Replacing the cam
 

I am soon going to replace the cam in my '66 289, How hard is it and is there anything special that I need to know first, like bushings?

I take it that the engine is still in the car. Then you have to remove:

1. Intake Manifold
2. Radiator
3. Water Pump & Fuel Pump
4. Harmonic Balancer
5. Front timing cover
6. Valve Covers
7. All the Rocker Arms
8. All the Push Rods
9. All the Lifters
10. Distributor
11. Timing Chain and Gears
12. Cam Retainer
13. Work Cam out CAREFULLY so as not to bang up the bearings
14. Make room for cam to come out past where the radiator was
15. Scrape Gaskets
16. Coat New cam with Assembly Lube
17. Insert Cam CAREFULLY
18. Install everything you took off
19. Start and Let cam run in per instructions with cam. Usually 2500 rpm for 15 minutes or so. Unless its a roller.
20. Set timing and check for leaks.

Done deal. About 4 to 6 hours depending on how much you drank.

Since I have not done a cam before, are the bearing on it, or in the motor, and if they are in the motor, do I need to replace them?

Bearings are pressed in engine. You don't have to replace them, unless you screw them up.

As you take the cam out and when you put it in, you have to be carefull and work it in by slowly turning and pushing it in to place. It goes right in, BUT, you have to keep working the lobes over the bearings, WITHOUT nicking them up.

It is actually easier then it sounds.

Cam bearings are babbitt type bearings.

There is a handle that bolts onto the front of the cam that gives you a little leverage when inserting the cam. The more control you have when stabbing that cam in, the better off you are as mentioned by Gearhead999.

Use lots of assembly lube on the cam, NEW LIFTERS, and the rest of the valve train. Don't be afraid to gob it on, and change the oil and filterafter a few hours of run in. Don't use synthetic oil for the cam break in. It's OK to use it after 4 hours of running.

Rev

When you're breaking it in try to keep the revs up too....like 2000-2500.....an easy way to do this is just adjust the idle to that speed...run for this speed for about a half hour......then normal driving after that is OK.....

Thank you muck for all your help, I learned a lot about this job. Now all I need to do is save up some money and do it. I already found a cam, and some timing gears out of Mustang Monthly. Again, thank you

What is the advantage of 'degreeing in' the cam as apposed to just lining up the timing marks for TDC?

When cams are ground they are sometimes off by alittle. Their centerline isn't where it 's suppose to be. When you degree it you are checking the centerline in relation to TDC. This way you can move the cam, usually only a couple of degrees, to center it. Or if you choose to advance/retard it.

Advancing helps the bottom end and retarding it helps the top end.

What is the best thing to do for more horsepower, advancing, or retarding??? I was just going to put it in the middle when I went to do it.

Neither will give you more power, just when you get it. Advancing the cam timing brings the cams power band down about 500 rpms, whereas retarding the cam pushes the power band up 500 rpm.

Take care,
-Chris

Well, since I love beating ppl off the line, I guess advancing it one degree should do just fine. You'd be amazited how many ppl I beat with a stock 289, bad cam, even worse timing chain, stock 2bbl and headers. It sounds mean, but not much to back it up. I can't wait till I get my new cam and timing gears.

One degree won't make a difference. You have to go 2 or 4 degree's.

Well, I don't want it to be too much, 2 sounds good, what do u think?

I doubt that you'll notice much from 2 degrees of cam advance either. I think most do about 5 degrees if they're gonna do it at all.

BTW, the only real reason to advance or retard the cam is if you have the wrong cam for the application. My advice is to try and make sure you have the right cam to begin with and then install it straight up.

Rev

I would make it four degrees. You won't notice much under that. But, 4 will give you alittle more bottom end.

Make sure you degree the cam and just don't put it in with the gears at 4 degrees advanced. Also, make sure you advance the cam!!!! not the crank. Think about it when you do it.

I think I'll find that cam i was going to get again, and post it on here and see what u think of it.

I'd really think this through before you do this. I've been down this road before, and I came up empty. When putting a cam in your engine, it needs to match your Heads, your Intake, and Carb. Not to mention the gears in the rear end and your Torque Converter if its automatic. Just some food for thought, don't want you to go through all the hassle of putting a cam in and have it make no difference in performance, as what happened to me.
DM

Well, it won't make much diff right now. But when I put on the 4bbl, it will make a lot. It needs a new one real bad and I fiqured why do it twice. Plus it has 302 heads on it. But I want the 289 heads back, just port them out.