Changing cams in 1979 Dodge truck with 360 engine. Hoping I do not have to pull the motor. Radiator, water pump and all auxiliaries are removed or out of the way. Is draining the radiator and removing the water pump sufficient to get coolant level low enough to remove intake and heads, or do I need to drain the block as well?
Cam swap without pulling motor
- Thread starter Earlie A
- Start date
-
Why are you removing the heads ?
Tommy
Tommy
Car sat for 10-12 years without being run. I want to look at them and check out the cylinder walls. There are also valve rotators on the exhaust. At a minimum they will be removed. May also swap to a different head.
JDMopar
Well-Known Member
You should easily be able to swap the cam with the radiator out of the way. The only other thing that might be in the way is the latch support....if trucks even have one. As far away as it would be in a truck (if it has one) the cam may turn enough to go by it. If it's in the way, there's only a few bolts holding it in. The coolant is far enough down since you have the timing cover off. Those holes down on the bottom front will drain it almost as far as the plugs in the side of the block.
junkyardhero
Well-Known Member
you can do it without pulling the motor. draining the radiator at the lower hose and pulling the pump will get you there, but i like to pull the block drain as well.
have the advil on the ready, it's a killer on the back and backs of the knees.
have the advil on the ready, it's a killer on the back and backs of the knees.
junkyardhero
Well-Known Member
that's the route i would've gone, especially with pulling the heads as well.
tons of room to work in the engine bay, just weird heights and awkward angles. not a joy for people with short little raccoon arms.
Professor Fate
Push the button, Max...
...or those of us who have backs that don't let us lift or set down intakes or heads at arms length like we did when we were 16- trucks have BIG engine bays to work in, but it can be a loooong reach.
junkyardhero
Well-Known Member
nothing like planking it out on a fender with your feet in the air, doing that shimmy shift to get a little closer to that fastener that's jussst-t-t out of reach and smooshing your bean bag.
ah the joys of working on trucks!
This engine has a late 60s manifold with the cast iron coil bolt stand. Add in a large diameter oil pressure transducer and it’s maddening to try to loosen the distributor bolt. Anyone got any special tools for loosening that bolt?
junkyardhero
Well-Known Member
Love it. Amazon got those?
JDMopar
Well-Known Member
Yep! Doesn't look exactly like it, but same principal.
How funny. That might work. I’ve got short crow’s feet, but they are too short.
junkyardhero
Well-Known Member
@JDMopar shared the link up there.
i've never seen a one piece in the parts store or in low buck tools, always those two piece ones. all mine came off the tool trucks or ebay. fwiw, the VIM tools V106 is the one in the pic. they're usually about 20~30 bucks.
junkyardhero
Well-Known Member
So it sat for all those years and you're not gonna mess with the short block? I'd be pullin that one.
crazydog
Active Member
What about if you are running AC? Contemplating cam swap and not wanting to remove ice cold R12 in B body. If this is a hijack please ignore.
Then pull it without opening the system.
Cam is out. Looks like a purple shaft 284 duration. I can’t see any abnormal wear on the cam or lifters. I guess my measurements from a few days ago were off a little. Still too big of a cam for smog motor I would think.
PRH
Well-Known Member
Measure the lift of the potentially worn lobe with a caliper, see what you get.
Biggest measurement - smallest measurement
Be interesting to see what the installed height/spring/rotator situation is.
Biggest measurement - smallest measurement
Be interesting to see what the installed height/spring/rotator situation is.
-
