Engine Rebuild - Chain housing removal

Hello everyone,

Had a strange problem removing the chain housings last night. The problem is the camshafts...

At the end of each camshaft is a collection of items, I've managed to remove:
The nuts (incredible torque needed)
The spocket wheels
The woodruff keys

The problem is I can't get any further!

The next item to remove are the spacers and washers, and the end plate that is attached by three bolts.

No matter how hard to cry and try, The ridge on the camshaft that "locks" the woodruff keys in place is too high to allow me to remove the washers and spacers, and behind them the end plate!

The manual suggests they just slide off - was the design changed at some point or has some idiot used the wrong size of washers/spacers?!?

Any help appreciated.

Thanks,

- roGER

Roger
I hope I am understanding your question, but as long as you can remove the 3 bolts on the that hold the cam to the cam housing you should be able to slide the cam out of the hosing complete with all the bits at the end (assuming all rocker arms are out). I have just done this during my tear down on my 3.2


Unless you are changing the cams or regrinding them, i don't see why you need to split the end plate from the cam. The cam usually needs some persuation to slide out of the housing. A lever against one if the sides of the lobes usually helps. The gasket is usually stuck between the three bolt thrust plate and the cam housing which does'nt help, just give it a good jolt and it will come.

I don't think you should have a "ridge" on your camshaft to lock the woodruff key into place. When I removed my cam the woodruff key was incredibly tight and I had to tap it out with a skinny punch. There was no ridge anywhere around the semi-circular key groove. If you have a groove could it be that there has been some slop between the key and the shaft and a ridge has been formed by the key rocking against the cam? Or someone has peened the camshaft to lock the key into place? I think your cam shaft perimeter in the region of the key should be smooth and circular. Can you file off the "ridge" after carefully assessing if it should be there in the first place?

Just my 2 cents (1.33)


Chuck

Thanks very much for the info.

As beetos pointed out, I can get the camshafts out, regardless of the washers, plates, and so on hanging off the end.

I'm just puzzled that the Factory Manual, the Haynes Manual, and Lindsey Porters resoration guide all have the procedure wrong!

No worries, and I'll be removing yet more
rocker arms and shafts tonight!

Cmsteed - The "ridge" is definately manufactured - its several mms long, and perfectly fits the slot in the Woodruff key.
Also the ridges are machined so that they are vertical when the cams are in the vertical position (aloigned with the crank at TDC).

Thanks again for the replies.

- roGER

Quick update - I slid the right side camshaft out (complete with its spacers and end housing plate) without problems last night.

But the design of the spacers, washers and cover plate must have changed from that described in the manual - they definately cannot be removed by sliding off.

Its interesting that beetos did exactly this with his 3.2.

- roGER