How to do a cam swap on a HEMI
#1
01-27-2010 | 09:19 AM
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From: South GA
How to do a cam swap on a HEMI
How to do a cam swap
1. Remove the air hat or CAI
2. Take loose the electrical connectors and rubber line from the window washer bottle. Remove the window washer bottle, radiator overflow and shroud.
3. The clutch can be removed by inserting a screwdriver through one of the holes on the water pump pulley and wedging against the water pump. Then you need to place a large wrench on the mounting stud of the fan and hit it with a hammer to break it loose. I already had mine removed and an electric fan installed d so I don’t have a picture on how to do it but it’s not hard.
4. Pull the radiator cap and take loose the lower radiator hose from the block. Try to save as much of it as you can if it is good coolant.
5. While you are under the truck, go ahead and drain the engine oil and leave the drain plug open. This way the water that will get into the pan when you pull the water pump and timing cover will drain out. If you don’t have a Fumoto valve, now is a good time to get one.
6. Take loose the upper radiator hose from the radiator fold it back out of the way.
7. Use a 10mm socket to take out the two upper bolts on the radiator and then remove the radiator.
8. Use a 3/8 ratchet or breaker bar in the belt tentioner to take off the belt. If you don’t know how to route the belt when you go to put it back on later, take pictures now before taking it off.
9. Disconnect the electrical connectors from all the ignition coils and disconnect the plug wires if you have them.
10. Use a 10mm socket to remove the ignition coils from the valve covers.
11. Use a 5/8 spark plug socket to remove one plug from each cylinder. If you are going to change plugs while you are here then pull all 16. I used a 3/8 ratchet, a 3” extension, a 3/8 swivel and the 5/8 spark plug socket.
12. One the passenger side valve cover there are hoses and electrical wires you will need to pull up and off the valve cover mounting studs. These can be a PITA to get off. On the drivers’ side valve cover there are some more but not as bad being there is more room over there.
13. Use an 8mm deep socket to remove the 10 valve cover bolts on each valve cover. You will need an 8mm wrench to get to the back two bolts and you will only be able to access them from under the truck. If you have a body lift then you can do all 10 with the 8mm deep socket and from in top of the engine. One the 02-05 they have metal valve covers and each one has a ground strap from the valve cover to the block. They are a real PITA to get off but you do not need to put them back on.
14. With the valve covers off you can see the rocker arm shafts and push rods. Pull out the rods with making a note of where each one goes.
15. Each head has 2 (int and exh) rocker arm shafts and each one has five 10mm bolts. Make sure you see the intake shafts are marked with the “I” on them. Remove all 4 shafts and lay them to the side on something clean.
[NOTE]
If you are even reading this then it is more than likely it is your first cam swap and so you will need to change out the valve springs and push rods. I used a custom made tool to change the springs out while on the heads so I would not have to remove the heads. Draggin-Accord on DT makes and sells them. It is a very good tool to have. IF YOU DO THIS I HIGHLY SUGGEST that you get some extra valve keepers in case you lose some. This way one very small part will not hold you up. The other way to change them is to pull the heads and if you do that you will need to replace head gaskets and head bolts.
To change the springs on the heads you will need this custom tool, compressed air, telescopic magnet, a 21mm socket for the crank bolt, ½ breaker bar, a compression tester and of course the springs (6.1).
Take the hose from the compression tester and unscrew the air valve in the bottom and then attach the adapter on the end of it.
16. Take a coat hanger and cut it to make one long rod. Now carefully slide it in the spark plug hole and rotate the engine by using the 21mm socket on the crank bolt and using the ½ inch breaker bar until that piston is TDC and then remove the coat hanger rod.
17. Then take the compression hose with the adapter on it and screw it into the cylinder head.
18. Take the air hose from your compressor and connect it to the compression tester hose. This will fill the cylinder with air and keep the valve up. The piston is at TDC just in case something happens and the valve drops.
[NOTE]
Now is a good time to mention it is a good idea to take some paper towels and roll up in small pieces and place in each of the oil drain holes in the heads. This will keep you from losing any keepers later on.
19. Take the custom valve spring compressor and lay it across two of the shaft pads and use two of the 10mm bolts you took out earlier to mount it to the head. Then with the cylinder filled with compressed air, use a wrench or ratchet and screw down the all thread coupler which in turn pushed down the retainer and valve spring.
20. Take the telescopic magnet and use it to remove the retainer keepers (2).
21. Use the ratchet to back the tool off the spring and turn it out of the way so you can pull the retainer and spring up and off.
