hi guys, picked up a second hand rpd rspec3 cam and just have a few questions regards installation...

1) anyone know a shop in northish melb where I can pick up a set of performance valve springs? (is there a specific set recommended for these cams?) do the retainers or anything else need to be changed?

2) I remember reading somewhere that valve springs can be changed by ensuring the cylinder is at tdc before removing the spring (so the valve cant fall too far)... is this method reliable? (i have only ever changed valve springs on small single cylinder motors in the past... :O)

3) I also have a vernier gear, so will need to remove the cam tensioner to install it? this procedure sounds a bit annoying in the gregories manual, are there any tips or tricks? like ... could i possibly get away with manually keeping enough tension on the chain to be able to fit the new vernier gear?

4) briefly... this is how i plan the operation (after reading the various cam guides/install threads!)
- remove rocker cover, sparkplugs, etc
- remove rocker gear (leaving cam & sprocket in place at this stage)
- change valve springs

- rotate engine to tdc, mark the cam chain link that is at the dot on the sprocket

- remove cam chain tensioner
- remove original gear (keeping tension on the chain? how easy is it for the chain to jump teeth on the bottom sprockets?)
- swap the cam and feed the chain over the new vernier gear matching the spot & marked chain link... bolt up the bolt etc

- re-tension cam chain tensioner thing

now onto the shimming... i am not 100% clear on this, basically as I understand it...:

- bolt the rocker gear back up, working out how many shims needed on #1 inlet & exhaust (valves shut ofc)
- unbolt it all, add the shims, bolt it up, check if ok
- unbolt it again, and add the same amount of shims to other inlet & exhaust valves
- bolt up again => done
the previous owner of the cam used what looks like std washers to shim it (they were provided with the cam), have these caused any problems in other cars?

does it all sound like i have the right idea?
what are possible disasters... like what happens if I drop the cam chain or something like that, i am guessing would have to remove the timing cover etc to get it all right again?

does anyone close to bundoora (melb) want to lend me a valve spring compressor or torque wrench, or come over and help me install it for a few slabs of preferred beverage or some cash?

cheers : )

Last edited by forsaken on Fri May 18, 2007 2:50 pm, edited 2 times in total.

All I can answer out of the 4 is the first one. Crow Cams are located in Campbellfield...so if you want some performance valve springs give them a ring.

The rest I'll leave to the professionals.

I would come help you if I know what I was doing...

phong =P~

when doing the springs. just to be safe you put the engine at TDC for the cylinder you are working on and feed some thin rope through the spark hole to stop the values dropping much at all.


from what ive heard, its pretty hard to make the chain skip gears at the bottom.

removing the timing chain tensioner will be a s**t load easier than trying to keep tension on the chain while swapping a gear over.

Yer, definately remove the timing chain tensioner.

Also make sure the piston is at the top for the cylinder your working on.
TDC for cylinders 1 and 6,
60 degrees for cylinders 3 and 4 (i think)
120 degrees for cylinders 2 and 5 (i think)
You can tell with a small rod through the spark plugs.

I used some bungee elastic cord with needle nose pliers to get it into the spark plug holes, and make sure your ready to release the springs from the collets / valves (everyone I have done has been stuck).

Hope this helps.

allright, so the tensioner definetly has to come out... ok !

going to get a before dyno sometime this week... and attempt the swap sometime in the next few weeks, then dyno afterward... busy as hell with uni at the moment!!

does anyone know the part number for the valve spring kit RPD supplied with these cams? or the lift? (rspec3)

Sorry mate, cant help you there.
But I got the same cam

Remember to plug up the oil drain holes and remove them before bolted the rocker cover on (done this twice )

Becareful with the HLA's they can be slippery and easily lost is the engine bay, I had one get stuck down on a plug in the transmission.

It was really easy the second and third time I done it.

Yer dont ya hate it when uni gets in the way of working on your car

thanks for the tips ... so freaking annoying losing stuff in the engine bay hey... every time i take the dash apart i end up losing some screws or something. argh.


anyway... got a "before" dyno run done today, managed 122.7 RWKW... so it seems fairly healthy... only mods are pace maker 4480's and 2.5" redback (with both mufflers, so it sounds stock). it doesnt even have a k&n panel either (the guy i bought it off LIED!!!).

as far as cam install progress goes, waiting to hear from jaysen as to part # springs they recommend...

the stock ecu sure likes to run fairly rich... i wonder how much gain there is to be had purely in tuning?

 

 

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Thats not too bad, I guess the manual helps a bit

Yer I heard the same about the air fuel ratio, if your willing to try, we are willing to hear the results.
But gl with the instal

The best air/fuel ratio for emissions is 14.8

The best ratio for power (modern engines) is 12.8 - 13.2

What gear was yours done in?