Best Practice for Installing Cam

[Robert Dyck]

Any thoughts on the best practice for instralling a cam in an 02 RT?

I've heard of removing the entire engine, disconnecting the trans mount and tilting the engine upward, etc. What is the safest, easiest, and most reliable way to do this?

Thanks.

 

[Dan Cragin]

First off, you will get the most benefit from a cam change with ported cylinder heads and a lifter upgrade. I always prefer to remove the engine, although it can be done in the car. With the engine out you can easily degree the cam and figure the compression ratio. It also gives you a chance to clean the engine well and replace any other little parts while you are doing the work.

Normally you need to pull the heads to change the cam. If you are doing a cam only, with the engine out you can flip it over and change the cam without pulling the heads.

Hope this helps.

 

[ViperTony]

I installed a custom cam without removing the engine, details here: http://forums.viperclub.org/threads/633639-My-Creampuff-NA-Build?highlight=creampuff+build If you're just changing the cam, you can do it with the heads installed. Tator does this using a series of magnets to hold the lifters in place while removing/re-installing the cam. Degreeing the cam was fairly easy for me with the engine in the car definitely easier with the engine removed. Do you have other mods on the car and/or planning additional mods? If you're just swapping out the cam in a stock engine, I wouldn't bother. Are you doing heads? Headers? etc?

 

[Robert Dyck]

Dan and Tony...thank you for the responses.

Yes, I'm doing heads, lifters, etc. plus headers and catback.

Spoke to Greg Good on Friday, and he is to ship my package this week.

Dan, he ordered the lifters from you at my request, and said they are in.

Greg is sending me heads, cam with pinned gear, 0.027 cometics, and the Cragin lifters. He was supposed to measure and order rods a few weeks ago, but I guess it got overlooked, so he is sending me what he has so I can get going on the project.

Thanks again for your responses.

 

[Tagoo]

I'm not sure if it is in ViperTony's write-up, but be sure to get youself a long section of all-thread to screw into the camshaft to use as a handle. A 6 " or 8" bold will not give you enough leverage. I think i found a 2' or 3' piece of all-thread at Lowe's or homedepot for a couple of bucks. A long piece will give you enough leverage to CAREFULLY remove and install the camshaft. If you have the engine tilted enough for the camshaft to clear the radiator, you will have enough clearance for any length of all-thread. (maybe that's obvious, though).

 

[ViperTony]

Very true Tagoo. I did use a 6" bolt which worked well but the longer the better IMO. Make certain to lube up the new camshaft good before sliding it in.

 

[Jack B]

Dan and Tony...thank you for the responses.

Yes, I'm doing heads, lifters, etc. plus headers and catback.

Spoke to Greg Good on Friday, and he is to ship my package this week.

Dan, he ordered the lifters from you at my request, and said they are in.

Greg is sending me heads, cam with pinned gear, 0.027 cometics, and the Cragin lifters. He was supposed to measure and order rods a few weeks ago, but I guess it got overlooked, so he is sending me what he has so I can get going on the project.

Thanks again for your responses.

It is pretty hard to measure the push rods without having the heads attached. There is a lot of experience posting in this thread, but, I do not see why you would want to remove the engine unless other work was being done. Since you are adding headers it probably would make the work easier to lift the front of the engine. However, if not changing the headers, the cam will come out by just removing the cross brace.

Tony:
I tried the cam change without pulling the heads and I dropped two lifters, one in the front and one near the rear, I could not get the rear lifter back in place and had to pull the heads anyhow. Dans's comment about turning the engine upside down to change the cam is a nice idea.