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Cam Swap in Progress, Need Help Fast....

Old 09-13-2007, 11:13 AM
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Default Cam Swap in Progress, Need Help Fast....

I am in the process of changing the valve springs and having some trouble.... I am using compressed air to hold the valves up but as soon as I take the pressure off of the valves by compressing the springs air blows out the intake. I have tried it on two diff. cylinders with the same re3sult.... I am using approx 50 psi. Any help.... Also I got the duel springs from PRC and all of the vavle seals look to be the same and are the same color??? HELP....
Old 09-13-2007, 11:16 AM
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Light tap with the hammer will help to break them loose as you are compressing. Sometimes they get stuck on there over time.
Old 09-13-2007, 11:31 AM
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Originally Posted by hellbents10
Light tap with the hammer will help to break them loose as you are compressing. Sometimes they get stuck on there over time.
what?
Old 09-13-2007, 11:38 AM
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Originally Posted by Blow03SS
what?
The valve locks can get stuck in the retainers over time, and and the compressed air in the cylinder isn't enough to keep the valve up while you're compressing the spring. Tapping the retainers will release the locks, separating the spring from the valve. Common occurrence.

Last edited by jmm98LS1; 09-13-2007 at 01:27 PM.
Old 09-13-2007, 11:42 AM
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use this from ls1howto.com, B) This method is a bit more elegant. Rotate your motor over by hand until your cam gear and crank gear are dot to dot like you set them up as earlier. At this position, piston 1 and 6 should be at top dead center. You can change the 4 springs on these 2 cylinders now using the instructions below. After you change those 4, then, rotate the crankshaft a full 90 degrees, and the cam gear dot will turn 45 degrees, as if it is pointing to 7:30 if it were a clock. Now piston 8 and 5 are at the top and can be changed. Rotate another 90 degrees on the crank and your cam gear dot will now be at 9 o'clock. Piston 7 and 4 can now have their springs changed. And FINALLY, rotate the crank another 90 degrees and the cam gear dot will be at 10:30. You can now change your remaining four springs on piston 3 and 2.

Once again, that's 1 & 6, rotate 90, 8 & 5, rotate 90, 7 & 4, rotate 90, 3 & 2.

I did this method and didn't have any kind of problem.
Old 09-13-2007, 11:55 AM
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Got it, it was the retainers and locks getting stuck just as said, THANK YOU... Just a light tap on the retainers with a ball-pin hammer......
Old 09-13-2007, 02:06 PM
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I guess if you find changing the springs too easy you can follow these instructions.


Originally Posted by o2camaross
use this from ls1howto.com, B) This method is a bit more elegant. Rotate your motor over by hand until your cam gear and crank gear are dot to dot like you set them up as earlier. At this position, piston 1 and 6 should be at top dead center. You can change the 4 springs on these 2 cylinders now using the instructions below. After you change those 4, then, rotate the crankshaft a full 90 degrees, and the cam gear dot will turn 45 degrees, as if it is pointing to 7:30 if it were a clock. Now piston 8 and 5 are at the top and can be changed. Rotate another 90 degrees on the crank and your cam gear dot will now be at 9 o'clock. Piston 7 and 4 can now have their springs changed. And FINALLY, rotate the crank another 90 degrees and the cam gear dot will be at 10:30. You can now change your remaining four springs on piston 3 and 2.

Once again, that's 1 & 6, rotate 90, 8 & 5, rotate 90, 7 & 4, rotate 90, 3 & 2.

I did this method and didn't have any kind of problem.
Old 09-13-2007, 02:19 PM
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Originally Posted by 8a8mfh
I guess if you find changing the springs too easy you can follow these instructions.
its the method I used. Its pretty easy. Just as hard as switching the air hold fitting from cylinder to cylinder
Old 09-13-2007, 04:24 PM
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Mine did that unless I went to at least 80psi on most of them. Sometimes 100+.
Old 09-13-2007, 04:42 PM
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Use the top dead center method to hold up the valves.
Old 09-13-2007, 06:36 PM
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I got the springs done.....WOO-HOO... Now I have a new problem.... I used two 5/16 metal dowel rods and slid them into the holes, after spinning the cam rapidly by hand several times in each direction. The problem is with the rods in I can spin the cam and hear the lifters still moving and varified that with putting a pushrod down and touching the lifter while a freiend spun the cam and the lifter is still moving some. Is this ok to pull the cam now?????HELP....
Old 09-13-2007, 06:45 PM
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Originally Posted by madclown
I got the springs done.....WOO-HOO... Now I have a new problem.... I used two 5/16 metal dowel rods and slid them into the holes, after spinning the cam rapidly by hand several times in each direction. The problem is with the rods in I can spin the cam and hear the lifters still moving and varified that with putting a pushrod down and touching the lifter while a freiend spun the cam and the lifter is still moving some. Is this ok to pull the cam now?????HELP....
Just put the dowel into the hole and push it in while spinning the cam, it will take a little force to get it in. I used the wooden dowel method,but it should be the same, good luck. Let me know if you need any more help
Old 09-13-2007, 06:56 PM
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I need to know that if when the dowels are in (which they are) if you turn the cam will the lifters still be touching the cam on the top of the lobe? The dowel rods 5/16 are in but I can turn the cam and feel and hear the lifters still touching the cam. My question is when the dowel rods are in do the lifters still contact the cam lobes at any point?
Old 09-13-2007, 07:21 PM
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they might make contact on the highest point. I would suggest pushing them all back down and spin the cam HARD several times, then slid the rods in. They are mainly there to prevent a lifter from dropping out of the hole entirely.
Old 09-13-2007, 08:42 PM
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O.K. so it is normal for the lifters to touch at the tips of the lobes. So as I remove the cam i just spin it to release the lobes. I just wanted to be sure before removing the cam. I guess I pull it then....Thanks and hold your breath for me......
Old 09-13-2007, 09:39 PM
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The job of the rod is NOT to keep the cam lobe from touching the lifter completely, but to hold the lifter up once you have removed the cam and keep them up until the new cam is installed.
Old 09-13-2007, 09:43 PM
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i used the TDC method for the valvesprings, and pen magnets for the lifters. worked beautifully.
Old 09-14-2007, 09:48 AM
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Give me a call later I stop by and lend a hand before I start mine.
Old 09-14-2007, 07:35 PM
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Well I finally got the cam in. I just had to grow a pair and do it...WOO-HOO.. So now I have a question for you guys... The cam seems to sit further back when its pushed all the way in as compared to the stock cam. The cam is the TSP 228R on a 112 LSA. It almost seems as if the new cam is approx 1/4" shorter than the stock one. Is this normal??? Help Please..... P.S. I also got the Pacesetter LT's on and bolted up........WOO-HOO...

Last edited by madclown; 09-14-2007 at 08:04 PM.
Old 09-14-2007, 08:41 PM
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That seems a bit short...mine (Comp. 224/228) seemed to be slightly shorter, but not that much. It's hard to believe they would make a cam too short though.

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