Cam change Q's
Discussion
This weekend I had been planning to change my cam (for a MC1 
) . However after spending most of yesterday just changing the valve springs with the heads still in stu, using compressed air to keep the valves in place, (the offside most rear is a real ba
d - I also managing to knock a pushrod into the engine valley meaning I had to remove the inlet manifold to retrieve it!). I have abandoned the cam change until another weekend in the near future!
A couple of questions though:
Can the exhaust Y piece be removed without having to drop the rear exhaust section (looks like this may need to be pulled back to release the Y piece?
What’s the best way to remove the pulley bolt? (By removing the cover over the bottom of the flywheel and jamming something in there?)
What else needs removing in front of the engine (apart from the swirl pot and chassis cross member) does the radiator need to come out?
) . However after spending most of yesterday just changing the valve springs with the heads still in stu, using compressed air to keep the valves in place, (the offside most rear is a real bad - I also managing to knock a pushrod into the engine valley meaning I had to remove the inlet manifold to retrieve it!). I have abandoned the cam change until another weekend in the near future! A couple of questions though:
Can the exhaust Y piece be removed without having to drop the rear exhaust section (looks like this may need to be pulled back to release the Y piece?
What’s the best way to remove the pulley bolt? (By removing the cover over the bottom of the flywheel and jamming something in there?)
What else needs removing in front of the engine (apart from the swirl pot and chassis cross member) does the radiator need to come out?
Tobs said:
This weekend I had been planning to change my cam (for a MC1 ) . However after spending most of yesterday just changing the valve springs with the heads still in stu, using compressed air to keep the valves in place, (the offside most rear is a real bad - I also managing to knock a pushrod into the engine valley meaning I had to remove the inlet manifold to retrieve it!). I have abandoned the cam change until another weekend in the near future!
A couple of questions though:
Can the exhaust Y piece be removed without having to drop the rear exhaust section (looks like this may need to be pulled back to release the Y piece?
What’s the best way to remove the pulley bolt? (By removing the cover over the bottom of the flywheel and jamming something in there?)
What else needs removing in front of the engine (apart from the swirl pot and chassis cross member) does the radiator need to come out?
) . However after spending most of yesterday just changing the valve springs with the heads still in stu, using compressed air to keep the valves in place, (the offside most rear is a real bad - I also managing to knock a pushrod into the engine valley meaning I had to remove the inlet manifold to retrieve it!). I have abandoned the cam change until another weekend in the near future! A couple of questions though:
Can the exhaust Y piece be removed without having to drop the rear exhaust section (looks like this may need to be pulled back to release the Y piece?
What’s the best way to remove the pulley bolt? (By removing the cover over the bottom of the flywheel and jamming something in there?)
What else needs removing in front of the engine (apart from the swirl pot and chassis cross member) does the radiator need to come out?
The inlet manifold would of needed to come off anyway!
The exhaust y piece can be removed (can be a real pita though) without removing the rest of the silencer, but the rad doesnt need removing! Cant really help with front pulley bolt removal...I use a cordless impact gun to remove it.
other than that....easy!
HTH
Jamie
Yup I know I'd have to remove the inlet manifold anyway to do the cam, but after taking most of the day to do the valve springs, I had decided to call it a day and re-assemble the rockers/ covers / plenum etc. I managed to knock the pushrod in on one of the last valve springs I changed (sods law I suppose!). Tried using a magnitised screwdriver (it would pick up the other pushrods) but with no luck so had to remove the inlet manifold.
Cheers for your replies...
Cheers for your replies...
Tobs,
I'm just a few days ahead of you in this job! Eningne is ready and witing for a cam which hasn't arrived yet!
X member needs to come off - I managed to remove my Y-piece without the rest of the exhaust - with much fiddling, there's JUST enough clearance. As already said, inlet fanimold has to come out to change followers!
