Cam Install Help Needed?
02-27-2009, 10:17 PM
#46
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Join Date: Dec 1969
Location: Little Rock, AR
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I tried installing my lifters, pushrods, and roller rockers and adjusting for zero lash. I first brought cylinder 1 to TDC and started adjusting. I discovered that one of the rr nuts would not turn a half past once the pushrod stopped spinning. The plunger/bowl appears to be stuck on several of the lifters. How do I unstick a stuck lifter. I need to get this done this weekend. Please help.
Thanks
:cheers:
Thanks
:cheers:
02-28-2009, 05:53 AM
#47
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Sometimes they are pumped up pretty hard and it takes a bit of muscle to turn the nut a 1/2 turn, but you can take them apart, just pop off that retainer clip/spring by pulling it together from each side...the retainer spring is that little wire looking part on each side where the pushrod cup is on the lifter. Once the retainer clip is off (which looks like a "U" once its out) the insides should slide right out when tapped upside down. There's really not much that would keep them from collapsing unless they are prefilled with oil, It may require a blast of compressed air into the little bleeder holes to release the suction of the insides once the spring is out too.
It looks like I may have to take a few of them apart.
03-01-2009, 09:10 AM
#49
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When you solve a problem, it is considered courteous and helpful (and good karma 
) to others to say what you did. The "help" on the board is a two way street.
[edit]
I see where you started another whole thread about your lifter issue that was already posted here. It's best to keep it all in one thread so people can actually follow what is going on.
) to others to say what you did. The "help" on the board is a two way street.[edit]
I see where you started another whole thread about your lifter issue that was already posted here. It's best to keep it all in one thread so people can actually follow what is going on.
Last edited by shoebox; 03-01-2009 at 09:16 AM.
03-02-2009, 02:32 PM
#50
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Join Date: Oct 2006
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When you solve a problem, it is considered courteous and helpful (and good karma ) to others to say what you did. The "help" on the board is a two way street.
[edit]
I see where you started another whole thread about your lifter issue that was already posted here. It's best to keep it all in one thread so people can actually follow what is going on.
) to others to say what you did. The "help" on the board is a two way street.[edit]
I see where you started another whole thread about your lifter issue that was already posted here. It's best to keep it all in one thread so people can actually follow what is going on.
Update:
I'm still not finished the install. Saturday was mostly wasted running around looking at lifters. Sunday I get done with the valve train, shaved the drip tabs, reinstalled the intake, and gapped and installed the new spark plugs. I started on the timing cover but there was still a lot of gasket I had to scrape off. I sat thinking for a while about how everything in the front was going to go back together. I figured to do this right I needed to stop the crank from spinning. I got under the car and pulled the flexplate cover. I couldnt easily see how to get a screwdriver in there and stop it from turning. So then I started to pull the oil pan. I then realized I had to remove the filter and adapter to get to that one bolt. After that I realized I also needed to pull the starter. That was another couple hours wasted on the bottom end. It was getting dark so I had to cover everything up and call it a day. Laying on the ground under the car in 30 degree weather is not a good idea. Not to mention I got a face full of oil when I was pulling the filter. I used the old stick it with a screw driver method. Not a good idea! I am now sick from the weather. I hope I'm better by Friday to finish up.
Here's the plan. Please correct me if you see something wrong.
Finish removing the starter and oil pan. Turn the crank a few times to check for clearance on the timing cover and new chain. Find TDC on cylinder one. (Crank at 12 o clock and cam at 12 o clock) Jam a screw driver in the flexplate to keep the crank from turning. Reinstall timing cover with gasket and bolt down. Install new optispark, lining up the pin slot hole to the cam sprocket pin at 3 o clock. Heat hub in oven at 250 degrees. Install hub using various size crank screws to tighten down. Line up hub arrow to 12 o clock position. Reinstall oil pan with new gasket. Reinstall filter adapter, new filter, and starter. Reinstall balancer lining the mark up at 12 o clock with the arrow on the hub. (Mark with bright orange paint) Reinstall EWP with new gaskets. Reinstall radiator, fans, shroud, etc. Reinstall fuel injectors. Connect all wires, fuel lines, and hoses. Pull fuel injector fuse and turn over a few times to oil engine. Start car for first time. Hows that sound?
Last edited by rickreeves1; 03-03-2009 at 07:08 AM.
03-02-2009, 03:31 PM
#51
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Location: Little Rock, AR
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One thing I see that you should not do is install the hub by pulling it down with bolts. You are risking your crank threads. Instead, use a piece of high grade threaded rod and nuts/washers. Grind the end of the rod to a cone shape so that when it is fully threaded in, it will not jam in the bottom of the crank threads hole (thread a nut on the rod before you grind it and spin the nut off the end after grinding to clean up the threads).
Once the rod is in, the nuts, rod and washers take the friction force of turning, instead of the crank threads and bolt.
