Hello all. I am getting a Clevite cam and lifter kit for my truck. I posted a while back having a timing issue with the truck; the distributer will not stay in time, even after replacing the timing chain and gears, so I have eliminated it down to the cam gear is worn/bad. The engine does have 156K+ miles, and the dizzy gear is in good shape. Anyways, I am a novice at this, and have no experience in replacing a cam. Can you guys give me some advice, or point me to a post here that would direct me in what to do. I do have the factory service manual, which I'll be using but sometimes it is a little vague. I am trying to do this on my own so I don't have to pay labor, but I also want to gain the experience as well. I plan on pulling the motor this week, so I can get a good look at things, and replace some gaskets as well. Thank you all in advance for the input.

_________________
Nick
1983 Dodge D-150 Custom

Well I'll just tell you a few things that need to come off to pull the cam. Others will give you more in-depth instructions.

The fuel pump, oil pump and dizzy need to come off the side since they're all cam driven. After taking the rocker cover off you'll need to take the rockers off and pushrods out. I believe there is a tool to get the lifters out, I don't think you have to pull the head to take them out either but if you're replacing the head gasket, might as well. The crankshaft pulley and harmonic dampener need to come off to pull the timing cover off, then timing set, then you should be ready to pull the cam. Make sure you lube the cam when you put the new one in. Also if you replace the oil pan gasket, put that on after you've got the timing cover on, I heard it's easier that way.

If I'm wrong or forgot something someone correct me.

Oh and one more thing, I believe you need to break the new cam in for 30 minutes?! Not sure, but again someone else will chime in.

Good luck
Cody

_________________
Old truck: 82 D150 225, 2bbl, dutra duals, 2.5" straight pipe to dual 2.5" tail pipes. Mud tires, 4spd, old forest service truck.
Current truck: 98.5 Ram 2500 ccsb, sport, 24v cummins, 5spd, 4.5" lift, 35's, 5" straight pipe.

Hey, thanks for the reply, Cody. I wondered if I was going to have to find a special tool to take the lifters out. I don't think I am going to pull the head off, unless it would be very beneficial. I was just planning on replacing the front cover, oil pan, and valve cover gaskets.

As far as breaking in the cam, I run the motor around 1500 rpm, right? would manually setting the cold idle cam on the carb be sufficient enough?

_________________
Nick
1983 Dodge D-150 Custom

If you have no sparkplug tubes, you will have to pull the head to get the lifters out.

Richard

_________________
Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

I thought that since this was an '83 it had the wider head and the lifters will come out with the head in place. More important than that though is the root issue and it's cause. Does this truck still have Electronic Spark Control (aka Lean Burn)? If so I'm much more likely to believe that unit is faulty than a worn cam gear causing timing fluctuations.

_________________
Joshua

The Truck, DOES NOT have the lean burn setup. It currently has the standard Chrysler Electronic Ignition. The issue is this: I installed a new timing chain and gears, making sure I had the motor at TDC, and when I started the engine, it would run for about 30-50 seconds, fizzle out and stall. When I tried to re-start it, it was way out of time (about 170-180 degrees). So, I would set everything back up again at TDC, it would fire on the first turn of the starter, run for about a minute, then stall and not re-start. Checked the dizzy and it is off 180 degrees again. The gear on the dizzy is in good shape, and the dizzy isn't that old (2-3 years maybe?) so it leads me to believe the cam gear is worn and not making good contact. I am up for looking at different scenario's, though! I don't really want to put a cam in if I don't have to

_________________
Nick
1983 Dodge D-150 Custom

Good thought there Josh! If it's an 83 then it should have leanburn. I know right before I did hei, my computer was in limp mode and it surged like crazy, could never set the timing or idle accurately. It advanced the timing when it wanted to. Also if you don't have EVERY sensor hooked up, and hooked up correctly it will do funky things, learned that the hard way when the air temp sensor had a broken wire.

Cody

_________________
Old truck: 82 D150 225, 2bbl, dutra duals, 2.5" straight pipe to dual 2.5" tail pipes. Mud tires, 4spd, old forest service truck.
Current truck: 98.5 Ram 2500 ccsb, sport, 24v cummins, 5spd, 4.5" lift, 35's, 5" straight pipe.

Sorry ignore my last post then. I was in the middle of writing when you posted

Cody

_________________
Old truck: 82 D150 225, 2bbl, dutra duals, 2.5" straight pipe to dual 2.5" tail pipes. Mud tires, 4spd, old forest service truck.
Current truck: 98.5 Ram 2500 ccsb, sport, 24v cummins, 5spd, 4.5" lift, 35's, 5" straight pipe.

If the cam gear is that wasted then you'll usually lose the oil pump driven gear and oil pressure before anything else.

If you line up the sots on a timing set you've just set the engine to TDC firing for #6 rather than #1. That is 180° off, but it will stay 180° off until you change it and then it shouldn't change back.

_________________
Joshua

Interesting, I never even thought about that; the engine did have oil pressure. Sometimes it is the most obvious things that are most overlooked
ok, I will verify that the chain and gear set is set correctly. Thank you for the info, Joshua!

_________________
Nick
1983 Dodge D-150 Custom