fitting cams

[tony5haw1988]

well ive just fitted a xsi gearbox to my vts, made a massive difference in performance i want to get some newman cams in there next, now i know how to change a timing belt just by locking the cams and crank off but how would i go obout timing the engine back up if i fit the cams?. im not a mechanic but im handy with a spanner, can any 1 gimme a quick explaination please?

[DanTvts]

As long as you've locked it all up in the first place, the cams will only fit in the pulleys one way as there is a little key which lines them up. So literally just like timing up normally. Only thing i would say is take your time and make a nice job of sealing the cam ladders and covers well, be a ball ache if the ladders started leaking after putting it all back together.

[SnakeVTR]

Are the cam pulleys only able to fit in one position on the camshaft, i.e does it have a key way (similar to a woodruff key on a crank), if they do then you just make sure the cam pulleys are in line with there locking holes when you fit the new cams before fitting the timing belt (i.e cam pulleys locked) .

[tony5haw1988]

ah i see, i only know how to do belt as i got a guide off here, looks straight farward tho. so just lock everything off and fit them then get the new belt on and give it a turn make sure its all free and thats it? yeah i know what you mean the covers already leaked before they are a nightmare to get sealed up properly.

[DanTvts]

It is fairly straight forward. Yes as long as everything was locked off prior to removal, you shouldn't have any issues, only thing i had trouble with was fitting my new cam seals, one went in lovely, and the other was a bitch! Don't want that leaking either lol. Also yes just turn the engine over a couple of times by hand, as you would when fitting a belt anyway, just to make sure nothing fouls anywhere.

[tony5haw1988]

sounds like an easy job i think il sort some cams and a new belt and giv it a go, also there is oil at the tip of 1 of my plugs what causes this?

[DanTvts]

How much oil ? I presume you mean the electrode area. Could possibly be stem seals, does it smoke or use any oil?

[tony5haw1988]

just a few drops but the car idles like its missing, no probs under throttle just on idle and yeah just on the electrode

[tony5haw1988]

noticed ur 421 does that make much difference in power/response as my mate had 1 and said it didnt really do much at all.

[DanTvts]

Well they are known to have dodgy idles sometimes anyway, so that may not be related, oil on the electrode would usually mean stem seals or possibly piston rings. Hard to say without actually witnessing it though. Also I wouldn't say it made a massive difference no, slightly better response but in the midrange imo but it just looks nice as well :) lol

[tony5haw1988]

yeah they are shinny, il change the stem seals when i do the cams then see if that helps, iv changed the icv, air flow meter and cleaned the tb just trying to find the bad idle cause

[DanTvts]

Yeah that would make sense to do them when you fit the cams. Which cams are thing thinking of fitting? If they are 708's or ph3's etc you're gonna have a bad idle anyway lol.

[tony5haw1988]

found these on ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CITROEN-SAXO-1-0-1-1-1-4-1-5-1-6-VTR-96-03-ENGINE-HEAD-VALVE-STEM-SEALS-/150770416061?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item231a9df9bd im gonna be honest i dont even know what they are

[tony5haw1988]

ph3's but remap the following month

[DanTvts]

I'm not sure what the quality of those is like, but theres only 8 supplied so you'd need 2 sets if you are going to replace them.

[tony5haw1988]

how do i fit them is it a hard job?? cheers for the advice btw

[graham22211]

they just pull off and you push the new ones on they go over your valves were your cams sit they stop the oil that is circulating round your head from leacking past the valves .

[welshpug]

depends what you consider as hard, I'd say they weren't but a little fiddly, but then I have built a couple of engines and don't take long to learn new stuff.

those aren't a great price BTW, pug do them at about £1.40 each, my local motorfactor does BGA ones at a tenner a set, listed for audi+volvo as a cross reference.

fitting cams is pretty dam straightforward, just follow the Haynes manual to fit them, then use a dial gauge on the tappet to set the lift @ TDC figure by rotating the cam back or forward.

[Chico999]

If you do manage to fuck the timing up with the belt off, take the spark plug out of cylinder 1. Put in a long screwdriver and turn the crank until the screwdriver rises all the way to the top, move it back and forth till you get it spot on. Thats the crank at TDC.

With that set, the cams can only go one way, when you take the pully off there is a keyway on the cam. When both cams are in, and are matched to their locking points they are at TDC, now lock everything off and put the belt on. Turn the engine by hand a few times to make damn sure theres no valve-piston contact. Done.

[tony5haw1988]

cheers for the advice sounds simple, will let you know how i get on