'01HAWK

Texas speed said to use 5/16" rods to hold the lifter up. I got them in, but when I spin the cam I still see the pushrod moving up and down. When I look in it looks like the 5/16" rod slides in behind the lifters. Am I doing something wrong? Please let me know.

blkbird

iTrader: (28)

I had the same questions but I figure out that the prod will still move. So I decided to try it and came out without a hitch after you get it free from the first set of bearings. Then, the new cam went in like butter.....

01MMMZ28

funny that you ask this, we were doing a cam swap on a friends 00 formula today. We have the 5/16ths rods, but my friend ground a flat edge on them all the way down, don't know if that's the difference or not. Also, before you took the stock cam out, did you turn it over a few times to set the lifters into the cups? Try that, insert the lifter keeper rods, remove old cam, and as soon as possible put the new cam in. Be careful and take your time removing the old one and inserting the new one.

'01HAWK

Well I am about yank the old cam and see what happens. However I was thinking after the 5/16" rods were installed the pushrods should be all the way up and spinning the cam would not effect them. It seams odd, and I am just looking for some reassurance.

'01HAWK

I did not grind a flat edge on them. With the rod sliding into the hole I don't see what the flat edge does. Even if you need a flat side to catch the lifter how do you keep the rod from turning while removing, and intalling the new cam?

01MMMZ28

Our rods never turned at all, maybe due to the flat edge being on them. I didn't make them, I just used them and all I know is the work like a charm. We have used the same set w/ the flat edge on 4 cam swaps now, one car being mine. We did everything in like 7 hours on mine, including all new valvetrane.

blkbird

iTrader: (28)

Let us know how it goes.....

'01HAWK

Well I have nothing else to do so I will see if I get any more insite, and in about an hour I'm yanking the old cam out.

01MMMZ28

No, I'm sorry I wasn't specific...my bad. Before you insert the rods, put in a couple water pump bolts into the end of the old cam, spin it over several times to set the lifters into the lifter cups, insert the lifter rods, pull the old cam out.

www.ls1howto.com has a GREAT write up on this, check'm out, very very detailed pics in color too. It's #2 on the list on the right side of the screen.

'01HAWK

Those are the directions I am working with, but I don't have the jrp lifter tool.

blkbird

iTrader: (28)

I used the rods and not the "tool". Just be patient and dont get frustrated.....

'01HAWK

That's what I am trying to do. The car is not even at the same house as the computer I am on. I needed this break. I guess I am about to head back over and pull that cam.

BriGuy

Over the past 3 years every cam swap I have done we have used the dowel rod method. We usually take out the pushrods just to be able to take the weight off of the lifter. Although we did have a lifter fall a little once but the dowels caught it. We were not able to get the new cam back in at first though, so we just used a magnent and pulled the lifter the rest of the way up and then the cam slid right in.