22. Take the new (6.1 exh) spring and put it over the valve stem with the retainer on top and compress the spring again.
23. Here is the tricky part, use some engine grease and put a little inside the keeper and either with special tools or by hand (I did mine by hand) carefully put the keepers back on the valve stem and let the spring back up.
WHEW!!!!! One spring down and 15 more to go. ::UGH::
[NOTE]
When the spring is coming back up, be careful and make sure the keepers are on the stems or else it will bind and you will have a keeper flying off somewhere. These are very small and you can easily drop one. This is why I suggest having a few extra on hand.
24. Disconnect the electrical connector from the alternator and use a 13mm socket to remove the nut holding the battery cable from the alternator. If you have taken loose the battery cable already then you are fine, if not then use electrical tape to wrap the end so it doesn’t touch anything and short out. You will need to have a pry bar to pry up the alternator. You will need a rubber mallet to put it back on later.
25. Remove the AC compressor by taking off the electrical connecters and using a 13mm and a 15mm socket. Use the same pry bar to get it loose and out and suspend it with bungie cords from the hood. This way you do not have to take loose the AC lines. Again, you will need a rubber mallet to get the compressor back on aligned up later on for assembly.
26. Use a 13mm socket to take loose the thermostat housing. Now is a good time to change the T-stat if needed.
27. Use a 13mm socket to remove the two idle pulleys and use a 15mm socket to remove the belt tentioner.
28. Use a 13mm socket to remove the 3 bolts holding the power steering pump and sit it on the drivers’ side frame out of the way.
[NOTE]
Special tool OEM 27139 is a rent-a-tool from Autozone. It is used to remove the vibration damper from the crank. Last time I rented it, it was about $70.
29. So take the impact gun and use the 21mm socket to break loose the crank bolt. Once it is out, take a six inch 3/8 extension and put it in the crank snout. Then take the OEM 27139 tool and mount the three jaws onto the back of the damper and use the big bolt that comes with the tool to screw in against the extension and use can try to use the impact or wedge the damper and use a ½ inch breaker bar to get it off
30. Ok, now you are ready to remove the water pump and timing cover. For this there is one 15mm bolt, fourteen 13mm bolts, one 10mm holding the engine oil dipstick and five 10mm for the oil pan on the bottom of the timing cover.
31. Pull the water pump and be ready for a little water.
32. Next carefully pull the timing cover. This is where some of the water gets in the oil pan and make sure the drain plus is out so it can drain.
33. Now you should be looking at the timing chain and gears. Put the crank bolt back in and spin the crank until the crank keyway is dead on the Chrysler symbol.
[NOTE]
The single black link in the chain marks #1 TDC. This may be accurate or it may not. The dowel or pin on the cam should be at 12 o’clock. There is also an arrow on the cam gear that points straight up.
34. Pin the chain tensioner back by using a small screwdriver or awl.
35. Remove the cam bolt with a 15mm socket and pull off the cam gear
36. Lay the chain to the side
37. To get the cam out you will need to pull the cam plate off. It is held on by two 13mm bolts at the top and one at the bottom. The bottom bolt is a bit hard to get to but I use a 13mm ratchet wrench with an end that flexes or tilts. This will allow you to get to it. Be careful when taking out the bolt so that you don’t drop it and lose it in the pan.
38. Put the cam gear back on with the cam bolt (finger tight) and spin it around several times. This pushes the lifters up and out of the way. Once you have done that, grab the gear and gently, slowly and carefully pull out the cam. The gear will help you lift up on the cam to get it out.
39. Take the gear off of the old cam and put it on the new cam.
40. Take your new cam and rub lots of break-in lube on the lobes and, again, slide it in the engine carefully and slowly.
41. Once it is in all the way, remove the gear and bolt back on the cam plate.
42. Make sure the cam in at 12 o’clock. The cam pin will be straight up.
43. Put the chain back on the cam gear and mount the gear to the cam. Again the cam pin will be straight up and the arrow on the cam gear will be at 12 o’clock with the crank key at 2 o’clock and dead on the Chrysler symbol. It should look like this.
44. Use your torque wrench to get the cam bolt to 90 ft lbs.
45. Use a small amount of permatex and run a small bead at the bottom edge of the block where it meets the oil pan. I didn’t take a picture of this so I will kindly borrow Chris’s picture from his thread. ;-)
46. Put the timing cover back on and replace all the bolts.
47. Replace the water pump.
48. Now, they make a tool for push the vibration damper back on with but I placed it back on the snout and then laid a small 2x4 across the damper and hit the 2x4 with a hammer a few times. Then I took the crank bolt and use the breaker bar to get a few more threads and then hit it with the impact gun. It gets a final torque of 129 ft lbs.
