How Scr_wed am I ?? Cam swap..

[AikidoGuy]

A buddy and myself started to do a cam swap on a 96GT with 2003 cams. I gave him the keys to the tool box and said start to take it apart while i run and get new gaskets, plugs and and a few other things. When I got back he had it all apart and was ready for me to put in the new cams.

when i grab the new cams to drop em in I now notice that he never marked timing on the cam sprocket!!! He says he knows the notch in the driver side spocket was at that pointer thats in front of it...

Any pointers on how to get it right and get this buttoned up and ready now!!!!!

 

[nickthegenius]

The sprockets have permanent marks stamped on them. Mine had circles on the cam sprockets. You have to have the crank in the correct position and then line up the cam sprockets with the gold links in the timing chains. On mine though, one chain was easy to pick out the links, the other chain there wasn't much difference in color of the "gold" links. They all looked brown to us.

All of these should help. Print them out and take the out to the garage.

Timing the 4.6L
http://www.modulardepot.com/?show=articlesdet&aid=32

PI Cam Swap
http://www.modulardepot.com/?show=articlesdet&aid=12

Aftermarket spring and cam install (has good close-up pics of timing marks etc.)
http://www.modulardepot.com/?show=articlesdet&aid=39

 

[Blev]

The sprockets have permanent marks stamped on them. Mine had circles on the cam sprockets. You have to have the crank in the correct position and then line up the cam sprockets with the gold links in the timing chains. On mine though, one chain was easy to pick out the links, the other chain there wasn't much difference in color of the "gold" links. They all looked brown to us.

All of these should help. Print them out and take the out to the garage.

Timing the 4.6L
http://www.modulardepot.com/?show=articlesdet&aid=32

PI Cam Swap
http://www.modulardepot.com/?show=articlesdet&aid=12

Aftermarket spring and cam install (has good close-up pics of timing marks etc.)
http://www.modulardepot.com/?show=articlesdet&aid=39

Thanks Nick. I only had the PI Cam Swap article and didn't feel comfortable doing it with just that. Now that I have the other two articles I might tackle it after all.

 

[AikidoGuy]

I found the gold link on the driver side chain. Now If i have not moved the car or crank should that gold link be lined up with the recessed mark in the sprocket?

We havent touched the passenger side yet and i notice that the gold link is to the left of the recessed mark by one link? Thats how it is was we took the valve cover off.

 

[nickthegenius]

No problem. The cams aren't a big deal, really. On the other hand, the valve springs are a PITA. Just very tedious and time-consuming.

 

[nickthegenius]

There should be a line or a circle on the crank sprocket. It should be pointing at 6 o'clock. Then one of the gold links should line up with that circle and the other one should line up with the cam sprocket.

Lay the chain out on the floor and find both gold links like in this pic. You may want to mark them with a paint pen, sharpie, etc.

This mark needs to be pointed straight down at the floor on your crank.

Finished product

 

[AikidoGuy]

He didnt even take the front covers off. he unbolted and slid the sprocket right off the cam. Another member had told us it could be done without even removing the timing covers. Guess well have to go and tear down the front part of the block now?? If i knew how to line up this one spocket Id be a happy camper!

heres a pic of how the passenger side looked when we took the valve cover off. Notice the gold link is to the left of the mark. I put a black mark where the recessed marking is.

if the pic doesnt show up copy and past its properties in the toolbar.

 

[nickthegenius]

You can do it without removing the front cover ONLY if you use this (or the equivilent Rotunda tool):

From http://www.andersonfordmotorsport.com/

Otherwise, you are taking a VERY big chance of being off a tooth or two. Then, you'll be tearing down the whole motor.

 

[AikidoGuy]

cool.. but what the heck does it do?

 

[nickthegenius]

cool.. but what the heck does it do?

It wedges down in between the chains and locks them in place so that the chain doesn't move on the crank sprocket.

 

[46gtsblown]

It also stops the chain tensioners from fully extending.
You will never get the sprockets back on the cams without breaking something if you have not prevented them from extinding.

Dwayne