North American Turbocoupe Organization



Cam Bearings and Differences in HLA's
Not B Anymore Offline
Administrator
#1
Removed the damaged cam today. Bearings are shot. Has anyone made an bearing removal/installation tool? I really don't feel like pulling the head to have it done to be honest.

Also, I disassembled an HLA out of this head and one out of my other head. I was surprised by the differences between the two. Anyone have any insight on these (see pic).

http://i798.photobucket.com/albums/yy270...G_1402.jpg
Right one is out of the head that is currently on the engine. Left is out of the old head.

Thanks,
B
Brian Leavitt
'86 TC 5-Speed -- MS2x w/COP | 83 lb. injectors | T3/T4 50 Trim Stage 3 .63AR | Full 3" Exhaust - No Cat | Motorsport FMIC | Ranger Roller | Ported E6 | Walbro 255HP | Kirban | 20psi | 120-amp 3G | 8.8" 3.55 rear | '03 Cobra Wheels
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Paulie Offline
Banned
#2
Sir the left one is the corrected wide band or replacement one. The right one is a wide band mess up. People got those wide band lifters on your right photo and thought they were shim able?? They are not!! The ones on the left are shim able. Their is an earlier design skinny band as well i disassemble them and machine a wide groove in the body to allow shimming. In the early days wide bands were not available i had to make them.

http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx46/...001-19.jpg

The cam bearings can be changed without removing the head. OTC makes a tool to remove and install them while still in the CAR. Have a good Sunday morning Sir
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methos Offline
Senior Member
#3
Can't you use something similar to a brake caliper compressor to slowly drive them in?
Jason Schaffer
88TC - 5speed, all options but leather and sunroof
Mods: 3.73 Gears
Finally getting it back together.
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Not B Anymore Offline
Administrator
#4
I thought the HLA on the left in the photo certainly looked like a better design. That was the one in the head I had rebuilt back in 2001.

My main concern with the cam bearings was getting them to go in perfectly straight. The installation tools I have seen hold the bearing on one end and on the other there is a cone to keep the whole thing centered within the bores.

Well since I started this post I have decided to swap heads anyways. I know the guy who rebuilt my other head many years ago and I know it was done right. I also know for sure that it was checked for flatness and warpage which is something I can't say for sure about the head that's on there now. Plus the cam bearings are in perfect shape and it has absolutely no rust on it. It doesn't have the oversize valves or any porting done, but I only put 2000 miles on it since it was overhauled and it's never been overheated so I feel more comfortable with it at this point. So I figure if I use that head as the foundation I just need to clean it, install some new valve seals, make sure the valves don't need any lapping, swap the springs to the new ones, and see if I can't get a roller cam in there. Then hopefully this beast will live for more than a week at a time!

I was wondering something about the HLA's though. What is the best way to remove the cap from them? What I did was slowly work my way around them with a flat-head screwdriver to pop them off, but when I put the one I took off back on it seemed to fit kind of loose. Anyone got a better suggestion?
Brian Leavitt
'86 TC 5-Speed -- MS2x w/COP | 83 lb. injectors | T3/T4 50 Trim Stage 3 .63AR | Full 3" Exhaust - No Cat | Motorsport FMIC | Ranger Roller | Ported E6 | Walbro 255HP | Kirban | 20psi | 120-amp 3G | 8.8" 3.55 rear | '03 Cobra Wheels
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Not B Anymore Offline
Administrator
#5
http://www.okzcc.com/tech_files/2007/07/...fters.html

