which may apply. See "loosen cam caps".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKFAmfeaycs

You can also get or make a tool that locks the two cam sprockets together preventing them from turning. This will prevent the snap turn.