In the research mode, I have a 81 and will be changing out the Heads and CAM. I was wondering if anyone has replaced the CAM without pulling the entire engine? Understand about pulling everything out in front of the engine but any other problems or recommendations.

 

Its a bit of a pain, but certainly possible.

 

You have to remove the radiator

 

Yes, but just.

Obviously you'll have to remove the distributor, lifters, oil pan, pulies, damper and timing chain and cover. You'll have to remove the rad and possibly the rad support too. Some folks have had to loosen their engine mounts and jack it up a little or raise the transmission to get clearance .

Also, it's a little awkward to set up the timing sprockets and chain. It certainly can be done but at some point, it's almost faster and easier to pull the engine.

 

I've done it without to much of a hassle. Like above, you just about strip the engine. If you have air conditioning, someone will need to hold the condensor up to one side while you insert the cam. I didn't have to remove the core support.

 

If you had to raise the engine, and I can see why you might have to do that, you are only 6 (? OK I forget ) bellhousing bolts from pulling the whole motor and you don't have to take the rad out. And you can clean the engine compartment, paint it and motor etc etc etc.

 

I have done it twice with the engine in the car.

Remove off, loosen pan bolts to drop front of it, remove radiator, water pump, balancer and front cover.

Once I took the hood off, once I left it on (just enough room to get the cam in and out).

Easy job, took me about 6-7 hours working solo.

 

Oh yeah I forgot about the oil pan, do you need to disconnect steering linkage under there too or is there enough room ?

 

Thanks gents, Ive pulled the engine out once before and a pain in the *** getting it back in, by myself of course. A little bit due the only guy in the house did not get much help, wif almost dropped the engine on me twice. And no one around here likes to get dirty.

 

Just remove everything that's in front of the engine, and the oil pan. there is no need for pulling the engine out of the car. Good Luck.

 

Yep, you will need someone to hold the ac condensor or tie it up out of the way. Droping the oil pan enough to pull the timing chain is fun too. Other than that, piece of cake. I hate pulling my engine also.
Bee Jay

 

Very doable. did mine 6 mos ago. Heads and cam. Research on pulling the radiator. essentially, you have to pull the entire support with it attached. THERE IS NO OTHER WAY. take my word on this one. It's a PITA job.

 

Only if you have the stock shroud.

I have electric fans and can have the radiator and fans out in about 20 minutes max.

 

You will need to remove the Rad, but other then that it should work fine.

 

I had to disconnect my steering linkage to drop my pan to replace gaskets. I probably could have just dropped the pan enough to pull timing cover, but I wanted to make sure everything sealed back up good with new gaskets. I also pulled hood, shroud, radiator and support. Did some cleanup and painting while I was at it and replaced all the radiator seals. With a cam handle, barely had enough room to get it out.

 

Actually going thru this right now (76 L-48). Had to remove the rad but not the support to get cam out. A lot of yanking and cursing to get out the rad and shroud, will unbolt the support before putting it back in... hopefully it will go back in easier. Had to unbolt the A/C condensor from the support (didn't want to open the A/C lines), sit on the block with the hood lowered onto my head while pushing the condensor foward with my feet to just barley get the cam out without scraping the condensor. Don't know about raising the block up, that's going to cut down on the distance from the block to the condensor as the condensor angles more toward the block the higher up you go. In fact, I'm thinking of taking out one of the motor mounts and lowering the block a little to get that 1/4" to 1/2" extra length between the block and the condensor, have to check and see that there's room for the tranny to clear at the tail. Never had to drop the pan to get the cover or gears/chain off, probably will to get it back on easier. Will be putting the cam back in tomorrow hopefully. Remove everything everyone else mentioned above and the fuel pump and pump pushrod.

 

After replacing your cam and before reassembling the engine, you should
1) Buy a two piece timing chain cover. In the future, you can replace the cam without disturbing the timing chain cover to oil pan seal...or...
2) Buy a three piece timing chain cover. The three piece allows you to change or slightly retime the cam without removing BOTH the oil pan and the balancer.

I bought a Comp Cams three piece timing chain cover yesterday for my BB. It cost $258.00.