Started changing the cam tonight.
Took off the fan, fan shroud and radiator tonight.
Tomorrow I should be able to take off water pump, harm. bal., ect.
I am going to take the heads off so I can change the valve springs also. If anyone around Clarksville, TN knows of a good place I can take the heads to get the springs changed out please let me know.

I am also putting in a new fuel pump, roller rockers, and possibly changing out the rear main seal. Is that very difficult? I have about two weeks to do these changes but I don't think it will take more than a week.

Had a heck of a time with the radiator. I am not looking forward in putting it back together.

If anyone has any advise please let me know. Its the first time I've done a major project like this. Starting off good but I'm sure I'll run into some type of trouble tomorrow. I'll keep you posted.
Scott

 

Scott I've changed out springs myself without an expensive spring compressor without pulling the heads. If your heads and valves aren't causing any problems, the pulling the heads is sure to increase your down time. It'll be more expensive, good quality head gaskets are $25-$30 each, plus you add to the chance of water and oil leaks. You can remove the springs without worrying about the valves falling into the cylinder if you take a piece of nylon cord about 3/16" thick and feed it into your spark plug hole. Bring each cylinder to TDC and then feed in about 18" of the cord.
Then use a lever type compressor and compress the spring. You might have to tap on the retainer to break loose the valve locks. After the locks are loose, pick them up with a magnet. Lift up the spring, and the valve should not move very far down if at all (if you have enough of the cord up in there.) Then replace the stem seal and put on the new spring, retainers and locks. Do one cylinder at a time and make sure you plug up all the oil drain holes in the head so if you drop a lock it won't fall down into you pan.
If you have an air compressor you can buy or make a sparkplug adapter that will allow you to hold the valves up with air pressure instead of the cord.
Also PLEASE replace your timing set with a good quality double roller set when you do your cam swap. You don't have to go with a $60.00 Cloyes set, you can find cheaper double rollers in Jegs or Summit catalog.

Rear seal isn't too hard to replace, just remove the the cap and using a flexible piece of plastic or wood push on one side of the seal material, it should cause the other side to push out. When you get enough to grab hold of with pliers just pull it out. Put the new seal in the same way, push the material in one side until it comes out the other side. You should put a small amount of oil on the seal to help slide it into place, just try not to get any oil on the two ends of both sides of the seal that have to seal together. After you get both sides in place take some lacquer thinner or acetone and make sure you get all the oil off where the two side of the seal meet. Then apply thin coat of high temp silicon sealer on both sides of the seal and bolt the cap back in place.
Most Chilton, Haynes and other motor manuals detail this procedure in more details with pictures.
Good Luck!


[Modified by Smokehouse69, 11:57 PM 9/13/2002]

 

Congrats for doing it yourself.

Don't look at the job as one big job but just a series of little ones. Take them one at a time and you will find out that none of them are all that difficult. I didn't know crap about working on covettes before I started on mine. Now I have put in a new moter, new tranny, and I am now finishing up new gears and mono spring in the rear end.

At most shops, you will not find people that will polish bolt heads and repaint parts as they put it back together. When you are done, the job will be perfect. The forum is great for getting you past the tough spots.

Now, I have such a blast working on my vette, I look forward to it. :smash:

 

Scott-

I did a cam swap in my 74 last year. I used Terry Rudy's online pics as a guide. Unfortunately, i can't find the site, but he may respond to this thread. Everything was very straight forward. My one suggestion-- use new bolts. I was an idiot and tried to reuse the old cam bolts. As I was torquing the last one, it snapped. I had to pull the cam and get a local shop to remove the broken piece from the cam. Not fun after all the hours taking it apart, only to suffer a major setback immediately after starting to put it all back together.

Good luck.

-Bob Bruce :cheers:

 

If youre changing the springs,and have no aircompressor.Remove the sparkplugs and put som Nylon string down the cylinder and turn the engine around so you compress the string against the valves..Works great.. :cheers: :smash:

 

Buy a service manual if you don't already have one. Even the Hayes manuals will give you some additional insite. If you car has some miles on it, you may want to go ahead and yank the heads and have a valve job done as well.
A set of roller rockers would be nice and some hardend push rods is a realiable investment. Soak you hydrauylic lifters in 50 weight Kendall for a day before installing and have someone help you adjust the valves. Its simple on a hydraulic cam. I would also replace the cam bolts and get a cam lock from summit or jegs.
Replace the exhaust manifold or header gaskets, and of course the head gaskets. Take your time and have fun. Invest in a couple of cans of spray paint while you have the front end apart. And make it look nice. I changed the cam in my L-48 years ago and after I was done(about a week) it was too :cool:
Good luck,
Joe
p.s. it a good time to check our your fan clutch, water pump, and for about 60 bucks you can have your radiator cleaned and tested. It will look like new when you get it back. :chevy

 

Scott, Way to go dude..
Call Larry Wall at 358-9337..He is a good friend of mine and built the 388cu in my vette. He lives off Madison Street here in Clarksville..You will like this guy. He also has a 34 Ford coupe..chevy powered...He can do the springs for you no problem and answer any motor question you have.Does all his work at home. I have to work until 3:30 today and will be going to the Steak and Shake tonight for the local cruise in..Give me a call if I can help you 552-3179
Neil in Tenn


[Modified by Nomad78SA, 5:28 AM 9/14/2002]

 

Thanks for all the encouragement.
I do have a new double roller timing set from Comp. I am also replacing the water pump.
Don't want to take all this apart again just because I am too lazy to do it right the first time.
Off to the garadge I go....