removing the cam

[Fedaykin]

how the heck do you get the cam out!!! LOLZ

I tried for an hour, dont tell me i gotta take the bottem end out or soemthing, what am i missing?

I have the 3.4 stripped down to the shortblock, everything is off it, i can see the pistons, but i cant roll that cam out... i have the complete bottom end in tact, i removed the oil pump, that didnt help, there is this little round pluggy thing on the back of the top of the block, above where the oil pump rod went... you can spin it, but you cant remove the sucker, i know there is osmething i am missing...

[98Camaro3.8]

As per my Haynes manual, the oil pump drive is at the rear of the block, and it's gotta come out.

[Fedaykin]

yeah i just foudn that out lol... its that oil pump drive at the top.... i guess i gotta pop that outta there...

BUT!! I have to replace the bearings for my new camshaft right? how do you do that? they are in there so far... or is there only 1 at the front and back?

[98Camaro3.8]

You should only have to replace the bearings if the current ones are messed up. To do that, I believe you'll have to pull the bottom end.

[Fedaykin]

is it easy to tell if the bearings are messed up?? i tried to remove that camshaft a couple times and i'm worried I smucked them...

[98Camaro3.8]

If the cam never slid off the bearings, I don't see how you could do much damage.

[Fedaykin]

I slid the cam back and forth trying to get it out... wondering why it wouldnt come out, trying to take it out either side... etc....

are there 2 bearings or 4?

[98Camaro3.8]

Originally posted by Fedaykin:
I slid the cam back and forth trying to get it out... wondering why it wouldnt come out, trying to take it out either side... etc....

Was there enough play in it to actually slide it out of the bearings? There was probably only enough play in it to move an inch or so. That wouldn't pull it all the way out of the bearing, so there shouldn't be any damage.

Originally posted by Fedaykin:
are there 2 bearings or 4?

There's 4 bearings.

[Fedaykin]

naw dude, i was able to move it about 1/5 of the way out... like... i got 2 lobes out the back... but couldnt move it forward more than an inch... i'll have to look at it.

What are the bearings made of? there has to be a way to change it without removing the whole bottem end.... all there is there is pistons and cylinders...