Cam Swap! Easier Way
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,571
Likes: 1
From: st.louis mo.
i've heard you can do this by using magnets to hold the lifters up but i;m not sure about the specifics. has anyone else heard of this trick?
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 165
Likes: 0
You just stick a dowel rod (wooden rod) in holes that are in the front of the block to keep the lifters up. Make sure to oil it up so it dosen't splinter or I believe they actually make some metal rods for this purpose.
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Instructor
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 133
Likes: 7
From: Wenatchee WA
I thought the rods/ dowels were only installed as a safety measure? My understanding is when you remove the pushrods and roll the engine around a couple of times that the lifters are held by the plastic alignment guides.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Yep, oil the sticks up, slide them in the holes, rotate the cam shaft a couple of times, then, remove the cam! Its that simple. The sticks press on small taps on the lifer trays and allow friction between the tabs and lifters.
If I remember,,,I think it was 3/16" Dont take that to the bank. The person who I know knows for sure is ENGLANDGREEN! We did it on his car and he still has the sticks,
BC
If I remember,,,I think it was 3/16" Dont take that to the bank. The person who I know knows for sure is ENGLANDGREEN! We did it on his car and he still has the sticks,
BC
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 5,970
Likes: 20
From: San Marcos Texas
I'm doing a cam swap right now, just bought and used the 5/16" dowels last night. After you have it all apart, rocker arms and push rods removed, and your ready to pull the cam, remove the timing chain, rotate the cam first, then slide the dowels down the oil gallies, they push against the lifters themselves and hold them up...
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
I'm doing a cam swap right now, just bought and used the 5/16" dowels last night. After you have it all apart, rocker arms and push rods removed, and your ready to pull the cam, remove the timing chain, rotate the cam first, then slide the dowels down the oil gallies, they push against the lifters themselves and hold them up...
Yep,,,,5/16. Thanks for the correction.
BC
Racer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 415
Likes: 1
From: Ft. Wayne In
Check out the F body cam swap write up here http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?category=0 They do the heads on swap.
Here is where you install the dowels. If you use wood dowels make them long enough so you can't forget to remove them before you reinstall
the timing gear.
Here is where you install the dowels. If you use wood dowels make them long enough so you can't forget to remove them before you reinstall
the timing gear.
Last edited by Thickraybans; Dec 9, 2007 at 01:35 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 412
Likes: 0
From: FLORISSANT MO.
NOW THATS WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT SWEET PICTUERS TO SHOW. Check out the F body cam swap write up here http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?category=0 They do the heads on swap.
Here is where you install the dowels. If you use wood dowels make them long enough so you can't forget to remove them before you reinstall
the timing gear.
Here is where you install the dowels. If you use wood dowels make them long enough so you can't forget to remove them before you reinstall
the timing gear.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 22,025
Likes: 192
From: At the beach in little Rhody
Yep, 5/16". The lifter trays actually hold the lifters up, the dowels only prevent them from falling. Last cam we did we had one lifter that wouldn't go up enough to extract the cam. Once I figured out where it was I actually used the cam to gently nudge it up a little higher.