As for the main pulley bolt, the following method worked for every pulley bolt removal I've done on differing cars. Using a Breaker Bar (must be 1/2" or more) and the CORRECT socket, place the bar and socket over the nut and rest the bar on a chassis rail or the ground. Looking from the front of the car, the breaker bar must rest to the right hand (3 o'clock) side of the bolt. You must take up any slack by rotating the engine so the bar is solid and will not slip off the bolt. Quickly buzz the starter (1/2 second max) and as long as your bolt wasn't done up by Geoff Capes hanging off a 12 foot lever, the torque of the starter will undo the bolt. When the engine turns clockwise, this will effectively turn the bolt anti clockwise.
Nick
I'm just a few days ahead of you in this job! Eningne is ready and witing for a cam which hasn't arrived yet!
X member needs to come off - I managed to remove my Y-piece without the rest of the exhaust - with much fiddling, there's JUST enough clearance. As already said, inlet fanimold has to come out to change followers!
As for the main pulley bolt, the following method worked for every pulley bolt removal I've done on differing cars. Using a Breaker Bar (must be 1/2" or more) and the CORRECT socket, place the bar and socket over the nut and rest the bar on a chassis rail or the ground. Looking from the front of the car, the breaker bar must rest to the right hand (3 o'clock) side of the bolt. You must take up any slack by rotating the engine so the bar is solid and will not slip off the bolt. Quickly buzz the starter (1/2 second max) and as long as your bolt wasn't done up by Geoff Capes hanging off a 12 foot lever, the torque of the starter will undo the bolt. When the engine turns clockwise, this will effectively turn the bolt anti clockwise.
Nick
Nick,
Thanks for that -
Only got my cam on Sat morining - the courier company lost it for 4 days....
Do you (or anyone) know the correct size of socket for the pulley - is it 24mm or 15/16" both seem to go on OK but are a bit sloppy?
I have heard of the starter motor method before now - never used it though i'd be worried it would break something!
Sounds as if the Y piece will come out then - even with a bit of a struggle!
By the way what cam are you going for?
Toby
Thanks for that -
Only got my cam on Sat morining - the courier company lost it for 4 days....
Do you (or anyone) know the correct size of socket for the pulley - is it 24mm or 15/16" both seem to go on OK but are a bit sloppy?
I have heard of the starter motor method before now - never used it though i'd be worried it would break something!
Sounds as if the Y piece will come out then - even with a bit of a struggle!
By the way what cam are you going for?
Toby
The only time the starter method didn't work for me was on my XE powered westfield. That actually lifted the car fractionally of the ground before breaking the socket extenders. Had to get a garage to loosen it off for me in the end and even the mechanic was shitting himself about the bolt head shearing off. Stupid tight!
Hi,
when I changed my camshaft I took the opportunity to drop the sump and check the oil strainer for debris, silcon sealant was found and removed. This allowed me to place a thick piece of wood between crankshaft web and block to remove crankshaft bolt with breaker bar. Socket was 24 mm was the best fit, it was a touch sloppy on the bolt head so used a piece off wood on the cross member below to support the extension to breaker bar. No probs removing bolt or retightening to the 207 ft/lbs. Definately worth taking the sump off as I had coolant run out of openings in the front of the block into sump when removing the front cover, even though I drained the coolant.
when I changed my camshaft I took the opportunity to drop the sump and check the oil strainer for debris, silcon sealant was found and removed. This allowed me to place a thick piece of wood between crankshaft web and block to remove crankshaft bolt with breaker bar. Socket was 24 mm was the best fit, it was a touch sloppy on the bolt head so used a piece off wood on the cross member below to support the extension to breaker bar. No probs removing bolt or retightening to the 207 ft/lbs. Definately worth taking the sump off as I had coolant run out of openings in the front of the block into sump when removing the front cover, even though I drained the coolant.
Tobs said:
Nick,
Thanks for that -
.............
Sounds as if the Y piece will come out then - even with a bit of a struggle!
Toby
Thanks for that -
.............
Sounds as if the Y piece will come out then - even with a bit of a struggle!
Toby
My recent experience was that there was no way the Y piece could be removed without dropping the exhaust system (quite straightforward (just undo the rear antiroll bar mounts and let it hang down so the silencer will come through the gap). There was about 15mm of overlap on the Y piece to main pipe joint despite maximum jiggling and coaxing frustratingly.
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