How to Install the Camshaft in Your Ford Big Block Engine

Step-1: Lubricate Camshaft and Accessories

First and foremost, make sure that the camshaft and cam bearings are clean and free of any burrs. If you’re using an aftermarket camshaft as we are here, lubricate the camshaft journals, distributor drive gear, and lobes liberally with the break-in lube provided by the manufacturer. If you intend to reuse the original cam, it should be coated with a break-in lubricant such as Comp Cams part number CCA-103 to protect it during startup. Turn the block upside down on the engine stand (this will allow you to reach down into the block) and feed the camshaft through the journals, taking care not to damage the cam bearings.

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Step-2: Install Camshaft Retainer Plate

With the camshaft installed in the block, coat the camshaft retainer with white grease, install the camshaft retainer plate, and then torque the bolts to 9 to 12 ft-lbs.

 

 

Rear Main Oil Seal Step by Step

 

Step-1: Lubricate and Align Rear Mail Oil Seal

Once you’ve removed the rear main seal from its packaging, take the time to read the instructions, which will direct you to ensure that the large portion of the lip in the seal is facing forward (toward the crankshaft journal). Check to be sure that the groove in the block where the seal resides is clean and free of burrs. Put a light coat of white grease on the seal before installation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step-2: Install Rear Main Oil Seal

Install one portion of the seal into the groove in the block by sliding the seal into the groove from one end. Do not leave both ends of the seal flush with the surface of the main bearing cap register. Leave one end protruding slightly from the groove as shown. Install the other portion of the seal in the main bearing cap with the opposite end protruding so that a match is made when the cap is installed. The seal is offset in this manner to avoid a potential oil leak.

 

Step-3: Extra Sealant

Put a thin film of RTV sealant on the face of the main bearing register as extra insurance against leaks just prior to installing the crankshaft. Note that the crankshaft in a Lima series Ford engine is a heavy piece and it may not be a bad idea to enlist the help of a friend when placing it into the block.

 

Step-4: Lubricate Bolts

Prior to installing the bolts holding the main caps in the block, apply a thin coating of oil to the threads and the underside of the head of each bolt to ensure an accurate torque reading.

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

Main Bearing Inserts

Before installing the main bearing inserts, wipe the saddles in the block and the main bearing caps with solvent on a clean, lint-free cloth or paper towel. Install the bearing insert so that the tang on the bearing locks into the groove in the saddle in the block and the main cap. The bearings are packaged as pairs and should be installed as such and not mixed up. Important: The number-3 saddle and cap hold the thrust bearing, which is easily distinguished by its U shape. Once the inserts have been installed in the bearing saddles, apply a generous coating of motor oil or assembly lube. Do not lubricate the inserts in the caps just yet, since there is one more step to determine if clearances are within specification. This is also a good time to double-check the alignment between the oil passages in the main bearing saddles and the bearing inserts.

 

Main Bearing Caps

The main caps should fit snuggly into the block and often require a mallet to persuade them into place. Once the caps are seated in their registers, thread the bolts into place. Finger-tighten, and then snug all bolts with the exception of those holding the number-3 main cap (thrust bearing). Now torque the caps on numbers-1, -2, -4, and -5 to the recommended setting. Torque the bolts in stages, alternating between the bolts on the same cap about every 25 ft-lbs. Once the caps have been torqued to spec, place a large screwdriver between one of the main caps (not number-3) and one of the crankshaft counterweights. Pry the crankshaft forward in the block. While holding this screwdriver in position, place another screwdriver between the front of the center main bearing cap and a crankshaft counterweight and pry the crankshaft toward the back of the block. Now remove the screwdriver, holding forward pressure on the crankshaft and torque the bolts to spec while maintaining rearward pressure on the main cap. This process aligns the thrust bearing and is sometimes referred to as “setting thrust.”

 

Crankshaft Endplay

Position a dial indicator at the nose of the crankshaft. Pry the crankshaft away from the indicator and zero the dial. Now pry the indicator forward and read the endplay. Crankshaft endplay on Lima series engines should be .0004 to .0008 inch. If endplay is less than this, try loosening the center main bearing cap, realign the thrust bearing surfaces, and then recheck endplay. Too little endplay can also be corrected by using a piece of 320-grit sandpaper on a flat surface to remove small amounts of material from the face of the bearing flange to gain additional tolerance. When using this method, make sure to use a micrometer to measure the thickness of the bearing’s front flange and continue to check it until the desired amount of material has been removed.

 

Written by Charles R. Morris and Republished with Permission of CarTech Inc