I1ABAZO6

Hello All,

I am doing a cam swap on a 00 C5. It seemed pretty straight forward, spin the cam, insert 5/16" rod to hold up lifters, swap cams..

The drivers side slid right in, but the passenger side will only go half way. I've tried a wooden and steel 5/16" rod. The cam spin freely with no resistance, but still can't get it in.

I'm worried about pulling the cam and letting a lifter fall... Any suggestion would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Dave

tblu92

The lifter trays are supposed to hold the lifters UP in the tray when spinning the cam--inserting the rods keeps them up during the cam swap----It is not un common on an older car that the trays wear out and won't hold the lifters up---They are made out of plastic and age creates too much clearance and the won't stay up----If this happens----The only way to get them back up again is to remove the intake and heads--Big job----But I don't see any other way around it---Maybe someone else has some other trick---But I doubt it---Sorry

Tinmatt

Have you tried tapering the rods to a long sharp point to create a ramp of sorts to help guide the lifters up into the tray?

I1ABAZO6

I did taper the wood and the steel rod to help, but still didn't work. I've got the car torn apart to do the cam, springs, retainers, t.chain, oil pump, intake manifold, radiator, and super charger.. so it's tore down. But I really didn't want to pull the headers and exhaust to pull the heads..

But I will do what I have to, when I spin the cam, there's no resistance. I would think I could pull the cam??

Thanks guys for your input!

corvettebob1

Pencil magnet on one lifter at a time as you slide the rod in.

Dave02C5

I second the magnet method. or spin the cam very quickly to make the lifter pop up higher

I1ABAZO6

I went and got a pencil magnet this morning.. I found out that the rod goes into the indent in the middle of the lifter, I though it was going under the lifter. So I was afraid to get too aggressive pushing the rod in. I'm going to try the magnet. I've got my whole car tore apart and I hate to pull the exhaust / headers off to pull the heads! It's getting scary...

Thanks guys....

neutron82

same thing happened to me and what I had to end up doing was flattening the full length of one side of the rod on a bench grinder to get it to slide in all the way

Dave02C5

just be thankful you didn't pull that cam hoping those lifters were up in place

I1ABAZO6

so.. the drivers side went in first time no problem. The passenger side still doesn't want to go all the way. I can see the lifters trough the pushrod holes, so if I put magnet pens on the last 4, that should keep them from falling?

Right?

If I pull the cam now and nothing happens, then great. If one drops I will have to pull the heads. I hate to pull them without trying first..

~Josh

If a lifter drops you'll be pulling the oil pan.

Neutron is right, flatten one side. Grind a little under 1/4 of the rod away. Then when you slide all the way turn the rod so the rounded part is facing the lifters.

I1ABAZO6

That did it! ground more off the rod, lubed it up and it slid right in....

Thank you guys! Now I can get back to the fun stuff....

vettenuts

Yes, on some of the earlier motors this is required to use the rods. Note also that the rods will keep the lifters from falling out but not from dropping enough to cause interference with the cam removal and installation.