difficulty of cam install on a 4.6 2v?

DerekStangGT · Apr 2, 2005

im considering some cams for my next mod. however, after $550 for cams and $200 for springs, i need to save some money and do the install myself. about how long would it take and what is the difficulty level? anyone have any good writeups? i would do it at the shop at school. they have every tool imaginable, lifts, etc. classes are 5 hours long, so do you think i could pull it off in 3-4 hours? i know i would have to pull the heads for the springs, meh. also, im not sure which cams to get. VT and Comp Cams are popular for ~$550. how bout Steeda Cams? they are at partshopper for $200 a pop. no one seems to have them though....opinions?

Defleshed · Apr 2, 2005

you may find yourself staying after school...

DerekStangGT · Apr 2, 2005

Defleshed said:
you may find yourself staying after school...

thats what i thought

EddieHaskell · Apr 2, 2005

You've got to pull the heads to do a cam swap.......that sucks.

ceyko · Apr 2, 2005

Given your stance on it. I would...

1. Pay a shop

or

2. Install them with someone who knows how to do it. Pay them a small fee or whatever to help you out. More or less to train you.

Take care,
Ceyko

nickthegenius · Apr 2, 2005

EddieHaskell said:
You've got to pull the heads to do a cam swap.......that sucks.

HAR HAR HAR!!! Thats some great intarw3b mis-information, dumb ass

Derek, if you only do cams, you can use one of the cam tools either from your local Ford dealer or the Anderson Ford Motorsports tool. I used the AFM tool for my cam install. Had I only done the cams, it would have taken about 2 hours. The springs are what take a while. If you want to get some good power increases and not have to change the springs, go for a set of VT Engines Stage I cams. Bill Putnam (Mustang92 on this board) got 22rwhp/1rwtq from his VT Stage Is.

If you want to do it the "right way" and pull the front cover, here is a write up from start to finish. This is Bill Putnam's write-up from Modular Depot:

http://www.modulardepot.com/?show=articlesdet&aid=39

Defleshed · Apr 2, 2005

EddieHaskell said:
You've got to pull the heads to do a cam swap.......that sucks.

you need to bench the heads if you plan to do springs in any cams that are rougher than stock or close to stock... I'd have a shop do it. btw got a chip/reflash?

nickthegenius · Apr 2, 2005

Defleshed said:
you need to bench the heads if you plan to do springs in any cams that are rougher than stock or close to stock... I'd have a shop do it. btw got a chip/reflash?

My heads have never been off of my car and the Comp Cams springs went in just fine

Use this tool with a common 3/8" ratchet:

Use a hose with a spark plug adapter with one of these:

And you're all set.

EddieHaskell · Apr 2, 2005

nickthegenius said:
HAR HAR HAR!!! Thats some great intarw3b mis-information, dumb ass

Defleshed may not be the brightest bulb but a dumbass he is not

DerekStangGT · Apr 2, 2005

nickthegenius said:
HAR HAR HAR!!! Thats some great intarw3b mis-information, dumb ass

Derek, if you only do cams, you can use one of the cam tools either from your local Ford dealer or the Anderson Ford Motorsports tool. I used the AFM tool for my cam install. Had I only done the cams, it would have taken about 2 hours. The springs are what take a while. If you want to get some good power increases and not have to change the springs, go for a set of VT Engines Stage I cams. Bill Putnam (Mustang92 on this board) got 22rwhp/1rwtq from his VT Stage Is.

If you want to do it the "right way" and pull the front cover, here is a write up from start to finish. This is Bill Putnam's write-up from Modular Depot:

http://www.modulardepot.com/?show=articlesdet&aid=39

thanks for the good info nick! i was really hoping for some cams that would give a little more power. maybe an N/A stage II from VT some 268s from Comp? i was hoping for around 25-30 rwhp and ~20 rwtq. are these #'s feasable for some stg IIs? also Nick, how long did it take you to install your Cams and springs? were there any other little odds and ends parts you needed to buy like Cam washers, bolts or spacers?

