This is mostly for inline flatheads, like my Plymouth 230. The concept should also work on a V8. In most casec, to get the cam out of a Flathead, you have to remove the valves springs so you can get the lifters out. In the case of the Mopars, they use a mushroom style lifter, so you need to take the valves out to get the lifters out of the way far enough to get the cam out before removing the lifters. In my case, I had just done a valve job 1000 miles earlier, and didnt want to take the head off, requiring yet another head gasket. I'm a cheap bastard, and didnt want to spring for the new gasket, and I knew that my valves were in great shape. I tried unadjusting the lifters to get the clearance I needed, but they didn't go far enough. So I came upon another solution. All I had to do was wedge something against the spring, holding the valve all the way open. After a trip to the hardware store and some grinding, I had the perfect length spacers. Pry the spring up and slip them In. This let me slide the lifters up far enough in their bores to get the cam out. Cheap, but very effective. Of course, you still need to drop the pan to get the lifters out, but thats no big deal on many cars. *note* the block is upside down in my pic, but you get the idea.
On a Ford, I think you'd be forced to pull heads, but there are still labors to be saved. Make 16 simple wedges from a material incapable of damaging metal...like plywood, thickness greater than valve lift...1/2" sounds good, 3/8 would possibly do. Notch each to straddle valve stem, give leading edges a quick buzz against a sander to make a bit of a taper to less than lift. Rotate until each valve opens fully, drive a wedge under each. If engine is out of car, simply invert it to keep lifters up. In car, improvise...well placed rubber bands, clothes pins pried way the hell open, chewing gum...hang thiose suckers UP. Pull cam. ANYTHING is better than pulling Ford valve guides an extra time... This method was stolen from Ford of England, by the way. They supplied 16 wedges as an official tool kit. Material not stated in the Good Book, but I'd bet they were the stuff referred to as "Fiber" in the old books, essentially good grade masonite.
I am trying to find the tool or procedure to remove the eccentric (not the bushing) from the back side of the camshaft on my '49 Lincoln Cosmo (337 ci engine). I have the valves out, the pistons out, and want to get the block to the machine shop for cleaning and magnafluxing. It appears to be a pressed on type of hub, followed by the gear that connects to the gear that runs the oil pump. Any ideas? Thanks Steve
If you haven't already done so, you might get more responses to your question with a new thread. Put your question in the title.
I once read where Vic Edelbrock changed the cam in his Deuce roadster (with flathead Ford v8) at Bonneville in 32 1/2 minutes and won a case of Scotch for his ability to make the changes without pulling the heads. Quite the trick—-think about it! Flatheads Forever!
The Jalopy Journal
