H0SS302

mark the timing chains with paint where there at before u take em off

01MGGT

Yeah I have done that on 4 bangers in the past. However, I have a windsor so I will be using new cam gears since mine are pressed on...

stangalator

be careful using the paint method, I did that the first time and I installed my drivers side cam off one rotation (because the the cams are .5:1 rotation and i moved the crank to get the cams to line up) no damage because they were in the right place, just wrong open and close in the cycle... It ran funny and it took me for ever to find out what i did wrong, here is a video i made to see what others though in a past thread.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GADc-Kl_tZY

H0SS302

I got lucky.. my 01 has 11 bolt valve covers

01MGGT

I haven't counted mine just yet. But according to the vin it is a windsor. Also the tranny is t45 so I would say it's a safe bet it will be a windows. I wish it wasn't...would make it even easier. Guess we will find out when I rip into everything. So I need a fuel line disconnect tool and also a harmonic balancer puller huh?

stangalator

I didn't disconnect the fuel lines from the rail, just pushed it to the side, the rubber hoses bend enough

Xemeth

The cams are really easy to time if you're not degreeing them.

Once the timing cover and valve covers are off:

-Unbolt the tensioners
-Slide the chains off
-Take the chains and fold them in half so one link is on the bottom and top. Mark each of those links.
-Unbolt the cam caps and take out the old cams.
-Turn the crank so that the keyway is at the 12:00 position. Now don't touch the crank from here on.
-Install the new cams.
-Now take the driver side chain and line up the marked link with the dot on the crank gear (the back half of the gear) and slide the top of the chain over the top of the cam gear.
-Now rotate the cam until the other marked link is on the dot on the cam gear. Repeat for the other side.
-Install the tensioners.
-Rotate the motor AT LEAST twice (the cams turn once for ever 2 times the crank turns) to make sure nothing hits.

And you're done. It's really really simple. It's the same for DOHC, except you have to time the intake and exhaust cams to eachother on the heads before timing them to the crank.

01MGGT

Thanks That helps alot. I am still waiting on my damn cams to come in so I may start the tear down tmrw. I am pissed because the post office may have lost my packages.

01MGGT

Looks like trusting the vin number isn't a good idea I have 11 bolt valve covers and have those large girdles above the cams. Looks like I have a romeo and will be using that tool to avoid pulling the front cover. Can't wait for my cams to get here. Still fighting with getting the valve covers out of the car however lol.

WannaBeGearHead

Cam install guide