Having trouble with cam install
Having trouble with cam install I have installed a cam before on my car and I was going through the install of the new cam smoothly, but I just ran into a problem. I went to pull the cam out, but after about 25% of it was out it was getting stuck on something. I couldnt rotate the cam in a complete 360 it was stuck. I looked at my pen magnets and I noticed it appeared that one of the magnets moved as I came to the point where it would stick. I put the cam back in pulled all of the magnets back out, and tried to spin the cam, and the cam is still sticking in one place as I rotate the cam. Could a lifter be stuck or what could the problem be. The cam origonally spun freely but now it sticks at a certain point. Am I screwed? Will the heads have to come off. I was going to put in some new rodbolts with the engine still in the car, so maybe I should just pull the whole engine out.
you may have touched a lifter with the cam and it might have fell slightly. if you have got the cam all the way back in. just work with the cam (turning it by hand) and with you other hand try to rotate/pull the lifter back up. this may help you out, good luck with it.
I was thinking about this agian.More than likely,like you already said,a lifter probably did move.I wouldnt try messing with the cam till you fixed the lifter.It sucks to say it,but I would pull the head on that side of the car to make sure the lifter doesnt drop.Or so that if you do some how get it back into the retainer,its in it right.
I'd rather pull the head now then have to pull the motor for a dropped lifter.Then still have to pull the head.
I'd rather pull the head now then have to pull the motor for a dropped lifter.Then still have to pull the head.
reply Thanks for the reply guys. I messed around with it a little bit more, but that lifter feels like its wedged in there. I tried putting a pushrod back down the hole and applying preassure on the lifter to feel if it was ridding on the cam at all, but it wouldnt budge at all. The cam rotates to a point then gets caught on something. Looks like I will be ordering some head bolts, and a new gasket. Would you replace the intake gaskets or could I reuse those?
I've reused my intake gaskets a few times.I've reused probably every gasket on my car except head gaskets atleast 3 times.Alot of people replace them so no chances are taken.I'm changing to another cam as soon as it gets here and I plan to replace every gasket I pull this time.Which I probably dont have to,but eventually my luck will fail!
i had this problem sunday night, except the cam was all the way in, and i could not get it out! I ended up double checking all the lifters with the magnet, and once of the magnets was wedged somewhere, i couldnt getit out for anything! Eventually after messing with it for a while i got the magnet out, got it reseated on the lifter, and the cam slid right out. I would get it another try before calling it quits.
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I dont understand the whole magnet deal.
Just buy 2 5/16 inch wooden dowel rods for like a dollar and be done with it.
SLide them right into the two holes in the front of the engine.
That is what I used for my cam swap. Same as the metal cam swap tool someone sells...only it doesnt cost 100 bucks.
Just buy 2 5/16 inch wooden dowel rods for like a dollar and be done with it.
SLide them right into the two holes in the front of the engine.
That is what I used for my cam swap. Same as the metal cam swap tool someone sells...only it doesnt cost 100 bucks.
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dowels
Originally Posted by UltraZLS1
I dont understand the whole magnet deal.
Just buy 2 5/16 inch wooden dowel rods for like a dollar and be done with it.
SLide them right into the two holes in the front of the engine.
That is what I used for my cam swap. Same as the metal cam swap tool someone sells...only it doesnt cost 100 bucks.
Just buy 2 5/16 inch wooden dowel rods for like a dollar and be done with it.
SLide them right into the two holes in the front of the engine.
That is what I used for my cam swap. Same as the metal cam swap tool someone sells...only it doesnt cost 100 bucks.
Then you were using the wrong size dowel or something.
maybe if you force them down they may drop, im not sure...just like if you forced the magnets down. And yes they will drop down a bit...but not enough to matter, and definately not completely into the oil pan.
I spun the cam with real quick motions while inserting the rod. The lifters have to be up high enough for the rods to go under them. If you spin it fast by hand (thread a couple bolts in the end of the cam) it will launch the lifters upward enough to slide the rods in correctly. You put the rods in with the cam in the car. therefor you need to make enough room between the cam and lifters...hence the need to spin the cam quickly.
And my motor definately wasnt a russian roulette motor....it had 85k on it when I did the swap....I dont think they would have stayed up for an hour on their own ( I went and did some other things while the rods were in place and the cam was out), even if they were in like new condition.
And this product must also be a farse?(jpr cam install tool) Go to the bottom of the page....same thing as using wooden dowels. 5/16 is the perfect size....nothing bigger will fit in.
http://www.thunderracing.com/catalog...&vid=3&pcid=17
They also use them on the ls1howto cam swap
http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=23
maybe if you force them down they may drop, im not sure...just like if you forced the magnets down. And yes they will drop down a bit...but not enough to matter, and definately not completely into the oil pan.
I spun the cam with real quick motions while inserting the rod. The lifters have to be up high enough for the rods to go under them. If you spin it fast by hand (thread a couple bolts in the end of the cam) it will launch the lifters upward enough to slide the rods in correctly. You put the rods in with the cam in the car. therefor you need to make enough room between the cam and lifters...hence the need to spin the cam quickly.
And my motor definately wasnt a russian roulette motor....it had 85k on it when I did the swap....I dont think they would have stayed up for an hour on their own ( I went and did some other things while the rods were in place and the cam was out), even if they were in like new condition.
And this product must also be a farse?(jpr cam install tool) Go to the bottom of the page....same thing as using wooden dowels. 5/16 is the perfect size....nothing bigger will fit in.
http://www.thunderracing.com/catalog...&vid=3&pcid=17
They also use them on the ls1howto cam swap
http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=23
Last edited by UltraZLS1; Mar 22, 2006 at 10:44 AM.
screw the pen magnet method! You are just begging to drop a lifter! The wooden dowel method worked like a dream for me....just like UltraZLS1 said...you may not have gotten the lifter high enough to get the dowel under it. Or your dowel could have been too small.