I don't want to pull my motor if I don't have to. Can you just remove the radiator, or does the condenser have to go too? If the condenser has to be moved, can it be moved over a little, or do you have to remove the freon and take the condenser out of the car? Are there any other "surprises?"

 

It is not difficult. If you have AC, the condensor WILL have to be removed, and you will have to discharge the AC system.

Other than that, no real suprises I can think of right now.

 

Be prepared to bend the support bars in front of the radiator, it's not that hard though, just a little to slide the cam completely out.
You'll need a harmonic balancer puller, I rented one. Be sure to put a rag in the distributor hole cause you don't want anything falling down in there.

 

you don't have to remove the condenser or discharge your AC, just have a friend bend it up and out of the way while you pull the cam out. I've done this 6 times on various cars and the AC system still worked perfect after each time.

 

Can you not just remove the support bars instead of bending them?

 

Have fun dropping the oil pan with the cross member

 

You don't have to drop the oil pan. Oh and about the cars, you only have to bend one slightly (maybe an inch or two out) and you can't see them when the radiator is in.

 

If you want oil leaking from the timing cover...oh and it would be hard to take off the timing cover with it on too

 

You're right it does make taking the cover off a little more diffictult, but you still don't have to take off the oil pan.

 

I'd say screw it and just yank the cover off without lowering the pan, because with some "custom" trimming of the cover, you can re-install it with some RTV and it won't leak, if you put enough RTV on the corners and modify the front seal slightly. But if you want to be really professional (cough!), LOWER the pan, don't remove it...just take all the front bolts almost all the way off, and loosen the back bolts so that you can kinda push the front of the pan down about 3/8inch, which should help big time. Honestly tho you can get away with yanking the cover off and stuffing it full of RTV when you put it back on, although some people won't like........just don't tell em!:nono:

Chris

 

I saw Jegs sells a timing cover that doesn't lip down into the oil pan. It says it just bolts to the front of the motor and is easily removed. If I use this, does anybody know if the seal on the oil pan will leak? I'm not really sure if this cover would seal it or not.

 

Yeah! Shortcuts!

Whatever happened to doing it right the first time?

 

Just cause something is easier, , doesn't mean it's the wrong way does it?

 

it took me maybe an extra half hour to loosen all the oil pan bolts and starter bolts (to get to the oil pan bolts) with the engine in so i could get my timing cover back on. it's really not too hard with a 1/4" ratchet.

 

Took about 5 mins of wiggling the cover and some RTV sealant for me ( and when I say me, this was my brother as I was assisting in my first cam swap).