so I'm replacing my cam... Does anyone know a way of doing this without having to remove the ac condenser? according to my measurements this is an impossible task, but you never know when someone has a trick up their sleeve...

 

The only way I can see the cam being fully extracted is by removing the condenser. Even if you're able to somehow remove the old unit w/the condenser in place - installing the new cam without subjecting the lobes to damage will prove to be a difficult task for sure.

 

Yeah... I looked at it more today and it just doesn't seem possible without removal. Just hate how these things go with how it starts out at $500 and the next thing you know your at $1,600 just to find one more damn expense! Lol but hey, it should last me another 180k miles... probably not but here's to hoppin'!

Thanks for the responce though, it's nicer to get a no than nothing at all.

 

Ms. Muse I know you've got this sorted out but there's always the option of getting a cheapo crane on Craigslist and raising the engine. I think I paid 100 bucks for mine and it has provided endless "fun"/misery. But I'm pretty sure you couldn't raise it enough to replace the cam without unbolt information the exhaust, motor mounts, ... ugh, nothing's easy. Forget it. Condenser is the way to go. I'm tired just thinking about the process...

 

At this point pulling the engine just doesn't seem like it would be such a big deal. The block is for the most part completely stripped of everything but the pistons, crank, rods, and bearings. Absolutely everything else has been stripped from it. It would be wonderful to just pull it out completely and rebuild it, but there is no way I could afford the machine shop expenses on top of the rest of it, so unfortunately I'm just going to have to pass on that despite how much fun it sounds like. If I was going to be completely honest though I'm probably in WAY over my head as it is, and should have left this to a shop, but I always seem to end up having to do everything (most times not cause I have to, but because I'm a glutton for pain) by myself. This will go down in my book of biggest automotive exploits/awesomeness, or worst disasters ever...

 

Then I would pull the engine and replace the cam. It also makes reassembly of the engine easier and I think it will save you time overall. The dangerous part of replacing a cam is the actual sliding in and out, and you have a better chance of NOT nicking any bearings by having a bigger area to work. And while you have it out, you can easily replace the main and ring bearings, and the piston rings if you want. Or if not, then not. The only things that are nearly impossible to do without a shop are the cam bearings and cylinder sleeves. All of the rest is nuts and bolts.

 

I pulled my camshaft back earlier this year to replace a walked cam bearing. I decided to leave the engine in the truck to complete the job. I don't see anyway that you could pull the camshaft without removing the AC condenser. As stated above, it is critical to have enough clearance when removing and inserting the camshaft, so that you don't damage it or the bearings.

In hindsight, it *may* have been easier to pull the engine. Since doing the job, I have developed a rear main seal leak. If I would have pulled the engine, I would have replaced that seal. I am trying to work through it now with some Blue Devil RMS stop leak.

Good luck.

 

I'm in the same boat re: rear seal. Very irritating. I'm just waiting for something else to go wrong to justify the effort. Oil is cheap.

 

unfortunately I've reached about the limits of what I'm willing to put into this engine (not the car but the engine itself). It has been more of a financial surprise than I needed, and I have an annual coming up on my plane that I need to do, so I'm pretty well tapped out. I really do wish I could do a full rebuild cause I love this damn thing so much, alas...

question: I have visited the link this site has provided for the rave manual, but can't get it to open on my MacBook, is there a button i'm missing or something? I'm not a computer idiot, but didn't see a link for Apple users. Any help?

 

Haha, this sounds EXACTLY like me. I opted for the full rebuild. It's hard to say whether I regret it or not. On one hand, I should have just driven the damn truck and had fun, but on the other, I'm going to love driving it even more after I'm done. The time and expense is massive, no doubt about that. I just couldn't live with going halfsies on doing the top end only, and leaving the bottom end an unknown.