Everything else is put back in reverse order. Don’t forget to put back in the oil drain plug or close the Fumoto valve before pouring in oil. Also make sure when you change filters that the old filters’ o-ring comes off with the filter and not stuck to the block.
cam bolt - 90 ft lbs
cam tensioner plate - 250 in lbs
timing cover - 250 in lbs
valve covers - 70 in lbs
alt - 40 ft lbs
oil pan bolts - 105 in lbs
oil pump - 250 in lbs
rocker arms - 195 in lbs
tstat housing - 250 in lbs
vibration damper - 129 ft lbs
water pump - 250 in lbs
1. Remove the air hat or CAI
2. Take loose the electrical connectors and rubber line from the window washer bottle. Remove the window washer bottle, radiator overflow and shroud.
3. The clutch can be removed by inserting a screwdriver through one of the holes on the water pump pulley and wedging against the water pump. Then you need to place a large wrench on the mounting stud of the fan and hit it with a hammer to break it loose. I already had mine removed and an electric fan installed d so I don’t have a picture on how to do it but it’s not hard.
4. Pull the radiator cap and take loose the lower radiator hose from the block. Try to save as much of it as you can if it is good coolant.
5. While you are under the truck, go ahead and drain the engine oil and leave the drain plug open. This way the water that will get into the pan when you pull the water pump and timing cover will drain out. If you don’t have a Fumoto valve, now is a good time to get one.
6. Take loose the upper radiator hose from the radiator fold it back out of the way.
7. Use a 10mm socket to take out the two upper bolts on the radiator and then remove the radiator.
8. Use a 3/8 ratchet or breaker bar in the belt tentioner to take off the belt. If you don’t know how to route the belt when you go to put it back on later, take pictures now before taking it off.
9. Disconnect the electrical connectors from all the ignition coils and disconnect the plug wires if you have them.
10. Use a 10mm socket to remove the ignition coils from the valve covers.
11. Use a 5/8 spark plug socket to remove one plug from each cylinder. If you are going to change plugs while you are here then pull all 16. I used a 3/8 ratchet, a 3” extension, a 3/8 swivel and the 5/8 spark plug socket.
12. One the passenger side valve cover there are hoses and electrical wires you will need to pull up and off the valve cover mounting studs. These can be a PITA to get off. On the drivers’ side valve cover there are some more but not as bad being there is more room over there.
13. Use an 8mm deep socket to remove the 10 valve cover bolts on each valve cover. You will need an 8mm wrench to get to the back two bolts and you will only be able to access them from under the truck. If you have a body lift then you can do all 10 with the 8mm deep socket and from in top of the engine. One the 02-05 they have metal valve covers and each one has a ground strap from the valve cover to the block. They are a real PITA to get off but you do not need to put them back on.
14. With the valve covers off you can see the rocker arm shafts and push rods. Pull out the rods with making a note of where each one goes.
15. Each head has 2 (int and exh) rocker arm shafts and each one has five 10mm bolts. Make sure you see the intake shafts are marked with the “I” on them. Remove all 4 shafts and lay them to the side on something clean.
[NOTE]
If you are even reading this then it is more than likely it is your first cam swap and so you will need to change out the valve springs and push rods. I used a custom made tool to change the springs out while on the heads so I would not have to remove the heads. Draggin-Accord on DT makes and sells them. It is a very good tool to have. IF YOU DO THIS I HIGHLY SUGGEST that you get some extra valve keepers in case you lose some. This way one very small part will not hold you up. The other way to change them is to pull the heads and if you do that you will need to replace head gaskets and head bolts.
To change the springs on the heads you will need this custom tool, compressed air, telescopic magnet, a 21mm socket for the crank bolt, ½ breaker bar, a compression tester and of course the springs (6.1).
Take the hose from the compression tester and unscrew the air valve in the bottom and then attach the adapter on the end of it.
16. Take a coat hanger and cut it to make one long rod. Now carefully slide it in the spark plug hole and rotate the engine by using the 21mm socket on the crank bolt and using the ½ inch breaker bar until that piston is TDC and then remove the coat hanger rod.
17. Then take the compression hose with the adapter on it and screw it into the cylinder head.
18. Take the air hose from your compressor and connect it to the compression tester hose. This will fill the cylinder with air and keep the valve up. The piston is at TDC just in case something happens and the valve drops.
[NOTE]
Now is a good time to mention it is a good idea to take some paper towels and roll up in small pieces and place in each of the oil drain holes in the heads. This will keep you from losing any keepers later on.
