Replacing Camshaft with Engine installed in Vehicle

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Has this been addressed anywhere in the past?

With new camshaft finally in-hand, I need to do a cam change on an early vehicle. The engine has adjustable tappets, and the head, radiator, front cover, & oil tray need to come off anyway, so my only thoughts are, if the engine is still in the chassis and I were to use cloths pins to hold the tappets up while getting the cam out, how much time would I actually save vs. just bringing the engine out and doing the cam change on a stand??

[KWTownsend]

That is how I've done it before. I still have the greasy clothespins!

The upside of pulling the engine is that you don't need to bend over as far when doing the work.

: ^ )

Keith

[JTT3]

Brent yes you can doing those things you said you were going to do. Couple of things you may have a little trouble getting the timing cover off but it will come off with a little wiggling
A hat tip to Dan Hatch on this epiphany, make it easy on yourself by removing the center bearing when it clears the middle web. Don’t forget to check the seal for the crank on the cover & center your cover. Best John

[Adam]

If someone put a modern crankshaft seal in, you will have to pull the engine and remove, reseal, & reinstall the pan to seal it up properly .

[JTT3]

Good catch Adam!

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

I have just about talked myself into removing the engine and let gravity be my friend with the tappets. Thanks for the comments!!

[SteveD]

Did this just last year. Easy as can be. Leave the engine in!

[speedytinc]

Done it both ways.

It's a bit easier to set tappet clearance with the motor vertical, but not enough for the extra motor pull labor.
I did one with a hi-lift cam that needed the bottoms of all the lifter bosses cut deeper in the block.
Had I known the extra hassle, I would have pulled the motor.

[CamMan]

I've done this several times. It is easier than pulling the engine. The last one was a Stipe 290 cam. It was more difficult to get in due to the large intake lobes.

[John Codman]

The first generation Ford OHV V8's used mushroom lifters and we used clothespins to hold the lifters up when we changed cams on these engines. Just use very good clothespins with strong springs.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Thanks for the added support and advice. Maybe I just need to do it in the car??

So that I am clear, during this cam change I am also replacing the head, ...which means the firewall must come off too. Since the Radiator must come off with either procedure, the only thing I see different between the two methods is basically removing the front Radius Rod cap, removing the 2 front engine support bolts, the 4 rear pan support bolts, and the 4th main to torque tube bolts. At that point it appears it is just lift it out and place it onto a stand, -but maybe I am missing something?? I just don't want to try to cut a corner and wind-up adding more difficulty or time to doing the job.

[speedytinc]

You dont need to remove the firewall unless you used studs or are doing a valve grind.

[Craig Leach]

I would do a valve job while you have the valves out to lift the lifters.
Craig.

[TrentB]

When setting up the valve train on a Model T I time the valves using a degree wheel on the crankshaft and a dial indicator to determine the point at which the valves are open and closed. It’s a lot of work, but the results are very satisfying. I can’t time the valves that way with the engine in the car.

Respectfully submitted,

Trent Boggess

[Ed Fuller]

What’s the best way to remove and install the crank pulley to allow removal of the timing cover with the engine still installed in the car?

[ModelTWoods]

The MTFCA has a video on DVD on this exact subject and shows it from start to finish.

[speedytinc]

What’s the best way to remove and install the crank pulley to allow removal of the timing cover with the engine still installed in the car?

Remove; 2 big pry bars. Apply = pressure.
Install: a big 1/2 " drive socket backwards on about a 10" extension with a big brass hammer.

[Mark Nunn]

I replaced my cam without removing the engine. Rather than clothespins, I used binder clips to hold lifters when removing and zip ties when installing. Zip ties were easiest. They just slipped off after the cam was in.

[Craig Leach]

I just recently replaced a fiber cam gear without removing the pulley. I've done the cam end thrust washer install on a engine with a modern seal,
cut the seal in half with a good pair of cutters ( tin or diagonal ) & remove the seal, clean out the pan & timing cover. Use a Sneaky Pete to pull
a model A packing into the pan & install the other half into the cover. I don't like beating the pin in or out or beating the pulley on or off without
backing up the crank so as not to destroy the Babbitt in # 1 or 3 main bearing. Most of the time I install a crank pulley it's a split & clamp
aluminum one & I install the pin with a modified ball joint press. Most stock pullies are held on only by the pin ( loose on the crank ) & the hard
part is not damaging the Babbitt getting the pin out. I have reamed valve guides in the car ( to do that with the long piloted reamer you need
to remove the lifters & cam ) I was doing a valve replace because a two piece valve came apart & punched a hole in the head. I did use the
cloths pin method & it worked OK.
Craig.

[TWrenn]

But...like Adam said...all depends on the CRANK seal...and with my ADHD attention I didn't read his posts thoroughly enough to see if he determined that yet or not, as to an "in-car" swap or not. He needs to do that first unless he's definitely gonna pull the engine and open it up completely. This could end up being one of those things where one thing leads rl another and another and another and before he knows it maybe it's a total rebuild time anyway.
Just my mind wandering....again!

[John Codman]

I take it that the engine in question is in your speedster. The bible doesn't say anything about removing the firewall to take the cylinder head off.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

I take it that the engine in question is in your speedster. The bible doesn't say anything about removing the firewall to take the cylinder head off.

Actually, it is in my '09 and the reason is I am changing the head is to replace it with an aluminum low head. If I decided to touch-up the valves with a stone, I will need access for my grinder.