swapping a stock cam basics

LaGrasta

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Basics of swapping a cam is drop the pan, remove the radiator, slide out through the front. Is this correct?
 
Head off, lifters out. Radiator drained and removed, aircon vacuumed out and capped if required to remove condenser. Front pulleys off, timing cover off. Chain and sprockets removed.

Distributor lifted out, including hex shaft below.

Front grille removed, possible need to loosen or unbolt vertical fixing of engine mounts. Jack motor if needed, to align camshaft with removed grille aperture.

Camshaft carefully drawn forward. RITROR noting you also need an aftermarket gear for any non-original camshaft, and either resurfaced or new lifters.
 
What about the cam bearings? Wouldn't the pan have to come off to get to them? For that matter, do the cam bearings always need to be swapped out when replacing a cam?
 
don't forget to get new lifters. i didn't have to drop the pan to get the cam out, but had to drop (loosen) to get the timing cover back on. it's alot of work. i know you don't have alot of $$$, but if you are going to remove the head, you should upgrade to a better performing one.
 
Fuel pump also has to come off. With the history you've had with that motor I think I'd consider stepping up to a 200. Or at least pull it out and replace all the freeze plugs and do the cam on an engine stand where it is more comfortable. Just my $.02
 
Doing the same thing this week or next. Engine was rebuilt when I bought the car and I haven't that many miles on it (I think), so I'm taking my chances on the bearings. Have swapped cams before with old bearings and lived to tell about it, so...

addo":l3z611zi said:
RITROR noting you also need an aftermarket gear for any non-original camshaft,

What's a RITROR and which gear are you referring to? Timing gear? Disributor gear? I have a DUI, so do I need to change it?
 
Thanks for all the advice. If I were doing this myself, i might consider just replacing the motor. If I had any extra money, I'd really consider replacing this motor! In spite of the approximately 35K I've put on this engine, it has not proven to be what I'd hoped in terms of reliability, power or even mpg. The power and mpg i can live with, but the dependability is really disappointing.
As it turns out, the car was towed to my dad's house in Apache Junction, AZ and he and his friend will do the repairs needed to get this back to being a daily driver. I'll be out there in the weekend of July 11 to retrieve it.
 
Correct on the RITROR. :D

I like to inspect the oil pump drive shaft just to make sure it's showing a good sign of meshing. Plus it's pretty non-invasive to remove, inspect and refit.

FF, I would check the DUI distributor gear for wear after a short while (maybe a few weeks) of running, just to see if it shows wear.
 
Are new head gaskets ok thickness-wise? I think I read new gaskets are thicker so you need to mill the head to get back the lost compression. That true?
 
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