Swapping in another cam....

[BC847]

Well, it's on.

(With the usual aggravation )

Pics shortly.

[oldestof11]

Hamiltons 188/208? Or 188/220?

[Tacoclaw]

He got a 220, I believe.

Good luck with the swap, BC.

[BILTIT]

What did it have before? Why the swap?

[Tacoclaw]

He's going from a 181/210 the a 188/220.

I think it's 188/210, I can't remember the second number exactly.

[BC847]

Going from a 1st gen 181/210 to a steel 188/220.

Just got the gear on the cam. It's cooling off.

Why the swap?

The 1st gen cam I'm removing was eventually upgraded with some tweaking of the lobes 'n stuff. Since then, the 188/220 is suppose to be a notable improvement over the 2nd gen 181/210.

With that, Zach has completely discontinued the 181/210.

The way I interpret some of the dyno-plots posted on CompD, this moves the power to the left. In the case of the VE's lower rpm fueling abilities, this should perhaps result in better synchronizing the air with the fuel.

We'll see.

[dazedandconfused]

Looking forward to the feedback since I plan on getting into my motor this winter

[BC847]

This isn't really a "How To" (unless y'all want me to make one).

Just some pics as I go.

- Start with one 1993 Dodge W250 with a mildly modified Cummins 5.9ltr.





- Now take off the front grill assembly complete, as well as that lower valance thing. Bring the engine to TDC and remove the engine cooling fan, and drain the radiator.





- Now remove the transmission oil cooler and take out the inter-cooler with the AC condenser coil attached.





- Now remove the accessory drive belt, fan pulley, harmonic damper, valve-covers, etc.





Sumbich.



I reckon I used some Blue Locktight on the harmonic balancer bolts in addition to torquing them to factory spec cause they flat fought me to the end. Three of them acted like wheel lug-nuts and initially repeatedly popped as they backed off. That forth one, well, . . .. I split a Kobalt 15mm socket, busted the ratchet mechanism in a in a nice 3/8" ratchet, and ultimately rounded off the flats of the bolt.
Crap! What am I gonna do?
I ended-up using a 4" grinder to cut the head off the blame bolt. I was fortunate that the grinding wheel was worn down to a smaller diameter as it was all I could do to get it into the bowl of the Fluidampr and reach the bolt. Burnt the hair off a few knuckles with the sparks flying dang-it!



- Now pull the rocker-arm assemblies and get your lifter-sticks, trough, lifter-puller stuff together.





- Do the wooden-dowel thing to hold the existing lifters.





- Remove the two bolts holding the cam thrust washer thing and, use one wrench to get a purchase on the cam & gear assembly with another as a handle to work the cam out.





My cheap-ass Chinese steel coat-hanger KDP holder is doing just fine thank you.





The 1st Gen 181/210 series cam on the bottom, the steel 188/220 up top. Things are cooling off as the gear had just been installed on the new cam.





Now sneak the new-boy in there with a bronze thrust-washer. Attach a degree-wheel and pointer at the crank, remove a set of valve-springs, set a micrometer to a valve-stem and find TDC (front and back method). With the rocker-arm assembly in place with test-springs, find the tight-spots and measure it.



Greater than .050" exhaust (<.070" with .020" regular clearance) at around 119*.
Greater than .040" intake (<.050" with .010" regular clearance) I can't remember.



Gotta find some harmonic damper bolts.

Are the damper bolts those torque-to-yield kind? Or just regular high-strength bolts?

[oldestof11]

IDK about the damper bolt but 2 things I have seen with this cam.

Make sure the GEAR is ALL the way ON. There are people who think it looks on and have troubles later.

2nd, make sure you have ADEQUATE Piston-To-Valve clearance. This is not really a "drop-in" cam.

[Tacoclaw]

I've reused my damper bolts about 4 times now, they always torque right back. That isn't actually confirmation, but I've never had one even act like it was stretching.

I never degree'd my cam, but I rolled the engine over by hand with no head gasket and didn't have any contact. That was good enough for me.

[CAJUN 93]

peel the shipping tape off the degree wheel. looks like fun.

daryl

[TheTowingCowboy]

Would the reason that it would say you need 'Fly Cut' pistons with this cam be because its made for a engine that would rev higher do to fuel capabilities so then it would need the recess in the pistons?

[oldestof11]

Or if your head/block have been decked too much for this cam. Many variables.

[BC847]

Would the reason that it would say you need 'Fly Cut' pistons with this cam be because its made for a engine that would rev higher do to fuel capabilities so then it would need the recess in the pistons?

Fly-Cutting most likely wouldn't be necessary with this cam. From what I've read, should one have less than the desired minimum PTV clearance, running an offset key in the cam gear makes room (retarded 1* ?).

Keeping in mind that generally, the piston chases the exhaust-valve and the intake-valve chases the piston during normal operation (I think I got that right).

With a more aggressive cam, without making accommodations, the pistons and a valves may kiss one another at certain crankshaft positions. Ways of making room between the two might include sinking the valves in the head (at the expense of low-lift flow), fly-cutting the pistons (at the expense of CR), altering the cam profile/install, etc.

The engine rpm capabilities wouldn't necessitate fly-cutting the pistons that I know of.



- Tonight I got a new, later model engine lube-oil pump installed (higher volume). The gear-case cover installed with a Speedy-Sleave crankshaft seal. Got the rocker-arm assemblies back in place and reassembled the radiator's center support column.
- I was able to locate some replacement harmonic-damper bolts from Cummins-Atlantic. They should be in tomorrow for pick-up.

I'm hoping to get the front of the truck, radiator, IC, fan, etc back together tomorrow. The torquing of the head-studs, adjusting the valves and start-up Wednesday. Hopefully. The frigging torquing is a PITA! I'd like to be able to drive it to the coast come Friday.

We'll see.

[TheTowingCowboy]

So I could run the cam in my bone stock engine with no problem since its never been tore down or anything? SAWEET!