Cam/Head removal 4.5
 

My mechanic suggested I loosen the motor mount and engine shock and jack up that side of the engine to get better access to the head bolts (blocked by brake booster). I don't know how I could do that without an engine hoist since underneath access is blocked by the sub-frame- nowhere to jack.

So, either I get a couple special tools or take off the cam and see it that helps. I need the cam off anyways so in removing it,

a) Do the rockers need to come off?

b) When removing the head, if one were to remove the cam first, it looks like one would violate the inverse tightening sequence for head bolts shown in the shop manual. Yes, cams coming out isn't that unusual, but removing the cam AND the head means more bolts coming out and different stresses on the head in that case. If that's the case, then I must have the special tools to get at bolts blocked by the cam.

Am I completely wrong in that cam bolts do not involve fastening the head to the block?

Any help is greatly appreciated,

Josh

The top bolts definetly go into the head and not into the block. As for the bottoms, I am not sure. They are longer but I DONT think they go into the block.

As for the jacking thing, that's actually what I did both times I removed/replaced cams on my engine (first time yanking the originals and putting my $95 eBay specials on, 450 smogged cams, 2nd being when I took them off and put on my $10 specials, 450 non-smogged cams).

You probably want to take them off anyway, will make work on the heads that MUCH easier. To get to the bolds, use extensions and special u-joint sockets (not sure what their exact name is). You should be able to get at them w/o yanking the engine.

Since you'll need access to properly torque the headbolts eventually, would removing the brake booster be an option?

Happy Motoring, Mark

Manual says nothing about booster removal. I'm assuming that if you had all the special tools, you would have access to all the bolts.

I just ordered the offset and U-shape allen.

About the chain rails. I have the original technically superior metal rail with the rubbery coating. I don't want to buy the plastic garbage replacements but the rubber looks a little worn out on some of the rails.

Is the coating available?

Josh: It SHOULD be, I could have sworn I saw it somewhere on an online catalog... I didn't replace mine with the plastic **** ones either. My rubber (or whatever) isn't worn too badly so I didn't rush to replace it yet, I want a new timing chain in anyway, I'll probably do them at the same time.

I'll hold off on those for now.

I was ready to order a bunch of stuff from fastlane but came across another question.

Do I need to buy everything that is in the cylinder head gasket set
lefthand side?
It shows a picture and includes
1 head gasket
2 gaskets that look like intake manifold gaskets
4 individual gaskets for the exhaust manifold
and
4 individual rings that go somewhere unknown to me at this point

The whole set is 100 bucks, so if there is something in there I don't need, I'd be happy to know that.
For example, are those really two intake manifold gaskets I'm seeing? I guess I would have to replace both now wouldn't I?

removal is "easy", using a 3/8" drive universal joint. However, to reassemble, you need the two specialty wrenches. -CTH

Thanks CTH,
I just ordered them today.

I think I understand what's in the head gasket set now, I just spent a good hour on Thomaspin's site.

on that dual intake thing, if you follow the book procedure, you remove the whole intake. However, people that do it a lot tend to cheat and slip the head out from under the intake. The two or three times I've done it, I've removed the whole intake and spent the weekend cleaning it.

As for the brake booster, I just remembered your problem. It's one corner bolt that gets the wrench vertically. The correct benz tool for this is a long, straight 8mm allen key on a half inch drive. What also works is a very long allen key with the elbow cut off and then you put it in the socket. A good high quality muffler cut-off tool is needed to cut that hard steel. I just happen to have the benz one. -CTH