There have been pictures of this type of home-made install tool on this board.
Once the rod is in, the nuts, rod and washers take the friction force of turning, instead of the crank threads and bolt.
There have been pictures of this type of home-made install tool on this board.
Last edited by shoebox; 03-02-2009 at 03:33 PM.
03-03-2009, 06:58 AM
#52
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: La.
Posts: 270
One thing I see that you should not do is install the hub by pulling it down with bolts. You are risking your crank threads. Instead, use a piece of high grade threaded rod and nuts/washers. Grind the end of the rod to a cone shape so that when it is fully threaded in, it will not jam in the bottom of the crank threads hole (thread a nut on the rod before you grind it and spin the nut off the end after grinding to clean up the threads).
Once the rod is in, the nuts, rod and washers take the friction force of turning, instead of the crank threads and bolt.
There have been pictures of this type of home-made install tool on this board.
Once the rod is in, the nuts, rod and washers take the friction force of turning, instead of the crank threads and bolt.
There have been pictures of this type of home-made install tool on this board.
Thanks
03-03-2009, 07:17 AM
#53
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: La.
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Ok I found it. I must have been searching on the other forums. I take it you use the nuts at the end to turn it.?
https://www.camaroz28.com/forums/sho...light=hub+tool
https://www.camaroz28.com/forums/sho...light=hub+tool
Last edited by rickreeves1; 03-03-2009 at 07:51 AM.
03-06-2009, 08:15 AM
#54
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It looks like this project is on hold for a little bit. I had to run to the ER yesterday for 105 fever and dehydration. They gave me some fluids and antibiotics so I'm starting to do much better now. Thats what I get for working on the car in 30 deg weather. The things we do for our cars. 
Last edited by rickreeves1; 03-06-2009 at 08:18 AM.
03-14-2009, 05:21 PM
#55
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I forgot to prelube the engine before putting the intake manifold back on. Now I have to use an alternative method for pre lubing. I really did put a generous amount of lube on the cam. Someone suggested I prefill the oil filter. They also said I should put some engine assembly lube in the oil pump before I put it back together. Then when starting the car I should turn it over for 20 seconds at a time with the coil unplugged from the battery. They said after two times I should have oil pressure. I am also going to soak the valve train with a quart or two before putting the covers back on.
Todays Update:
I had to shave a ton of metal off the timing cover. I fitted it first without the gasket. I hand tightened all the cover bolts and turned the crank to check for clearance. Each time the chain scraped I had to pull the cover off and shave some more. I had to do this at least 20 or 30 times. I didnt want to cut too much off at once. It still went through a little bit in one spot. It's behind the seal so I don't think it will hurt anything. The next big obsticle is getting the oil pan and new gasket back on. It should be easy after that. Only one more day to finish I think. Now if it would only stop raining.
Dad clearancing the cover.
Here you can see where we went too thin.
118k mile botom end.
Here's how I kept the flexplate from turning.
Crank hub and new opti back in.
Todays Update:
I had to shave a ton of metal off the timing cover. I fitted it first without the gasket. I hand tightened all the cover bolts and turned the crank to check for clearance. Each time the chain scraped I had to pull the cover off and shave some more. I had to do this at least 20 or 30 times. I didnt want to cut too much off at once. It still went through a little bit in one spot. It's behind the seal so I don't think it will hurt anything. The next big obsticle is getting the oil pan and new gasket back on. It should be easy after that. Only one more day to finish I think. Now if it would only stop raining.
Dad clearancing the cover.
Here you can see where we went too thin.
118k mile botom end.
Here's how I kept the flexplate from turning.
Crank hub and new opti back in.
Last edited by rickreeves1; 03-14-2009 at 05:36 PM.
03-16-2009, 08:08 AM
#56
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Join Date: Oct 2006
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Update:
I received my new oil pan baffel early in the morning Saturday. I broke the stock one trying to remove it on Friday. The bolt just broke the thin metal off. The $6.50 part cost me $57 after next day shipping. I installed my new oil pump drive shaft and put the pump and new baffel on yesterday. The old nylon drive shaft broke apart as it fell out. I then spent the entire morning trying to get the oil pan reinstalled. Once I figured out the hole in the gasket had to go around the dipstick it only took a few minutes to get it installed. Two hours wasted fighting with it trying to figure it out followed by a few minutes of installing. Thats how just about everything has been with this cam install. If I knew what I do now I could have finished all this a long time ago. Thats why it rerally helps to have someone there whos done it before. The good news is that almost everything is back together. I have to reinstall the radiator, fans, shroud, and nitrous. I need to tighten or reconnect all hoses and electric connections. Then I have to reinstall the air ducts and ram air and I should be done. I have a new tune I have to upload also. I'm stuck at work now until next weekend. Looking forward to the startup.
