That's what I thought. Thanks for confirming.

I have everything I need to begin replacing the cam chain wear pads — except for one necessary item, the Porsche Special Tool 9632, to compress the VarioCam solenoid for removal and installation of the camshafts.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1745441943.jpg

You'd think it would be included in the camshaft timing kit like the one I bought, but you'd be wrong. Pelican and LN do not sell them individually, so I searched and found this:

https://funaheadtv.com/products/porsche-special-tool-9632

Beginning in 2000, the tool has left-hand threads. $36 for a threaded rod, whether left or right-hand threads, seems like highway robbery, but I'll bet one from Porsche is many times that. Unless someone has a better source for the tool, I guess I'll order it from them.

Porsche only sell the tool with the Vario Cam actuator, not separately.

First, correct me if I'm wrong, because I've never done these. But it seems you need to compress B and C together. And B itself, is not threaded at all, otherwise how would you get the unthreaded part of the tool through there? So, you screw the tool into C, run the nut down on B which either pushes B down towards C or pulls C up towards B, or both. Right? Why can't you find out the the thread size of C is (probably M6 or M8, can't tell by the pics) measure the distance between B and C and get either a piece of allthread a few inches longer (like the tool) or even a bolt and a nut?

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1745444666.jpg

How many variocam actuators did you buy over the years? Just curious.

OK so I found this video where a guy makes his own variocam tool, but buying everything doesn't seem to be worth it. However, he did tell us the size and pitch of the thread: M5 x 0.8

It's worth lookng at the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygSKeRW5F2U

Then I found a source for LEFT HAND M5-0.8 allthread, but longest they have 10CM. Is that long enough? I don't know. $13.04 Each.

https://accu-components.com/us/left-hand-thread-threaded-bars/409371-HTBL-M5-1000-A4?google_shopping=1&c=2&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAA ADI7_w57vz2S-a5EuY8ShHnKa0XBa&gclid=CjwKCAjwn6LABhBSEiwAsNJrjqz n0v3UBW_rck_eByirPhj6HkeKNTvzkQTYQLJGmKplfkA7lzsy6 xoCM6AQAvD_BwE

Lastly, you'll need left-hand M5 nuts, the same place as above sells them: (Doesn't spec pitch size, so you may want to contact them and ask.) $1.41 Each.

https://accu-components.com/us/left-hand-thread-hex-nuts/73115-HPNL-M5-A2

I'm looking forward to JFP's or another guru's reply to Al's question, because I wondered the same thing. By the way, I've read that some folks have used a heavy-duty pull tie to compress the solenoid, but I also read a scare story about the pull tie failing and the solenoid snapping back with tremendous force.

I found this at Grainger for $5.67! 1 Meter long! You can cut it to whatever size you want. Just taper off the cut end on your new grinder to grind off the damaged part of the thread so you can get a nut on it. Or you can run a nut in from the factory cut end and out the end that you cut to chase the threads.

https://www.grainger.com/product/Fully-Threaded-Rod-M5x0-8-38DK86

And the sell left-hand nuts for $1.61 for a bag of 50.

https://www.grainger.com/product/Hex-Nut-M5-0-80-Thread-22YK31

There's a Grainger in Portland, if it's not far from you. They don't stock it, so you'll have to get it shipped to you or the store for pickup.

P.S. I got the IMSB tool back, thank you.

You're very welcome, Al. Be sure to open the box.

Or you can just buy a Genuine Porsche tensioner from Pelican Parts for the low, low price of $1297.91 with the tool already installed! 🤣😁🤣😁

https://www.pelicanparts.com/More_Info/99610505359.htm?pn=996-105-053-59-OEM&bc=c&SVSVSI=0787

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1745452367.jpg

Good sleuthing, Al. Alas, I ordered the tool from FunAhead, and it will be here in three days. But I don't see why the rod from Grainger wouldn't do the job after a some modifying. I definitely would have tried it, but I'm feeling the press of time — the folks who own the place I'm renting are putting it up for sale, so I have to finish this engine and get it in the car.

Dang! I wonder if it's too late to cancel the order at FunAhead...

Understood. Maybe you can post the length of the tool once you get it. It could help someone who wants to make their own. We already know the diameter and thread pitch. I'm guessing 10 to 13CM or 4-5 inches will do the trick.

I would be surprised if Grant hasn't already fabricated one. How about it, Grant?

Have you been spying on me? Actually, on the first engine I did I was rather naughty, I just used a tap to change the threaded hole to take a standard right-hand SAE bolt, see post #9 here,
https://986forum.com/forums/performance-technical-chat/80969-going-through-my-original-engine.html

I then thought about using a smaller bolt that would pass through the threaded hole, with nuts at both ends to accomplish the same thing.
Finally I bought a left-hand die and and some bronze rod and made a couple of tools. It was not easy and not one of my great tool making moments... I thought I had documented it somewhere but can't find it.
It is also possible to use a clamp to compress the tensioner, which I tried the first time round, but the clamp tends to slip off the tangs.

I'd have to check the records, but off hand probably a few dozen.

Amazon also sell the rod, in stainless steel, and the fastners; the rod alone was seven dollars and change.

I watched the video in which you mentioned you had retapped the tensioner to convert it to right-hand threads. That probably wouldn't occur to me, but as always I admired your ingenuity. I showed a couple videos in which you made some tools to a metal fabricator I know and he said, "Give that guy a metal lathe and other equipment and there's probably nothing he couldn't make."

More power to you. I've seen videos of these engines tron down and all I can say is, "Were those German engineers just out to **************** with us??"

I've been around Porsche's and other "exotics" for more years than I care to mention. They all have their mechanical idiosyncrasies and outright engineering oddities; it just comes with the turf.........