installing camshafts question? help me

[wishful_laser]

i just got my head rebuilt and now time for the put back together stage. i need to know if i can put the cams back on any way or is there a certain way they go on. my problem is that when i put the exhaust cam back on the valves would open and no matter how hard i tried to put the cam at the tdc position it would move when i tighten down the cam bolts.so im getting the impression that you cannot put the cams in the tdc position with all the valves closed. i need some help any info would be greatly appreciated. thanx for your time

 

[92redman]

Don't really understand what you are having trouble with, but just put the cam on in whatever position you can, it must be rotated any way to set up your timing.

 

[blue1]

Try and put them back as close as you can with the timing marks because you dont want to go turning them to far just in case you have the wrong pistons up at TDC your valves possibly might touch! Set no 1 piston to TDC via the timing marks and your cams as close as they will stay, then you should only have to move them a little bit to line everything up.

 

[Defiant]

The valvetrain will "fight" the cams out of position- that's why you have to clamp the belt on during a timing job. Before the head goes on, get the crank to TDC, then reverse it 90° -that should get your pistons well away from the valves. Then get your cams lined up, and ease the crank back up to TDC.

There's a $30 tool that's a gem to hold the cams in place. Lisle makes a version.

 

[Ludachris]

I think I know what this guy's asking - he's probably in the same boat as me. I got my new head, started swapping everything over from the old head and realized that I didn't take note of the cam lobe positions when the cam gears were lined up at TDC on the old head. The new head has loose cams with no cam gears, so he's wondering how to line them up without a starting point to reference.

It's not the same as doing a timing belt, as the cam gears never come off and you don't lose your reference points. wishful_laser, am I correct?

 

[huafist]

Try to set the cams in with the dowel pins pointing to 12:00. You'll have a few valves slightly open when you torque the caps down, it's normal. at 12:00 (or very close to), it should go together easily (I just finished building a head like 30 minutes ago ).

 

[ADrewzki]

There's a $30 tool that's a gem to hold the cams in place. Lisle makes a version.

I clamp two vice grips onto the belt and make sure they're hanging off in the opposite direction it wants to rotate. Keeps the belt on and keeps it from turning. It's ghetto-fabulous!!

 

[huafist]

I clamp two vice grips onto the belt and make sure they're hanging off in the opposite direction it wants to rotate. Keeps the belt on and keeps it from turning. It's ghetto-fabulous!!

I use two small C-clamps to hold the belt on