Removal (Left)

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2003 Saturn Vue and 2002 Saturn Vue. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

NOTE: In transverse mounted engine applications, the cylinder head closest to front of vehicle will be referred to as the LEFT cylinder head.

Disconnect the negative battery cable. Remove the intake manifold. See INTAKE MANIFOLD . Install Debris Screen (J-45482). As a precaution, rotate the crankshaft counterclockwise to 60 degrees Before Top Dead Center (BTDC) position to prevent valve/piston contact.
Remove the timing belt and gears and discard camshaft gear bolt. See TIMING BELT & GEARS .
CAUTION: Ensure that the camshaft is not under the load front lifter(s) and that the camshaft comes out of bearing seat evenly.
Loosen the camshafts bearing cap bolts sequentially starting from the center and moving outwards in a spiral direction. Remove the camshaft bearing cap bolts.
NOTE: The intake camshaft is marked with the letter "A" and the exhaust camshaft is marked with the letter "E".

NOTE: Note the marks on the bearing caps. The bearing caps for the front side (CYL 2, 4, 6) cylinder head are marked with an "R" followed by a number. See Fig 1.

Remove the camshaft bearing caps. Remove the camshaft with seal attached. Remove the camshaft seal.
If the valve lifters are being serviced, remove the lifters. See HYDRAULIC VALVE LASH ADJUSTERS (IN-VEHICLE) . Clean all bearing and sealing surfaces.

Fig 1: Identifying Left Cylinder Head Camshaft Bearing Cap Locations

Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS CORP.