I may be wrong but, that looks like a flat tappet cam, you don't need a retaining plate for that cam. You use a plate with a stepped nose roller cam.
4.3L to ?? swap.
- Thread starter DeCaff2007
- Start date
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DeCaff2007
I'm Awesome
You are correct, it's a flat tappet cam. How the devil does the cam stay in the block if there's nothing holding it in?
The crank timing sprocket holds it in alignment plus, the distributor gear, when driven, forces the cam towards the back of the block. I've never had an issue with a flat tappet cam staying in alignment (not touching the timing cover), just wiping out lobes, worn down and/or collapsed lifters, and destroying the engine
but, that's just me.
You DID remove the pressure relief spring before heating the oil pump...right? Oil pressure relief valve moves freely in the bore afterwards?
If not, you'd better unbolt the pump bottom plate and verify that stuff; and if the spring got hot, you'll need to replace it.
Get some Play-Doh or plumber's putty, put a cone of it about 3/4" tall on the sheet metal of the bottom-side of the pickup, cover it with a lil' piece of Saran Wrap, and then set the pan in place with no gasket. MEASURE how much clearance you have. Don't guess. Remember, the gasket will increase your as-installed clearance.
Timing set for a flat-tappet cam is not the same as a timing set for an OEM-style roller cam. Get the right kind.
When it was me, I re-used the timing set that came with the core engine. Used a dial indicator and degree wheel to verify that the cam was timed properly and the chain didn't have excess slop. Better oil, less oil contamination, and the end of nylon-coated cam gears means timing sets last much longer than they did in the bad old days.
DeCaff2007
I'm Awesome
What am I doing with Play-Doh??
You’ll be measureing the clearance between the bottom of the oil pump pickup tube- to the bottom of the oil pan. It’s a pretty critical dimension.
Marine 454, engine sits 'backwards" (Flywheel forward) in the hull. Thus the oil pickup is moved to what was the front of the oil pan in a car, but is now the rear of the oil pan as installed in the boat.
Some duct-tape on the pickup screen, so the plumber's putty isn't squished through the screen mesh. A cone about an inch high, gets flattened as the pan is put on the block. The thickness of the flattened putty is the clearance between the pickup and the pan.
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DeCaff2007
I'm Awesome
Ok..... I guess I'll go back and check it.... SIGH.
Flat tappet cam lobes don't sit flat on the cam. The cam lobes are angled a little so the lifters spin. That same angle also pushes the cam rearward in the block. Roller cams don't have that angle.
DeCaff2007
I'm Awesome
SOOO... small update here. Seems for every step forward I make, I also get two steps back.
About the play-doh to measure the oil pickup tube clearance, I though you all would get a laugh out of this. It was the only thing available locally.
After my Wife decided to play around a bit, it served the purpose.
That method didn't work so well for me, so I tried this, instead:
Much better, and it turns out that I was WAY off! Had to grind my welds off and do it all again. The pickup tube clearance is where it should be now.
After that, I wanted to bolt the oil pan on, but I need the timing cover installed in order to do that. My timing cover was filthy and starting to rust, so I actually sandblasted it. I don't do much sandblasting anymore due to how much of a PITA it is. The reason the cover looks wet in the pic is because I had just sprayed it with Metal Ready. JFGI.
OH! My timing gears and chain finally came in. I thought I was going to have to get a pipe to install the crank gear. Not this time! I was able to tap tap tap the gear on with a socket. It just made it. Then, the cam gear and chain went on, making sure the timing dots were at 12 and 6. RTFM, it's in there.
Metal Ready dries in about 20 mins, so I was able to bolt the cover on soon after. I'm not painting it separately. I'll do the whole engine in one shot. So, with that, I went to put the oil pan on and heard something rattling around in the pan. Wtf... upon closer inspection, there's all rust and dirt between the pan baffle and whatever else is in there. It seems to form some kind of barrier in the pan, but it's by no means sealed up. Guess what. I'm not even wasting my time. A new oil pan is on order.
In the meantime, I can keep working on the top of the engine. The lifters, heads, push rods, and rockers are next.
About the play-doh to measure the oil pickup tube clearance, I though you all would get a laugh out of this. It was the only thing available locally.
You must be registered for see images attach
After my Wife decided to play around a bit, it served the purpose.
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
That method didn't work so well for me, so I tried this, instead:
xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media
Much better, and it turns out that I was WAY off! Had to grind my welds off and do it all again. The pickup tube clearance is where it should be now.
After that, I wanted to bolt the oil pan on, but I need the timing cover installed in order to do that. My timing cover was filthy and starting to rust, so I actually sandblasted it. I don't do much sandblasting anymore due to how much of a PITA it is. The reason the cover looks wet in the pic is because I had just sprayed it with Metal Ready. JFGI.
You must be registered for see images attach
OH! My timing gears and chain finally came in. I thought I was going to have to get a pipe to install the crank gear. Not this time! I was able to tap tap tap the gear on with a socket. It just made it. Then, the cam gear and chain went on, making sure the timing dots were at 12 and 6. RTFM, it's in there.
You must be registered for see images attach
Metal Ready dries in about 20 mins, so I was able to bolt the cover on soon after. I'm not painting it separately. I'll do the whole engine in one shot. So, with that, I went to put the oil pan on and heard something rattling around in the pan. Wtf... upon closer inspection, there's all rust and dirt between the pan baffle and whatever else is in there. It seems to form some kind of barrier in the pan, but it's by no means sealed up. Guess what. I'm not even wasting my time. A new oil pan is on order.
In the meantime, I can keep working on the top of the engine. The lifters, heads, push rods, and rockers are next.
