How to remove the cam with the radiator still in the car

Matt Gruber · 07-03-2003, 02:02 PM

Let's see if anybody can figure out what i have in mind.

Fevre · 07-03-2003, 02:50 PM

I'll guess: heard of people unbolting the mounts and lifting/jacking the eng up just far enough so the cam clears the rad when pulled out.

Matt Gruber · 07-03-2003, 02:57 PM

This trick is for sombody that wants to try several cams and have a good laugh in the process. As patsnitrovette pointed out, you can avoid loosening the oil pan by cutting off the ears of the timing cover. and gkull has a 2 piece cover. Now, if we could leave the radiator in, think how fast you could change cams!
I have a spare rad, i'll never use is, so why not cut a beer can size hole in it where the cam wants to escape? solder shut the tubes. it will lose some capacity, but who cares, this is for cam testing and grins.
Plug the hole with a BEER CAN! Now go to the track, and car shows and complain how some SOB tossed a beer can out the window and it went right thru your rad! And how you are afraid to take it out 'cause it will leak for sure.
:lolg:

PatsLs1vette · 07-03-2003, 03:01 PM

Thats a good one :thumbs: your always thinking :cheers:

Fevre · 07-03-2003, 04:36 PM

Matt

I sometimes think you have too much time on yours hands. :)

Chinaski · 07-03-2003, 05:42 PM

Quote:

This trick is for sombody that wants to try several cams and have a good laugh in the process. As patsnitrovette pointed out, you can avoid loosening the oil pan by cutting off the ears of the timing cover. and gkull has a 2 piece cover. Now, if we could leave the radiator in, think how fast you could change cams!
I have a spare rad, i'll never use is, so why not cut a beer can size hole in it where the cam wants to escape? solder shut the tubes. it will lose some capacity, but who cares, this is for cam testing and grins.
Plug the hole with a BEER CAN! Now go to the track, and car shows and complain how some SOB tossed a beer can out the window and it went right thru your rad! And how you are afraid to take it out 'cause it will leak for sure.
:lolg:

:lol: :lol: :lol:

The Dude · 07-03-2003, 06:21 PM

Get up into the wheel wells and remove the bolts holding the top of the core support. You may also have to loosen the bolts at the bottom. Anyhow, what you want to do is tip the radiator up and out of the way. But you may have to remove your hood to get clearance to do this. And, if you're already loosening all those bolts, you may just want to go ahead and take the thing out.

isosceles · 07-03-2003, 07:16 PM

Good thinking Matt! Are you going to try it? :smash:

Twin_Turbo · 07-03-2003, 07:21 PM

apart from rad, fastest way to swap cams is by using 2 pc cover w/ gear drive (no need to remove chains there) and a roller cam w/ spring loaded rollers (horizontal bar), when you loosen the rockers the rollers will be pushed up, remove \timing cover lid and pull cam. If you run a dry sump and a crank trigger it's even better, no distr. pulling then.

Matt Gruber · 07-03-2003, 08:29 PM

this is one of my "too much time on my hands" ideas like Fevre says.
The best part is the fun showing poeple the beer can stuck in the rad. Reminds me of fake legs poeple stick under their cars, except this could really fool many; i could damage my face from too much laughing. :)
Like rick church says AC cars=NO
I am on my 4th cam, i like #4, but there might be someone out there that might want to have some fun with this crazy idea. It is really not a time saver. Leaving the oil pan tight is a big time saver.
Happy 4th :seeya

SanDiegoPaul · 07-04-2003, 12:15 PM

Reminds me of fake legs poeple stick under their cars, except this could really fool many; i could damage my face from too much laughing

In my first car, a '57 Bel Air many moons ago I put in a new motor. The vacuum tap at the back of the intake was missing and when I was ready to fire her up for the first time I needed something to plug the hole. My buddy gave me a spark plug and it fit perfectly.

I got laughs for years the guys made fun of my 9-cylinder '57 and always threatened to put a plug wire on that #9 plug! :bb :lolg: :nono:

stingraynick75 · 07-04-2003, 02:58 PM

I found the easiest way.... pull the engine :cheers:

Dalannex · 07-04-2003, 03:17 PM

I actually worked on a pickup once that had a hole in the radiator from a previous cam swap. :rolleyes: :lol:

-Justin

Rockn-Roll · 07-04-2003, 04:16 PM

Doing a cam swap with engine and radiator still in the car is the same job as damaging the radiator...it's probably indexed under both jobs in the mechanics corvette job estimator guide.

You will need to drain the coolant anyway right? Just pull the radiator. I know it's a PITA as I've replaced my fan shroud. In my opinion pulling the engine may be a lot easier than pulling the fan shroud even...much less the radiator, and in my case A/C condenser.

Maybe you could just get rubber cams so you can bend them enough to slip into the engine? Perhaps one of those trick cams that can grow or shrink depending on the amount of air you fill them with? Or, I know...just replace the engine with a 2 stroker that has no valves!