Rebuilding the top end and new cam

[Xan]

So i was wondering if i could pull my cam and rebuild the top end of my engine for more power with out pulling the engine out. my truck only has 81k so the bottom end should be fine its been well taken care of. i've done this kind of thing before and rebuilt many engines and if i could, i figure it would be a whole day job but really worth it.
Really i guess the thing i need to know is can you change the oil pan gasket without pulling the engine?

 

[rocket 5979]

So i was wondering if i could pull my cam and rebuild the top end of my engine for more power with out pulling the engine out. my truck only has 81k so the bottom end should be fine its been well taken care of. i've done this kind of thing before and rebuilt many engines and if i could, i figure it would be a whole day job but really worth it.
Really i guess the thing i need to know is can you change the oil pan gasket without pulling the engine?

It will be much easier to just pull the engine. There is lots of crap and gunk that can get into things with an engine that old. Once you got the top of the engine off it is literally a 1 hour job to pull the shortblock from there. Just put it on the engine stand so you can properly prep and rebuild the whole thing with ease and then slap it all back in at once. It may seem like the longer process but in the long run it will save time, bloody nuckles and cursing from having to work in such a tight area to drop your heads back on and retorque them and all that.

 

[Xan]

It will be much easier to just pull the engine. There is lots of crap and gunk that can get into things with an engine that old. Once you got the top of the engine off it is literally a 1 hour job to pull the shortblock from there. Just put it on the engine stand so you can properly prep and rebuild the whole thing with ease and then slap it all back in at once. It may seem like the longer process but in the long run it will save time, bloody nuckles and cursing from having to work in such a tight area to drop your heads back on and retorque them and all that.

How are the trans bolts to get to, and torqe converter to get undone, do they still use studs on the TC like the old fords?

 

[rocket 5979]

How are the trans bolts to get to, and torqe converter to get undone, do they still use studs on the TC like the old fords?

Once everything else is off the trans bellhousing bolts aren't hard to get to. The one on the passenger side near the exhaust gave me a little pain, but I was able to get it out just fine with a pivoting ratchet wrench. The TC nuts were easy as pie. Just have a friend (or yourself) rotating the crank with a breaker bar on the crank bolt, I think it is 15/16" socket but may be mistaken, and you coming in from where the starter used to be. All quite easy.

 

[CDW6212R]

Ditto, the cam is evidently almost impossible to swap with the engine etc. in place.
The oil pan gasket will be a steel/rubber type, I call those forever gaskets. If you take care of them while working around them, you do not need to remove or replace them(water pump/timing cover work, etc.) If the valve cover gaskets are not steel/rubber, toss them and buy the best.

Ask cam makers for opinions, please do not guess on your own, ignore advertisements, and other's opinions. Skip the Ford cams, everybody else's are better. Good luck,

 

[rocket 5979]

Ditto, the cam is evidently almost impossible to swap with the engine etc. in place.
The oil pan gasket will be a steel/rubber type, I call those forever gaskets. If you take care of them while working around them, you do not need to remove or replace them(water pump/timing cover work, etc.) If the valve cover gaskets are not steel/rubber, toss them and buy the best.

Ask cam makers for opinions, please do not guess on your own, ignore advertisements, and other's opinions. Skip the Ford cams, everybody else's are better. Good luck,

If it is just a cam swap then it is easy as pie to do it while the engine is still in place. Just pull the radiator, front accessories, timing cover, and then unbolt the motor from its mounts and jack it up and to one side just a little bit and you will have your clearance to pull the cam and put the new one in.

I got the impression that this fella was doing a more in depth build. As in pulling the heads and all that to get them freshened up or, better yet, ported or milled a little. If just swapping cam and intake manifold then keep engine in and jst be careful where the gunk falls. If pullling heads then pull them while on the truck and then pull your shortblock as it will allow much better access to the bellhousing bolts and allow room on the side of the shortblock.

 

[CDW6212R]

Okay Rob, I had read about the AC condensor. Pulling the engine loose and up a bit is over the heads of some beginners, I didn't know if he wanted to go that far either. I just figured that the cam was high on his list, and it can't be swapped like in a 86-95 Mustang.

 

[rocket 5979]

Okay Rob, I had read about the AC condensor. Pulling the engine loose and up a bit is over the heads of some beginners, I didn't know if he wanted to go that far either. I just figured that the cam was high on his list, and it can't be swapped like in a 86-95 Mustang.

I gotcha.

 

[Xan]

What i was thinking was the whole top end so heads and intake and then cam and everything (timing chain). Yeah rocket i wanted to put new springs in the heads and new vavleseats and seals. i'm on a bit of a budget so i'm not sure if i wanna pay for port and polish. I was just thinking i'm getting my student loan soon and i allready got the school paid for so thats $3500 to play with.
I've pulled a cam out with out taking the engine out before we just undid the trans and motor mounts and jacked up on the trans and pulled it out the grill.

i'm still not sure if i want to do it since this is my daily driver so if i took too much time i'd be riding the bike to school haha which is in another city. maybe i should finish my t-bird then put the mounty in the garage and pull the engine and go to a 347

 

[CDW6212R]

Fortunately pushrod V8's are still easy and relatively inexpensive to work on. I need more engine stands, or cradles. I have engines to build, and not enough space or time for them. Good luck there,

 

[Xan]

Fortunately pushrod V8's are still easy and relatively inexpensive to work on. I need more engine stands, or cradles. I have engines to build, and not enough space or time for them. Good luck there,

just outside lincoln there was a shop that sold all kinds of tools and equipment it went out of buisness about 3 years ago. they were selling stands for $20so me and buddy ryan bought 4 and got a really nice engine hoist for $150. and tons of other tools

 

[CDW6212R]

Yes, that's the way to get some good tools. A friend and I would like to find a deal on a used tire mounter and balancer.