2000 Jeep Cherokee 180k
2" Budget boost, 2" lift leafs, 2" lift springs.

Well I recently replaced my Cam synchro/oil pump drive with a new dealer part (old one managed to spin the pressed on and riveted gear enough until it was unusable) and its been alright for the most part besides on cold starts.
(which I think might be unrelated, but since Im trying to diagnose this;
Mostly on cold starts the motor would be hesitating under quick acceleration unless the throttle was at 100%.
The sound it made while the motor was in this "limp mode" at 1-99% resembled knock in the motor? Fuel press is good)


But anyways,
I recently got employed after a long time of being unemployed and the first day of the job my Jeep makes it there fine.
But then it never left...
I go to start it and its not starting, I assume no spark since I have had issues with other camshaft synchros.

I open the hood and I see the retainer for the cam synchro/oil pump drive sitting off of where it should be and the bolt for the retainer snapped off in the block.
I have pretty bad driveline vibes until around 30mph. Could this of been a contributing factor?

Otherwise how else could this have happened? I made sure to torque the bolt to spec. But then again that was using quite a few of extensions so the actual ftlbs may have veried.
Only other thing that comes to mind is excessive play in the camshaft?
Since this is ran by a gear off the cam, Im thinking maybe the tolerances are off enough to be causing excessive stress on that bolt that holds down the Cam synchro? As I mentioned before, the reason I had replaced this part was the pressed on gear on the original part managed to somehow spin freely without the shaft. Which would support that idea?

Someone help me please! On the verge of being unemployed yet again.

 

Also forgot to mention, I tried to extract the bolt. (drilling and easy out)
But the location of the bolt is so hard to get to that I couldnt get a hammer in there well enough to release the bolt.

So any ideas on that would be greatly appreciated also. Thanks!

 

bump anyone have any input..

 

Can you cut a slot in whats left of the bolt with a die grinder? If you can just back the remains out with a straight blade screwdriver.

 

I ended up drilling to a 3/8ths and then tapping the hole.

For anyone who might have the issue in the future