OK, engine still in car but timing cover removed. Yep, about 25% of the teeth are gone from the cam gear. Everything I search on says to remove the cam and take it to a machine shop to put on the new gear. To do this I have to take off the intake, exhaust, alternator, pushrods and lifters and everything else hooked to that stuff then pivot the back of the cradle down.
WTF???
I think there must be a way to do it without all that wrenchin'.
I've found a "special tool", but it's $150 and you still have to remove an engine mount and lower the engine a little.
Is there a easier way? It p***es me off that the gear is RIGHT THERE in plain sight and I can't get it off without taking the whole freakin' thing apart.
Any tricks PLEEZ!
Thanx,
C02M0

There is a procedure in a GM service bulletin that involves drilling and tapping a couple of holes in the metal core of the cam gear and using a puller to remove the gear. Then you have to drill and tap a hole in the center of the cam and use a bolt arrangement to press the new gear on. I've never tried it, so I don't know how well it works. I've had 3 gears fail in my 84 over the years, and each time I just dropped the entire engine and pulled the cam out. The last time I installed an all metal cam gear, so I shouldn't have to worry about doing it again

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Rod Schneider, Woodstock, Ga. 84 SE, 330,000 miles and counting, 88 GT, not nearly as many miles :)

Just did this not long ago and have to say that if you don't have all the "special" tools it is easiest and fastest to go with the old tried and true drop the cradle method....however it's not necessary to remove the exhaust manifold. All I had to do to replace my gear was to strip the alt, intake, valve train components (make sure you label ALL of them) and removed the three strut bolts and brake caliper. After all that was disconnected I removed the rear cradle bolts, and lowered the engine down. Couldn't be easier and made removal of the cam simple....altho you might find to gain a little extra room it's nice to find a way to support the engine and also remove the front mount. It only took me about 5 hours to remove the cam, and about another 4 hours to reinstall everything. All in all, a very simple, although long process, but would recommend going with the aluminum replacement gears to avoid having to possibly repeat this again.

Thanks, you all are right the cradle drop is the easiest solution. This actually is a good thing, as I get to make mods on the exhaust system I was planning as well as fix all those pesky oil leaks and dress up the engine compartment.
It's my first cradle drop, so I'm a little leary...started on it last nite, it's going surprisingly well (thank God for PB blaster!)
I've learned so much about Fieros this last 2 weeks...
New water pump and head gaskets on the 2M6 targa, new timing gears in the Duke.
Next is the V-8 into the GT!
Whoo Boy, we're havin' big fun now
Goin' to Daytona this weekend got me inspired...

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Cozmo
'85 2M6 Targa
'86 GT
'87 Coupe

I've been working on this for some time. I'd love to test this but I don't have a spare cam to play with. (If anyone has a junk motor I can have the cam out of I'd be happy to test it.)

PFKB's puller set is esentially a steering wheel puller with over size draw bolts and a section of threaded rod to press the gear on with.

I don't see why you couldn't use a standard 3 bolt puller on it. The one I have would let you get the bolts close to the center of the pulley. ((There's enough room in my pullers slots to put 6 bolts into the pulley. That would spread the load plenty if need be.))

With my puller (made by OTC but any good one should do.) you can flip it and use the puller to scribe drill zones in the gear. If you put the drive bolt thru backward it gives you a perfect center for the drill zones.

Drill and tap holes and pull.... I think if the holes are close to the core that it should work with 3 bolts. (You want to stay far enough from the center you don't fracture the AL from the core. That's if there is a steel core sleeve in the AL. I haven't been able to see one yet.)

drill and tap a hole in the cam and press... this is all PFKB does....

Since you can get a 3 bolt balancer puller just about anywhere, same for the needed drill(s) and tap(s) this should cost quite little. I imagine less than $50-60us. Since you need the balancer puller to get the balancer off you'll be using the thing more than once on this job....

WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

That is too much work.

This is not all that hard. First, stuff rags around the open part of the pan and block and use a dremmal tool to cut the old gear off if you are not able to poke and pry if off the cam.

Second. Put the new cam gear in motor oil. Place cam gear in a large pan and place in the oven. Heat the gear for about 20 minutes around 350 to 400 degrees. This will cause the cam gear to swell up in size.

Then, use a can of 134A freon. Puncture a hole in the can and spray on the cam. It will freeze the metal and cause the cam to shrink just a little.

With good gloves, bring the gear out and place on the cam. Tap Tap with a block and hammer and it will be pressed on.

This sounds nuts, but I have done it three times with 100% success. If no stove available, find some safe way of heating that cam gear up as hot as possible without catching the outer rim on fire.

It will work and save you tons of time and trouble.

Good luck.

Does anyone have pics of this R&R process showing the timing cover removed while trying to get the gear off?