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Trying to learn more about cam swaps. I have my 442 to this point...
i got it fired up this past weekend. I have never done a cam swap, so I do not know what is involved.
the engine is a stock 455 from a 1969 delta 88. Eventually I plan to have it rebuilt, but for the next couple summers I hope to just enjoy it.
Is a cam swap something I could pull off without any special tools or ability? Are there cams that would give a bit more of that performance cam sound for a few hundred bucks? Or is this a bad idea and I should just wait for the future rebuild?
It seems like this point would be the time to swap cams if I am going to.
What is the overall condition of the engine? Do a compression test & a leak down test. Is the engine originally a 2bbl or a 4bbl? a 2bbl will have lower compression so that will be a factor in picking a cam. In my youth I grenaded a used engine by sticking too big a cam in it.
The engine is a 4bbl. I will do a compression and leak down. The engine has 80k and is original. It ran great the little bit I had it going. I definately do not want to risk wrecking the block.
YouTube Oldsmobile (and other makes) cam swap/change/installation etc...You need to know some basics on correct installation practices (cleanliness,tools supplies), cam bearings inspection/installation, timing set R&R, lifter and lifter bore inspection, cam break-in procedures how to measure valve train specifications et al.... Correct push rod length is crucial with Olds engines even with adjustable rockers. You cant just stick a cam in without taking all the other peripherals in to account. Get it wrong and it will self destruct.
Sticking a cam into a worn out engine isnt the right approach. The engines upper and lower ends both need to be in good serviceable condition. Otherwise your tossing time and money away.
What I've learned is its much simpler and cost effective to yank the engine, tear it down, inspect, have the proper machine work preformed then carefully assemble using fresh parts. A simple engine refresh can be done on a budget in your garage for a mild street build with the correct compression ratio (CR) and cam profile. This approach works much better for me verse the time/$$ wasted bent over a fender and core support struggling with it all. Only to screw it up and do it 2x. Once you've wrestled with an iron Olds intake bent over the core support you'll get it, so will your back. Thats how I learned. Learn from my mistakes.
Do a compression and leakdown test, assuming the engine gets a clean bill of health putting a modern camshaft grind will improve performance a bunch. If the engine is a low compression engine, consider pulling the heads, milling them, and reassembling with thinner gaskets. It won’t be a big increase in compression, but it will be noticeable. You may need to machine the intake to get it to fit depending on how far you cut the heads
Honestly, if the timing chain has never been done, it is a good idea to change it now, the nylon coated gears come apart and end up in the oil pick up. If everything checks out, a swap is a good idea, talk to Cutlassefi about what you want. Also a cam needs to be degreed as the timing chain or the actual cam can be machined wrong. A quality set like the Cloyes 9 way billet timing set with allow adjustment if it is slightly out of the desired spec.
Do you know any history of the engine? Was it running when you bought/found it? Was it a wrecking yard find? If it has been cared for in a reasonable manner it probably still has some decent life left in it. A cam swap can be a nice upgrade for sound and maybe a little more performance. Like was mentioned above, if the original timing set has not been changed, it needs to be. So now would be a great time to do it.
Olds engines operate with a zero lash valve train so you need to inspect everything well when you put the engine back together to make sure it will live. You need to remove and replace the intake and water pump so as long as you are comfortable doing that, you can accomplish a cam swap. If the valves seat properly without any excess clearance when you're done, you're golden. Since your thread has a cam question, Cutlassefi will probably make his appearance and give you some tips on how much cam and performance you can expect to gain. There's a lot more to it than that but you shouldn't have any trouble.
October 26th, 2018, 06:08 AM
