Removing Valve Covers and Installing Cobra Cams - A Complete How To With Pics

[Mach828]

Well I got it. Drivers side cover is off without removing the brake booster or master cylinder. Just had to tilt the engine, and use a little wiggling and she came off. Wasn't really any more difficult than the passenger side.

[AzureMach03]

nice man, yeah I knew you could do it lol

[Gallows]

Not bad for a days work

[Mach828]

Day 2 how to is up.

Anyone with advice on actually pulling the cams off? I'm doing it tomorrow.

[Gallows]

The blue covers look great

[AzureMach03]

have you seen this man? Maybe it can help you out if you havent seen it yet

http://www.svtperformance.com/forums...s-install.html

[ShakeMe]

subscribing

[Mach828]

Well new cams are in the car. I totally forgot to buy the new cam bolts from Ford, and since today is Sunday, I won't be able to finish until tomorrow. I got too excited

The orange chain rails have 2 of these tiny little fittings, and the top one on each side broke without any force. Luckily I had towels covering all the holes, and they didn't get anywhere they shouldn't have. I would be surprised if anyone else who has does the install hasn't broken the little fittings.

The drivers side cam wasn't too bad, passenger side more challenging. Long as the cam covers go back on smoothly, and timing chains turn smoothly when i test crank the car, it will have been a successful project. Very challenging. But I'd say its at about the same level as doing gears, and a clutch and flywheel.

Hoping after a custom tune running ethanol and a lot of timing I will be at about 320hp. But since I don't care much for dyno numbers, the track is the real determination. Hoping to hit a 12.9 et with our 7,000 DA over here in ABQ

__

I was able to get much more clearance by taking of the exhaust side cam bolt, and sliding the cam gear back to give me more chain slack.

[watman02]

Originally Posted by AzureMach03

have you seen this man? Maybe it can help you out if you havent seen it yet

http://www.svtperformance.com/forums...s-install.html

Sorry it took me so long to get back on thats my post on SVT that your quoting, sounds like you got it back together ok and running.


BTW you only have to remove the brake lines you dont have to remove the pressure lines from the pump.

I have heard about this key way issue but I must have had 98 cams because I had no issue with reassembling it.

also what tabs are you talking about on the chaine guides???? maybe Im just confused????

[Mach828]

Originally Posted by watman02

Sorry it took me so long to get back on thats my post on SVT that your quoting, sounds like you got it back together ok and running.


BTW you only have to remove the brake lines you dont have to remove the pressure lines from the pump.

I have heard about this key way issue but I must have had 98 cams because I had no issue with reassembling it.

also what tabs are you talking about on the chaine guides???? maybe Im just confused????

Keyway issue is only with 96-97. And the cam gear doesn't go in the same way on each side, on the drivers side it is flipped, so the keyways doesn't bind and fits flush. And the passenger side it needs to be grinded because it doesn't seat on the cam properly and binds up, and you will break it if you torque it down.

The chain tensioner has orange plastic chain guides. The guides are partially held onto the tensioner by two small fittings, that are really cheap and break easily if any side to side force is applied. Maybe in a engine with less heat cycles they aren't as brittle, but with 90k miles, they were very brittle.

[2camsam]

Originally Posted by Mach828

Well I got it. Drivers side cover is off without removing the brake booster or master cylinder. Just had to tilt the engine, and use a little wiggling and she came off. Wasn't really any more difficult than the passenger side.

I wonder if you can tilt the engine enough if you have longtubes on ?

[blackgtcp]

Did this by dealing with the brake booster. What a pain in the ***. Did you use just a socket on the motor mount nuts? Doesnt seem like theres enough room

[Mach828]

Originally Posted by blackgtcp

Did this by dealing with the brake booster. What a pain in the ***. Did you use just a socket on the motor mount nuts? Doesnt seem like theres enough room

There is a hole in the k member a arm area right above the nut for the motor mounts that let you stick a socket inside and use a ratchet

However, I broke the cam timing sprocket cause the keyways are different. Dam it! Now again I am waiting for another part. Turning out to be a week long project.

[blackgtcp]

Originally Posted by Mach828

There is a hole in the k member a arm area right above the nut for the motor mounts that let you stick a socket inside and use a ratchet

However, I broke the cam timing sprocket cause the keyways are different. Dam it! Now again I am waiting for another part. Turning out to be a week long project.

Yea I saw those bolts while I was detailing underneath but was too lazy to go grab a socket to see if it would fit
Mines turning into much longer than a weekend deal. Trying to track down a tick/knocking sound.

[sideways03]

Originally Posted by blackgtcp

Did this by dealing with the brake booster. What a pain in the ***. Did you use just a socket on the motor mount nuts? Doesnt seem like theres enough room

That's how I did it too. Seems like it would be MUCH easier to just life the engine. Live and learn.