Changing cam in a 350?

[Flared69]

I want to change the cam in my vette to the older & original one. The original one is in perfect nick so I don't see what the problem could be with doing it.

Anyway, my dad is quite experienced in engines so we were just wondering, what would it entail in order to do the cam change ourselves? We got a quote from our local corvette place about changing the cam, and they said $1500 to pull the engine out alone and put it back in (!!!), which in my view is crazyness on a grand scale.

We were thinking about buying a crane and an engine stand, which would help us out quite a bit obviously, but is it possible to change the cam while its still in the car? Because that would make life even easier on us we looked at some diagrams, and got the original cam out, and had a look at it, and if we take out the fan, it looks like we may be able to do it, but we are unsure if we would have to mess with the back of the engine (requireing us to take it out etc).

Does a cam change require us to pull out the engine or not? And if you have any online guides or books which I could buy, could you point me in that direction

Any help, as allways, is greatly appreciated.

Nik.

 

[bradfordsvettes]

the cam can be changed in the car as far as i know the radiator and condensor would need to be removed and any braces in the way nothing needs to come out the back . distributer, manifold,waterpump,front cover and valve covers rockers and pushrods use a new cam there are many new and better grinds out there steve

 

[JohnZ]

If you want to use the original cam, you'll need the original lifters, identified so they go back on the same cam lobes they rode on originally, or you'll change your cam twice. If you don't have the original lifters or have them but don't know which lobe they rode on, buy a new cam AND new lifters.

 

[cruzer99]

I have never heard of anyone having success installing a "used" cam even if it was your own. The amount of time and $$ you are about to spend it would only make sense to buy a new cam and lifter set and maybe a set of new cam bearings. They can be installed without pulling the engine but its a lot easier if you pull it out. Don't buy a cherry picker, rent it unless you plan on pulling engines everyday.
Good luck and keep us posted......

 

[matchframe]

I rented a heavy duty tow behind the truck cherry picker for $28 a day. Like Cruiser82 said, unless you just want to build up your tool base for your garage, I would recommend renting.

Bill

 

[KenSny]

JohnZ - So your advice is that if someone is changing the heads (and rockers) but not the cam they should reuse the original lifters? This makes sense since the cam lobes are "mated" to the lifter face thru wear patterns.

What about the lifter surface for the pushrod? Can they in turn reuse the original pushrods, or do they have to install new ones? What if they install new pushrods? Does it make a difference?

What about the pushrod end at the rocker area?

Now comes a maintence question. What if a lifter fails, should they in turn scrap the cam and all the lifters? Never heard of that before.

Oh yeah, just to stay on topic - Why in the world would you want to reuse an old cam? Get a cam with a grind similar to the old one if that's what you are looking for. Cams are really cheap compared to the labor involved for changing it, even if you do it yourself it is not a quick job.

 

[Bob Chadwick]

Nik,

I have quote for about $500 to change the cam. Radiator will be taken out, not the engine.

Bob

 

[JHL]

Changing the cam in the car is straight forward with a few simple hand tools and a bit of care and attention. I have done it twice in my 81. You need to take the radiator out and if it has air con the condencer as well then after removing the necessary bits and pieces from the front of the engine, intake, lifters, pushrods and distributer the cam will pull out.

You need to take a bit of car so as not to damage the cam bearings when removing or refitting the cam but otherwise it is not so difficult if you take your time. You should also check the timing chain and gears and make sure they are in good condition. The timing cover can be a bit tricky to refit and I eventually had to drop the sump and fit a new cover as I bent the old one at one point and had difficulty getting it to seal properly. Refitting the balancer should be done with the proper tool and don`t be tempted to knock it on with a hammer, these should be readily available in most car spares shops or from a GM dealer at a reasonable price. Take a few pictures as you go along and this will help as a reference when putting it back together.

My personal opinion is that an old cam and lifters can be re-used if they are in good condition. Or even a new cam and old but servicable lifters or vice versa. I have done so on several occasions on different daily drivers when money was tight and never had any problems. The last cam I removed from this Vette was in perfect condition as were the lifters and timing chain and I would have no hesitation reusing them on another engine if the occassion arose.

Good luck
J.