I just found this article on cleaning HLA's. Granted it's for a Mitsubishi. I'm wondering about cleaning parts with diesel fuel. I know absolutely nothing about diesels, but I found this odd. Especially where they say to re-install the HLA's full of diesel fuel??
Brian Leavitt
'86 TC 5-Speed -- MS2x w/COP | 83 lb. injectors | T3/T4 50 Trim Stage 3 .63AR | Full 3" Exhaust - No Cat | Motorsport FMIC | Ranger Roller | Ported E6 | Walbro 255HP | Kirban | 20psi | 120-amp 3G | 8.8" 3.55 rear | '03 Cobra Wheels
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Paulie Offline
Banned
#6
Sir i clean them all the time in the Ultra Sound after breaking them down . Then I assemble them With motor oil. When i install them in an engine i use a drill to prime them with the DIZZY removed and turn the pump shaft slowly. The proper way is to set the engine at TDC ignition stroke run the drill for a while. Then turn the engine over one more turn and repeat. This pumps up the lifters and normally their is no Noise on initial start up. You can fudge the retainers slightly for a better FIT. I normally squeeze them slightly so they fit a bit snugger. You are correct the HLA on the left looks to be an original ford unit. The right one seems to be a KNOCK OFF. Their is a difference in parts. Many cheap parts are on the marker today and thats why i avoid them like the PLAGUE. Have a good morning Sir
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Jeff K Offline
Administrator
#7
Brian, in answer to your question about replacing the cam bearings..... there is a specific tool designed to replace the 2.3 cam bearings. Kind of a "double shell" looking thing, almost like a hole punch for sheet metal that presses each bearing in/out. Never use a cam in block cam bearing replacement tool (the kind you would use for a SBF, SBC, etc) as the can and will bend the cam towers during use and cause a disaster. With the correct tool, the bearings can easily be replaced with the head on the engine.
Jeff Korn

88 Turbo Coupe: Intake and exhaust mods, T3 turbo at 24 psi, forced air IC, water injection, BPV, Ranger cam, subframes, etc., etc.
86 Tbird 5.0 (original owner): intake, exhaust, valvetrain mods, 100 HP N2O, ignition, gears, suspension, etc., etc.
11 Crown Vic Interceptor
14 Toyota Camry (wifes car)
95 Taurus GL Vulcan winter beater
67 Honda 450 Super Sport - completely customized
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Not B Anymore Offline
Administrator
#8
In my searches I have never seen the 2.3 cam bearing tool you are referring to. Do you know who makes them? That makes sense about the other tool bending the towers. I hadn't thought about that.

I'm going to clean and reuse the HLA's on the head I'm swapping in (the good ones). They hardly have any miles on them.

I got a Stinger Turbo Oil Feed Line to put in there too. My homemade copper line has already started to leak which I expected anyways. It was only supposed to be a temporary replacement anyways. I figured this would be the best time to replace it.
Brian Leavitt
'86 TC 5-Speed -- MS2x w/COP | 83 lb. injectors | T3/T4 50 Trim Stage 3 .63AR | Full 3" Exhaust - No Cat | Motorsport FMIC | Ranger Roller | Ported E6 | Walbro 255HP | Kirban | 20psi | 120-amp 3G | 8.8" 3.55 rear | '03 Cobra Wheels
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Jeff K Offline
Administrator
#9
No clue who makes / made them. I am guessing the originals were Rotunda branded. The machine shop I use has (or at least had) one back in 2000 when they redid my head.
Jeff Korn

88 Turbo Coupe: Intake and exhaust mods, T3 turbo at 24 psi, forced air IC, water injection, BPV, Ranger cam, subframes, etc., etc.
86 Tbird 5.0 (original owner): intake, exhaust, valvetrain mods, 100 HP N2O, ignition, gears, suspension, etc., etc.
11 Crown Vic Interceptor
14 Toyota Camry (wifes car)
95 Taurus GL Vulcan winter beater
67 Honda 450 Super Sport - completely customized
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The Shredder Offline
Member
#10
Maybe Chuck W or jangus will let you "rent" their cam bearing tool?

http://natomessageboard.com/ultimatebb.p...3;t=000064

It would save you from having to pull the ported head!
88TC blue/blue, auto, loaded except leather, bone stock, 127K mi. - back in the TC game!
88TC white, converted 5 spd, K&N filter, Manual Gillis BV, 189K mi. SOLD :-(
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