Cam change. How to procedures needed.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 391
Likes: 0
From: Lisle IL
CI 6-7-8-9-10 Veteran
Cam change. How to procedures needed.
I'm thinking about changing cams myself in my 88' L98 and looking for any hints, tips or tricks to help me out. Curious about the timing chain/oil pan gasket. Do I have to pull the pan?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 145
Likes: 0
almost
You will have to drop the front of the oil pan enough to get timing cover off. After you drop it that far it will need to be resealed somehow. You can either drop pan and put new gaskets or try and do the job with silicone.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,379
Likes: 4
From: rome ny
ive done this so many times i have nightmares about it.
1)drain antifreeze and oil and remove intake and dist.
2)remove valve covers.
3)remove rockers, pushrods, lifters.
4)remove ac pump and bracket.
5)remove alternator and bracket. you can leave on the power steering pump.
6)remove waterpump
7)remove radiator.
8)drop the pan at least 1" or remove. you may want to put a new pan gasket on.
9)remove crank pulley, balancer and timing cover
10) jack engine up about 2". dont forget to take the motor mount bolts out.
11)remove timing chain and upper gear.then remove the cam lock.you will want to put a new timing set on..
12)carefully slide cam out.
this is mostly complete. there may be a few things i left out.
if you need help installing let me know.
1)drain antifreeze and oil and remove intake and dist.
2)remove valve covers.
3)remove rockers, pushrods, lifters.
4)remove ac pump and bracket.
5)remove alternator and bracket. you can leave on the power steering pump.
6)remove waterpump
7)remove radiator.
8)drop the pan at least 1" or remove. you may want to put a new pan gasket on.
9)remove crank pulley, balancer and timing cover
10) jack engine up about 2". dont forget to take the motor mount bolts out.
11)remove timing chain and upper gear.then remove the cam lock.you will want to put a new timing set on..
12)carefully slide cam out.
this is mostly complete. there may be a few things i left out.
if you need help installing let me know.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 391
Likes: 0
From: Lisle IL
CI 6-7-8-9-10 Veteran
Originally Posted by mos90
ive done this so many times i have nightmares about it.
1)drain antifreeze and oil and remove intake and dist.
2)remove valve covers.
3)remove rockers, pushrods, lifters.
4)remove ac pump and bracket.
5)remove alternator and bracket. you can leave on the power steering pump.
6)remove waterpump
7)remove radiator.
8)drop the pan at least 1" or remove. you may want to put a new pan gasket on.
9)remove crank pulley, balancer and timing cover
10) jack engine up about 2". dont forget to take the motor mount bolts out.
11)remove timing chain and upper gear.then remove the cam lock.you will want to put a new timing set on..
12)carefully slide cam out.
this is mostly complete. there may be a few things i left out.
if you need help installing let me know.
1)drain antifreeze and oil and remove intake and dist.
2)remove valve covers.
3)remove rockers, pushrods, lifters.
4)remove ac pump and bracket.
5)remove alternator and bracket. you can leave on the power steering pump.
6)remove waterpump
7)remove radiator.
8)drop the pan at least 1" or remove. you may want to put a new pan gasket on.
9)remove crank pulley, balancer and timing cover
10) jack engine up about 2". dont forget to take the motor mount bolts out.
11)remove timing chain and upper gear.then remove the cam lock.you will want to put a new timing set on..
12)carefully slide cam out.
this is mostly complete. there may be a few things i left out.
if you need help installing let me know.
Will the oil pan drop down enough to put on a new gasket?
Where is the best place to jack the engine up from? Or should I get an engine hoist?
How hard is it to remove the the balancer & crank pully? Is there enough room?
Thanks again for any help.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,488
Likes: 4
From: Frostburg MD
You may not need a new oil pan gasket, your engine may already have one of the 1 piece reusable rubber one on it. It is tight in there removing the balancer and crank pulley, you may have to raise the engine some and loosen one of the power steering lines going to the rack to give yourself enough room. This may be bad, but I just removed one side motor mount bolt and jacked the engine slightly using the oil filter, it crushed it some, but I was going to replace it anyway.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,379
Likes: 4
From: rome ny
Originally Posted by Blown383C4
Thanks for the info.
Will the oil pan drop down enough to put on a new gasket?
Where is the best place to jack the engine up from? Or should I get an engine hoist?
How hard is it to remove the the balancer & crank pully? Is there enough room?
Thanks again for any help.
Will the oil pan drop down enough to put on a new gasket?
Where is the best place to jack the engine up from? Or should I get an engine hoist?
How hard is it to remove the the balancer & crank pully? Is there enough room?
Thanks again for any help.
you will need a balancer puller to get the balancer off. the pulley will come off easy.
there is enough room to get it off but like shotchkiss said you will have to pull off the power steering line in front of the balaancer to get your puller in..
just inspect your old pan gasket very carefully to see if its damaged.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 9,715
Likes: 27
From: Kempner Texas
Originally Posted by Blown383C4
Thanks for the info.
Will the oil pan drop down enough to put on a new gasket?
Where is the best place to jack the engine up from? Or should I get an engine hoist?
How hard is it to remove the the balancer & crank pully? Is there enough room?
Thanks again for any help.
Will the oil pan drop down enough to put on a new gasket?
Where is the best place to jack the engine up from? Or should I get an engine hoist?
How hard is it to remove the the balancer & crank pully? Is there enough room?
Thanks again for any help.
I've never had to jack my engine with either the 350 block I originally had in the car or with the 400 block I now have. I have an 86; don't know how much difference there is with your year.
Crank pulley's a piece of cake, but you may have to find a way to keep the engine from turning over as you try to break the balancer bolt loose.
If alone, I wedge a screwdriver in the flexplate. Suddenly applied torque (not a steady pull) will loosen the bolt torque. An impact is the easiest way if you have one that will fit in the close quarters.
The balancer comes off easily too, once the line is disconnected from the rack. Once removed, place a catch pan under it or use a rubber hose with a bolt screwed into the open end and slide it on the open line because it'll continue to leak fluid.
I leave the A/C hoses attached, I just rotate the condenser out of the way just enough for the cam to clear.
I now divide the job up into two days, but when younger I did it all in one day.
Jake
