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05:34:43 - 04/19/2024
General Dakota Board
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QwikKota
Dodge Dakota
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8/26/2002
11:19:57
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 Subject: HO Cam Install - Tips and Tricks - New!
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Tools that are a must have:
Good set of Slip Joint Pliers - Channel Lock brand preferred
Fuel Line disconnect tool - Plastic sleeve looking device
Inch-Lb Torque Wrench - Double check the setting before use, on a frame bolt or a vise etc.
Ft-Lb torque wrench - 1/2" Drive and Heavy duty
15mm Box End Wrench - Cam Sprocket Bolt
21mm socket with 4" extension - 1/2" Ratchet preferred.
10mm Deep well socket - Valve Cover bolts/studs
I did not have to remove the A/C Compressor or the Power Steering Pump. This involves some tricks, but saves loads of time. If you have to know all of what to remove or how to remove things, such as the heater lines and the fuel rail, then maybe this install is too difficult for your skill level, so I am gonna skip the obvious stuff. My favorite part of the manual is where it says, Step 1: Remove Valve covers Oh if it were only that easy...
Allow about 3-4hrs for the motor to cool off after you have driven it. The designation of right and left is based on sitting behind the wheel, so the drivers side cylinder bank is considered the left side and the passengers bank is called the right side, and so on. Pull the fuel supply line on the left fuel rail. Pull the left rail and set it up behind the spark plug coils. Push the wire loom for the plugs and the injectors down below the head, like on top of the header. There are two lines that run across the cover, they look like vacuum lines, not sure. Since I didn't know what they were I did not disconnect them. Pull the alternator wires. Get a friend to hold the vacuum lines back and the valve cover should be coaxed out with some effort.
Now for the right side. Push the wire loom behind the plug coils and remove the connector on the bottom front side of the head and there is also a ground strap running down low, I'd pull that for extra movement. There is a small clamp type bracket connecting the two hard lines that connect to the A/C Compressor. Remove this bracket and it will give you a few mm's of play in the lines. Have a friend pull back firmly but gently on the main line running to the condenser. You may have to bend the line a small fraction of an inch. Then you can pull the cover out by pushing down on the end by the Compressor and pull up on the side by the firewall. This involves some patience and dexterity. Be careful not to damage the cover gasket! By the way these covers are really cool, I think they are cast magnesium, and don't even weigh 2 lbs, trick stuff. Now you should have full access to the cams and this is the fun/easy part, at least for me anyway.
Ok, keep in mind I have a 5spd truck, the only way to drive, so if you have an auto, there may be some additional steps. I am not sure, but I believe if you put the tranny in park and apply the e-brake you can use that to hold the cams in place. Best way to do this is when you have the covers off and can see the "V8" marks on the sprockets. Put the car in neutral and rotate the crank via the 21mm socket on the crank bolt clockwise. Rotate the sprockets until the V8 marks at about 1:30, 12:00 being straight up, 90 degrees relative to the ground. Then set the tranny in 1st or park or whatever, e-brake tight. Then rotate the crank counter clockwise to lock the engine output in gear, if you are lucky the crank will stop when the V8 marks are at 12:00. It did on mine at least. The left side caps are clearly marked with numbers and arrows indicating their position. Arrows point from firewall to the radiator, and go from 1 to 5, 1 being next to the sprocket. Very cool idea. The caps on the right side however are not labeled! Wipe off the caps, and get your black sharpie out. Mark the caps just like the left side, numbers and arrows. Insert chain wedges, and tap them in with a decent push. After you break the sprocket bolts loose, read "elbow grease", pull the sprocket off while holding the cam with that cool new pair of Channel Locks. Allow cam to rotate to neutral position. Refer to the torque pattern for unbolting the caps. Cam retaining caps have a torque spec of 100 In-lbs, 10mm socket. Cam sprocket bolts, 15mm, have a spec of 90 Ft-Lbs. Make sure the bolts are free of oil when you put them back in or you will get an untrue torque reading. CW says no need for threadlocker here.
Another trick of mine for torqueing the left side sprocket bolt will probably be frowned upon by mechanics. I left the PS pump and reservoir in place. After getting a good hand torque, I put the box end of a 15mm wrench on the bolt and the 1/2" drive of the big torque wrench in the open end. Have a friend hold the box end on the bolt or have them use a piece of wood as a chicken stick. There will be additional torque caused by the wrench's length, so the torque reading should be less on the dial. Here is a simple formula for determining your torque. Tq(Bolt)/Length(Overall Assembly)xLength(Torque Wrench). For example My TQ Wrench is 16" long and my 15mm is 7" Long. When I put them on the bolt I had angle between them. This new length will be less to the point where force is applied, the handle. I used and overall length of 20", instead of the 23" combined, due to the angle. Anyway, 90 at the bolt divided by Length overall of 20 = 4.5 Lbs at the handle, multiply by the Length of the TQ wrench and you get a reading of 72 on the dial. That's what I did anyway. Saves mucho time. After you put everything back together, double check every wire and connector. Search for loose or unbolted items. Check for extra parts, surprisingly I didn't have a single extra part or bolt, except for two cams and a set of plugs! Start her up, fingers crossed and listen for any weird noise, if you do hear a weird noise, shut it off asap. If it sounds ok, let it idle to help seat the new bearing surfaces. This only takes a few minutes. Turn it off, and fill up the radiator to original level, make sure its not too hot. Check oil and smell for leaks. Then drive the truck. Drive it normally for a few mins, then drive the piss out of it. This is a good time to check for new found power. This is part of the cam seating process, or so I have been told. Ok, well now go have a few beers and relish in your mechanical abilities.