Mike97gt · Apr 2, 2005

nickthegenius said:
My heads have never been off of my car and the Comp Cams springs went in just fine

Use this tool with a common 3/8" ratchet:

Use a hose with a spark plug adapter with one of these:

And you're all set.

nick is right... you can do it this way... when i do mine i will remove the heads.. the only reason why i will do this is both of my head gaskets are leaking oil... pass. side is leaking worse but i will do them when i put cams in...

stangman · Apr 2, 2005

nick is dead on on the advice he gave.

but when i did mine we tried doing it with the cam retention. we didn't realize that a little slack somehow got in the chain well that caused some PTV. i found out that i had PTV cause i checked it 'by hand' at the crank. so after that i took the front cover off & did it that way & timed it by hand.

there is nothing wrong with the cam tools, i just personally wouldn't use one after my experience. i prefer to take the front cover off & see the timing & time it by hand. mainly, just for my peace of mind to make sure there is nothing that could be wrong with the timing of the engine

nickthegenius · Apr 3, 2005

c2see21 said:
nick is dead on on the advice he gave.

but when i did mine we tried doing it with the cam retention. we didn't realize that a little slack somehow got in the chain well that caused some PTV. i found out that i had PTV cause i checked it 'by hand' at the crank. so after that i took the front cover off & did it that way & timed it by hand.

there is nothing wrong with the cam tools, i just personally wouldn't use one after my experience. i prefer to take the front cover off & see the timing & time it by hand. mainly, just for my peace of mind to make sure there is nothing that could be wrong with the timing of the engine

Did you turn the crank a little to pull and lock the tool in place? Thats what we did with mine and it worked fine. However, I've read some bad stories about the AFM tool and guys having the chain slip. I guess the Rotunda tool sold at the Ford dealers work better and a couple people at Modular Depot that are techs at Ford dealers say they use them at work and have no trouble. Its only like $25. Had I known it existed, I would have bought one of them instead of the AFM.

stangman · Apr 3, 2005

nickthegenius said:
Did you turn the crank a little to pull and lock the tool in place? Thats what we did with mine and it worked fine. However, I've read some bad stories about the AFM tool and guys having the chain slip. I guess the Rotunda tool sold at the Ford dealers work better and a couple people at Modular Depot that are techs at Ford dealers say they use them at work and have no trouble. Its only like $25. Had I known it existed, I would have bought one of them instead of the AFM.

i guess it didn't lock & that was prolly the problem after that lil ptv scare i just couldn't do it like that again. i got all the followers done but one & it didn't go, so i had to turn the crank to get it. when i did i heard the clink to let me know i had ptv. if that one follower would have gone on i may have jacked my engine up. thank goodness it didn't go on. after that i'd just assume take the time to pull the front cover off. it actually doesn't take that long suprisingly

Dave00GT · Apr 3, 2005

Just a thought, but wouldn't the stock head be a restriction to a set of aftermarket cams? I'm thinking about a head/cam package, rather then just cams later on down the road when I get her blown

EddieHaskell · Apr 3, 2005

If cams alone only give 20rwhp.......isn't it a waste of money for $700 bucks?

TweekedGT · Apr 3, 2005

EddieHaskell said:
If cams alone only give 20rwhp.......isn't it a waste of money for $700 bucks?

$550 will get you 25-30rwhp with the stage 1's. $750 will get you 50rwhp with stage 2's. Guys with VT stage 2's have gotten up to 55rwhp gain on a dyno. I don't think your going to get 50rwhp from a $750 mod for any import .

EddieHaskell · Apr 3, 2005

Wut about a Supra?

TweekedGT · Apr 3, 2005

EddieHaskell said:
Wut about a Supra?

"What" about a supra?

97v6Silver · Apr 3, 2005

teh vtec can nevah looz

difficulty of cam install on a 4.6 2v?

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