This is topic how hard to swap cams in a 4V in forum Tech Talk at Northern California Ford Owners  .


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Posted by Elapid (Member # 50) on :
 
with the motor installed already?

i have SHM blower grind cams in my cobra and i'd like to put in the stock sticks to see if that will get it through smog testing.

either that, or what's a 1998 Cobra with 450 HP at the ground worth these days. only 32k on the odometer, 16k on the fresh motor SHM shortblock, canton road racing pan, and just about every other mod!
 
Posted by 50 Deep (Member # 6216) on :
 
Take it to a shop IMO. I was lookin @ the procedure in my sean hyland book and it seems pretty involved. Getting them in might not be beyond most peoples capabilities but there's a lot that can go wrong when it comes to degreeing the cams. @ which point u wil never pass smog if u mess that up.......... Of course if u want we can always swap my stock motor in and let me keep yours so u can Git-R-Done [Big Grin]
 
Posted by nine (Member # 6732) on :
 
PITA
 
Posted by Wolfie351 (Member # 651) on :
 
Are they still doing the idle test where you live? My car breezes through the smog test ever since they switched to the rollers and I no longer have to be tested at idle. If that's your problem, I'd check to see if you can take it to Sac to get an enhanced smog check.
 
Posted by Elapid (Member # 50) on :
 
yeah.
idle test sux.
i talked to a guy and he said it depends on the zip code where you live as to which test you are made to pass. not sure if that's true, but it sounded like it.

i like the motor swap idea.. but the price seems a little steep. thanks though!
[Big Grin]
 
Posted by 93PONY (Member # 60) on :
 
Typically a cam/valvespring swap would take ~15hours including pulling the motor to pull the heads.
In this instance you don't need to remove the heads as the valvesprings do not need to be replaced. Unfortunately the valvecovers are a real PITFA to remove with the engine in the car. We've done it before by dropping the K-member 6+ inches. Once the valvecovers & front cover are removed you're looking at around 2 hours to swap cams & get them timed.
It'd be a good 6-8 hour job depending on how much stuff needs to be removed (Supercharger, Aftercooler if equiped, strut tower brace, etc).

We can take care of this if needed. We do these things all the time. The main problem people have is timing the cams correctly. We've gotten 2 jobs in the last month were guys did the swap themselves but F'd up the cam timing & bent valves. It gets a whole lot more expensive once that happens.
 
Posted by nine (Member # 6732) on :
 
NOTE: you can do a valvespring swap without pulling the heads.

BTW: what method are you using to degree the cams? The hydraulic lash adjusters always screw with my numbers.

[ May 17, 2007, 07:13 PM: Message edited by: nine ]
 
Posted by ugotsmoked (Member # 6069) on :
 
DONT DO IT!!!! i did my cams and bent 4 valves and broke all of my guides! Im not a retard, i have worked on may pushrod motors, but setting timing in modulars is tricky if you dont have someone to show you. You only have one chance to do it right, i was 1 tooth off, and now it has cost me 1400 bucks.
 




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