I think the HO cams will work best with a free flowing exhaust system. Mine is stock and I didn't notice much improvement. Hopefully the 3" Borla job I have planned sitting in the living room will improve the many hours of labor I put in on the cams. Email me with any questions.
Grady - Clear Lake City, TX
02' Blk/Gry CC SLT+ 4.7L 5spd 3.92LS - HO Cams!
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PJ
Dodge Dakota
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8/26/2002
13:18:07
|  RE: HO Cam Install - Tips and Tricks - New!
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Great tips....Really appreciate the write up.
Thanks!!!!!!
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Texas Todd
Dodge Dakota
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8/26/2002
15:27:09
|  RE: HO Cam Install - Tips and Tricks - New!
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Grady,
You've got mail!
Todd Bouton
Pearland, TX.
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QwikKota
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
8/26/2002
17:24:42
| RE: HO Cam Install - Tips and Tricks - New!
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Also I forgot to mention that you should remove any debris and dirt from the top of the motor. There can be some sand along the side of the intake manifold and the inside edge of the valve covers. Take it to a spray wash, cover the electronics and get rid of all the debris that can fall down in your heads.
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handi2
GenIII
8/26/2002
22:13:43
| RE: HO Cam Install - Tips and Tricks - New!
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Please explain "I didn't notice much improvement".
You should be feeling a great improvement in torque. I hope so b/c my cams are on the way. The exhaust should not be a hinderence on the 4.7 engine.
http://photos.yahoo.com/handi254310
2002 Quad Cab SLT Plus 4.7 Every Available Option
Access Tonnoue Cover/Bedrug/360 Air Intakez/Jet Stage 2
180 Robertshaw/Roadmaster Active Suspension
Street Scene Grill Inserts
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cudashoe
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
8/27/2002
01:22:28
| RE: HO Cam Install - Tips and Tricks - New!
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Thanks for the post! I am getting ready to do this myself. Are you close to WV?
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yates-in-DE
GenIII
8/27/2002
09:01:07
| RE: HO Cam Install - Tips and Tricks - New!
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I got mine in this afternoon, (7 hours ahead of Central Standard) and I can't do it for the next three days due to a commitment to some stupid Classes. (Higher Education ya Know)
I'm going to do it Saturday for sure. I will let you know any differences I notice.
Thanks to the Guy's at Metro Dodge in Georgia for getting them here so quick. (thats a first 'cause I have parts I've been waitin on for 3 months)
Later,
MyVW Killer
Lynn
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QwikKota
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
8/27/2002
09:32:09
| RE: HO Cam Install - Tips and Tricks - New!
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Ah, the word "Should". I ever so love that word. Such as my boss saying, that drawing "Should" be in the file. Or my friends saying, I "should" be getting more girls. Or due to how I busted my ass in school, I "should" be getting paid more. I think you get my point. After the comp learned its new air/fuel curves, I think I am feeling a little more power, and this morning I reset the comp so we'll see. Track on friday at HRP so come on out if you live in Houston everyone. 1/4 will tell all...
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mopar2ya
GenI
8/28/2002
20:46:58
|  RE: HO Cam Install - Tips and Tricks - New!
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Howdy,
I order my H.O. cams from John Mckinney Dodge Parts today (8/28). $117.76 for both.
Was I supposed to buy the installation kit with it or are they easy to install with regular hand tools?
I saw QwikKota's mandatory tool list and I think I got the necessary stuff to drop those stuckers in. However, I did hear something about a wedge?
I also have a Mike Leach "flash". How long will it take for the chip to get use to new Cams (quickly I hope).
mopar2ya
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handi2
GenIII
8/28/2002
22:46:24
| RE: HO Cam Install - Tips and Tricks - New!
IP: Logged
Message:
Hey Quick,
Just keep us posted if you have the time.
http://photos.yahoo.com/handi254310
2002 Quad Cab SLT Plus 4.7 Every Available Option
Access Tonnoue Cover/Bedrug/360 Air Intakez/Jet Stage 2
180 Robertshaw/Roadmaster Active Suspension
Street Scene Grill Inserts
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