Predator

You guys won't believe this. In my other thread I was saying how the driver's side JPR tool was all the way in, and the pass. side about 11 inches, so I put pen magnets in the back four pass. side pushrod holes. I thought I was all set, so I start pulling out the stock cam and it would only slide out about 1/2." I slowly turned it and pulled and same thing, it would only slide out a 1/2." It was definitely hitting against something metallic. Okay, so I decide to pull out the JPR tool that was all the way in on the driver's side and use pen magnets instead. I thought maybe the cam was hanging up on the JPR tool because the tool would move everytime I spun the cam. After much cussing and banging, I got the JPR tool out and put the 8 pen magnets on the driver's side (instead of the JPR tool). Now I have 14 pen magnets in and the left side JPR tool in about 9" to hold up the fron two pass. side lifters. Same thing: the cam is extremely difficult to spin by hand and I can only pull it out about 1/2." I tested all the lifters and they seem up in their cups so why won't my stock cam come out? Any ideas? Thanks.

Predator

I got pen magnets in all 16 holes and the lifters seem to be seated. I push down on them with the pens, spin the cam (it's spinning a little easier but not spinning on its own) and they pop back up, but I still can't remove the stock cam. It only pulls out about 1/2." I'm not sure where to go from here except to keep trying to get the cam out. Bummin' man.

Predator

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Krab

iTrader: (28)

So you have pen magnets holding up all 16 lifters right? Spin the cam, make sure the lifters are being held up by the pen magnets as high as they can go. It seems to me there is a lifter hanging too low (even though it's being held by the magnet) and it's keeping the cam from being pulled out. Are you bending the tab on each pen magnet and resting it in the rocker arm bolt hole?

Predator

Thanks man. "Yes" to everything. It HAS to be a lifter hanging too low--right? But they all seem to be in the cups. I've pushed them down with the pens, turned the cam, and I could see them pop up. I wonder if the JPR tool, that I jammed into the driver's side, caused damage, if that's possible? Also, the cam is difficult to spin. It won't spin freely, it turns only when I apply a good amount of force with my hands. When I first took off the timing cover, cam gear, retaining plate, the cam would spin freely, now it feels like it's binding, plus only comes out 1/2." If one of the lifters, is indeed hanging too low, what more can I do to get it up higher? I've even put all the pushrods back in and they all stick up the same height, about two inches.

Thanks again.

Dave Carney

This happened to me too. Very frustrating. It seems a lifter or two were not staying as high as they should. I bought a bag of clothes pins. Rotated the cam to see which magnets were moving on rotation. Pulled the affected magnet up slightly, then snapped a clothespin right at the bottom of the magnet handle (where the rocker pedastal mounts) so that the magnet could not fall down even a little bit when released. Once I had it so that I could spin the cam with no magnets moving, it came right out.

Predator

Thanks Dave. I thought that I was the only one who had this problem (I did a search and couldn't find anything). BTW was your cam difficult to turn (spin)? The funny thing is that when I turn the cam none of the pens move which makes me believe that the lifters are seated. I'll go outside and try again using your clamping method. I don't feel very optimistic.

Thanks for your help!

Predator

Fellas, thanks for your help! As Dave mentioned, I pulled up on all the pen magnets, even though they weren't bobbing up and down (like my girlfriend) when I turned the cam, and then I tried pulling out the stock cam (never expecting it to come out), and it slid past the 1/2" mark where it had been sticking. I spun the cam and worked it about 90% of the way out but ran out of room. I saw that the FTRA was preventing me from pulling the cam completely out. So, with sweat flying and dripping, I uninstalled the FTRA in world record time praying that my lifters wouldn't drop. I had the new cam already cleaned with brake cleaner so I quickly poured oil all over the cam and started installing it. To my amazement, and surprise, it went in pretty easily with a satisfying plunk when it hit the end of the block. Phew!!! My heart can't take this ****. After the dust settled, I realized that if I had just taken the water pump bolts out of the stock cam I wouldn't have had to remove the FTRA. Also, my FTRA hardware, nuts and bolts, are scattered everywhere. I even heard one of the nuts get lost somewhere on the front end of the car.

On to the valve springs, but not today. I think I aged ten years.

You guys are the best! Thankyou so much for your help!!!!!

Predator

Also. the new cam is spinning freely.

Predator

Last comment, I was getting ahead of myself, I still have to install the gear and chain and, line up the dots, before I move on to the springs. At least I can do that at my leisure.

glennster

iTrader: (1)

Wow,great news.I'm on the edge of my seat awaiting your next move.







J/K man........have fun.

Krab

iTrader: (28)

Glad to hear you got the old cam out and the new one in. What type of spring compressing tool are you going to use? I hope you have one of those Larry type of tools, it will save you hours of frustration.

Predator

LOL, listen to this man, I was just putting the 4th and final bolt on the cam retaining plate and it slipped out of my hand and fell down next to the bottom of the hanging timing change. I tried to look down there to find it and nothing, so I ran into the basement and hauled out a 5 gallon bucket of drywall compound to stand on so I could see down there better. Sure enough, there it was. I took one of the pen magnets I had used to hold up the lifters and was able to pull it out. I couldn't believe this was happening to me after what I went through today. I figure it can't get any worse than this (or can it). I've done every bit of work on my car myself, and I've never had so many things go wrong. I'm actually halfway decent at this mechanical stuff (if you can believe it). This cam swap is a first though. I always work alone, so having the support here means more to me than you can imagine.

I think I'm gonna knock off for today. Cam is in, lifters are up, retaining plate is in. Things are actually looking pretty good for the first time today.

Tomorrow's another day. A fresh beginning.

Predator

Yup Krab, got the Larry tool. After today though, I'm expecting the worst.

Predator

that should be "timing chain" not "timing change." Even my typing is going wrong.

Krab

iTrader: (28)

Nah, the springs aren't as bad as everyone makes them out to be. You have the right tool in your hands so it should go pretty smooth. Word of advice, you know those sharp push pins that hold the weatherstripping to the cowl? Yank those suckers out along with the weather stripping (towards the bottom of the windshield), because those things will have your hands bleeding in no time if you leave them in.

DanZ28

iTrader: (5)

Also make sure you use one of those pen magnet's on top of the valve spring when compressing them so they catch the lock's. Those things are easy to lose and can fall into the holes on top of the head, then your in real trouble. Good luck..

Dan

Predator

Krab, I hope the springs are easier than the cam. I remember those plastic points from the manifold install. I'll yank 'em out. Thanks.

Dan, that's an awesome tip with the pen magnet. A big WILL DO on that! Heck, I spent over $40 on freaking magnet pens, so it's cool to see they might earn a little more keep.

The adventure continues. . . .

Predator

IMHO, those JPR cam tools TOTALLY SUCK!!!

glennhl

I left the plastic retainers for the cowling in place, I just did what Universityinstall said to do, that we to cut them off underneath. Worked fine.