I received my new oil pan baffel early in the morning Saturday. I broke the stock one trying to remove it on Friday. The bolt just broke the thin metal off. The $6.50 part cost me $57 after next day shipping. I installed my new oil pump drive shaft and put the pump and new baffel on yesterday. The old nylon drive shaft broke apart as it fell out. I then spent the entire morning trying to get the oil pan reinstalled. Once I figured out the hole in the gasket had to go around the dipstick it only took a few minutes to get it installed. Two hours wasted fighting with it trying to figure it out followed by a few minutes of installing. Thats how just about everything has been with this cam install. If I knew what I do now I could have finished all this a long time ago. Thats why it rerally helps to have someone there whos done it before. The good news is that almost everything is back together. I have to reinstall the radiator, fans, shroud, and nitrous. I need to tighten or reconnect all hoses and electric connections. Then I have to reinstall the air ducts and ram air and I should be done. I have a new tune I have to upload also. I'm stuck at work now until next weekend. Looking forward to the startup.
03-19-2009, 10:21 AM
#57
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I wanted to post how I reinstalled the hub just to keep track of everything I had done while it's still fresh in my head for future reference and for others to use...
I used a tool I had made that consisted of a 7/16 hardened rod, various size washers, and 7/16 nuts. I got the idea from here. I left the rod longer though since I was installing the hub with the engine still in the car. This allowed me to first tighten the rod all the way down in the crank from in front the steering rack using two nuts tightened against each other at the end. The crank was prevented from spinning by a small c-clamp I had placed on the flexplate against the block. I heated the stock hub in the oven to 500 degrees for about 15 minutes. I slipped it on the crank with the arrow up using oven mits. I then put the rod with the nuts and washers in the crank. I tightened the rod all the way down in the crank using the end nuts. I then tightened the nut with the washers against the hub to push it on. When the hub stopped to move easy and appeared to be all the way in I removed the rod tool. I then put in my hub bolt and tightened it down to the required torque specs.
I used my belt tensioner tool with a socket extension and socket to keep the balancer from spinning when installing it. I used the belt tensioner on the crank bolt to keep everything from spinning. The tensioner tool was in front of the steering rack and spun until it made contact with the frame. This held the hub in place and allowed me to tighten all the balancer bolts. I did have to remove it once to get the other bolts in a position where I could tighten them from in front of the steering rack.
Parts for tool...
3' length of 7/16" SAE Fine threaded rod, B7 (high strength alloy steel) grade, from http://www.nutty.com, various size washers and 7/16 fine thread nuts.
I used a tool I had made that consisted of a 7/16 hardened rod, various size washers, and 7/16 nuts. I got the idea from here. I left the rod longer though since I was installing the hub with the engine still in the car. This allowed me to first tighten the rod all the way down in the crank from in front the steering rack using two nuts tightened against each other at the end. The crank was prevented from spinning by a small c-clamp I had placed on the flexplate against the block. I heated the stock hub in the oven to 500 degrees for about 15 minutes. I slipped it on the crank with the arrow up using oven mits. I then put the rod with the nuts and washers in the crank. I tightened the rod all the way down in the crank using the end nuts. I then tightened the nut with the washers against the hub to push it on. When the hub stopped to move easy and appeared to be all the way in I removed the rod tool. I then put in my hub bolt and tightened it down to the required torque specs.
I used my belt tensioner tool with a socket extension and socket to keep the balancer from spinning when installing it. I used the belt tensioner on the crank bolt to keep everything from spinning. The tensioner tool was in front of the steering rack and spun until it made contact with the frame. This held the hub in place and allowed me to tighten all the balancer bolts. I did have to remove it once to get the other bolts in a position where I could tighten them from in front of the steering rack.
Parts for tool...
3' length of 7/16" SAE Fine threaded rod, B7 (high strength alloy steel) grade, from http://www.nutty.com, various size washers and 7/16 fine thread nuts.
03-19-2009, 10:31 AM
#58
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: La.
Posts: 270
Question!!
Was I supposed to leave off the hub bolt spacer since I used a double roller crank gear/chain??? I can't remember the differences in thickness between the stock crank gear and the Coyles. Anyone know??
No one had mentioned it before and I just read of this today. Just about everything is back together already. Do I need to pull everything apart again or will it be ok?
Thanks
Was I supposed to leave off the hub bolt spacer since I used a double roller crank gear/chain??? I can't remember the differences in thickness between the stock crank gear and the Coyles. Anyone know??
No one had mentioned it before and I just read of this today. Just about everything is back together already. Do I need to pull everything apart again or will it be ok?
Thanks
03-19-2009, 12:54 PM
#60
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Location: La.
Posts: 270
You need to sign up at www.LS1tech.com, www.LS1LT1.com, and www.corvette-guru.com to catch my cam install threads over there too.