19. Take the custom valve spring compressor and lay it across two of the shaft pads and use two of the 10mm bolts you took out earlier to mount it to the head. Then with the cylinder filled with compressed air, use a wrench or ratchet and screw down the all thread coupler which in turn pushed down the retainer and valve spring.
20. Take the telescopic magnet and use it to remove the retainer keepers (2).
21. Use the ratchet to back the tool off the spring and turn it out of the way so you can pull the retainer and spring up and off.
22. Take the new (6.1 exh) spring and put it over the valve stem with the retainer on top and compress the spring again.
23. Here is the tricky part, use some engine grease and put a little inside the keeper and either with special tools or by hand (I did mine by hand) carefully put the keepers back on the valve stem and let the spring back up.
WHEW!!!!! One spring down and 15 more to go. ::UGH::
[NOTE]
When the spring is coming back up, be careful and make sure the keepers are on the stems or else it will bind and you will have a keeper flying off somewhere. These are very small and you can easily drop one. This is why I suggest having a few extra on hand.
24. Disconnect the electrical connector from the alternator and use a 13mm socket to remove the nut holding the battery cable from the alternator. If you have taken loose the battery cable already then you are fine, if not then use electrical tape to wrap the end so it doesn’t touch anything and short out. You will need to have a pry bar to pry up the alternator. You will need a rubber mallet to put it back on later.
25. Remove the AC compressor by taking off the electrical connecters and using a 13mm and a 15mm socket. Use the same pry bar to get it loose and out and suspend it with bungie cords from the hood. This way you do not have to take loose the AC lines. Again, you will need a rubber mallet to get the compressor back on aligned up later on for assembly.
26. Use a 13mm socket to take loose the thermostat housing. Now is a good time to change the T-stat if needed.
27. Use a 13mm socket to remove the two idle pulleys and use a 15mm socket to remove the belt tentioner.
28. Use a 13mm socket to remove the 3 bolts holding the power steering pump and sit it on the drivers’ side frame out of the way.
[NOTE]
Special tool OEM 27139 is a rent-a-tool from Autozone. It is used to remove the vibration damper from the crank. Last time I rented it, it was about $70.
29. So take the impact gun and use the 21mm socket to break loose the crank bolt. Once it is out, take a six inch 3/8 extension and put it in the crank snout. Then take the OEM 27139 tool and mount the three jaws onto the back of the damper and use the big bolt that comes with the tool to screw in against the extension and use can try to use the impact or wedge the damper and use a ½ inch breaker bar to get it off
30. Ok, now you are ready to remove the water pump and timing cover. For this there is one 15mm bolt, fourteen 13mm bolts, one 10mm holding the engine oil dipstick and five 10mm for the oil pan on the bottom of the timing cover.
31. Pull the water pump and be ready for a little water.
32. Next carefully pull the timing cover. This is where some of the water gets in the oil pan and make sure the drain plus is out so it can drain.
33. Now you should be looking at the timing chain and gears. Put the crank bolt back in and spin the crank until the crank keyway is dead on the Chrysler symbol.
[NOTE]
The single black link in the chain marks #1 TDC. This may be accurate or it may not. The dowel or pin on the cam should be at 12 o’clock. There is also an arrow on the cam gear that points straight up.
34. Pin the chain tensioner back by using a small screwdriver or awl.
35. Remove the cam bolt with a 15mm socket and pull off the cam gear
36. Lay the chain to the side
37. To get the cam out you will need to pull the cam plate off. It is held on by two 13mm bolts at the top and one at the bottom. The bottom bolt is a bit hard to get to but I use a 13mm ratchet wrench with an end that flexes or tilts. This will allow you to get to it. Be careful when taking out the bolt so that you don’t drop it and lose it in the pan.
38. Put the cam gear back on with the cam bolt (finger tight) and spin it around several times. This pushes the lifters up and out of the way. Once you have done that, grab the gear and gently, slowly and carefully pull out the cam. The gear will help you lift up on the cam to get it out.
39. Take the gear off of the old cam and put it on the new cam.
40. Take your new cam and rub lots of break-in lube on the lobes and, again, slide it in the engine carefully and slowly.
41. Once it is in all the way, remove the gear and bolt back on the cam plate.
42. Make sure the cam in at 12 o’clock. The cam pin will be straight up.
43. Put the chain back on the cam gear and mount the gear to the cam. Again the cam pin will be straight up and the arrow on the cam gear will be at 12 o’clock with the crank key at 2 o’clock and dead on the Chrysler symbol. It should look like this.
44. Use your torque wrench to get the cam bolt to 90 ft lbs.
45. Use a small amount of permatex and run a small bead at the bottom edge of the block where it meets the oil pan. I didn’t take a picture of this so I will kindly borrow Chris’s picture from his thread. ;-)
46. Put the timing cover back on and replace all the bolts.
47. Replace the water pump.
48. Now, they make a tool for push the vibration damper back on with but I placed it back on the snout and then laid a small 2x4 across the damper and hit the 2x4 with a hammer a few times. Then I took the crank bolt and use the breaker bar to get a few more threads and then hit it with the impact gun. It gets a final torque of 129 ft lbs.
Everything else is put back in reverse order. Don’t forget to put back in the oil drain plug or close the Fumoto valve before pouring in oil. Also make sure when you change filters that the old filters’ o-ring comes off with the filter and not stuck to the block.
cam bolt - 90 ft lbs
cam tensioner plate - 250 in lbs
timing cover - 250 in lbs
valve covers - 70 in lbs
alt - 40 ft lbs
oil pan bolts - 105 in lbs
oil pump - 250 in lbs
rocker arms - 195 in lbs
tstat housing - 250 in lbs
vibration damper - 129 ft lbs
water pump - 250 in lbs
Last edited by weedahoe; 01-27-2010 at 11:47 AM.
#2
01-27-2010 | 10:05 AM
Moderate User
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 17,003
Likes: 19
From: Albany, NY
Nice write-up there Weed!
As far as the black link on the timing chain. it will never line up after you start your engine so people don't put too much stock into why it isn't lined up when you take it off. Just do as he says and line it up or mark it or both before removing it.
I've always installed a cam with a makeshift bar that had a plate welded on the end of it to make the insertion as straight and even as possible rather than borrowing or spending money on a cam puller/installer.
Did you find it hard to install the cam the way you did with using just the cam pulley attached?
Also, did you have any issue's with any of the lifters during install of the cam?
As far as the black link on the timing chain. it will never line up after you start your engine so people don't put too much stock into why it isn't lined up when you take it off. Just do as he says and line it up or mark it or both before removing it.
I've always installed a cam with a makeshift bar that had a plate welded on the end of it to make the insertion as straight and even as possible rather than borrowing or spending money on a cam puller/installer.
Did you find it hard to install the cam the way you did with using just the cam pulley attached?
Also, did you have any issue's with any of the lifters during install of the cam?
#4
01-27-2010 | 11:28 AM
Thread Starter
|
Hall Of Fame
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 19,168
Likes: 21
From: South GA
Nice write-up there Weed!
As far as the black link on the timing chain. it will never line up after you start your engine so people don't put too much stock into why it isn't lined up when you take it off. Just do as he says and line it up or mark it or both before removing it.
I've always installed a cam with a makeshift bar that had a plate welded on the end of it to make the insertion as straight and even as possible rather than borrowing or spending money on a cam puller/installer.
Did you find it hard to install the cam the way you did with using just the cam pulley attached?
Also, did you have any issue's with any of the lifters during install of the cam?
As far as the black link on the timing chain. it will never line up after you start your engine so people don't put too much stock into why it isn't lined up when you take it off. Just do as he says and line it up or mark it or both before removing it.
I've always installed a cam with a makeshift bar that had a plate welded on the end of it to make the insertion as straight and even as possible rather than borrowing or spending money on a cam puller/installer.
Did you find it hard to install the cam the way you did with using just the cam pulley attached?
Also, did you have any issue's with any of the lifters during install of the cam?
#7
01-27-2010 | 11:49 AM
Thread Starter
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Hall Of Fame
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 19,168
Likes: 21
From: South GA
Good catch. It is corrected and THX again. Now maybe we can start to see more cams being put in. Or if anyone is close to me I dont mind helping.
THX, I had a lot more pics but couldnt add them all. And then I forgot a few too so I had to borrow like 3? ;-)
THX, I had a lot more pics but couldnt add them all. And then I forgot a few too so I had to borrow like 3? ;-)
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#9
01-27-2010 | 12:06 PM
All Star
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 982
Likes: 0
From: Lynchburg, VA
I started to read the whole thing, than like looking at a Playboy, I just looked at the pictures 
Hell of a writeup. I can't say Id ever use it, lol, as the ol' lady doesn't have too much interest in her "rango having that beautiful lope. Haha. But, its still good general knowledge to have. Thanks dude!
Hell of a writeup. I can't say Id ever use it, lol, as the ol' lady doesn't have too much interest in her "rango having that beautiful lope. Haha. But, its still good general knowledge to have. Thanks dude!