Installing CompCams 49-410-8, REALLY have to pull oil pan and / or entire engine?

[gman-1970]

Hi all,

First, thanks in advance for any replies. Hoping someone has some good news for me, as I REALLY don't want to pull this engine right now....

So, I have a 94 Ranger XLT SuperCab 4WD, 5-speed. I have a coolant leak (external) on driver side head gasket. So, since I have to pull one head, I decided I might as well pull them both and have them tested, replace the gaskets, MAYBE a valve job, guides, seals, etc. This engine has over 200K miles, (mostly highway) and runs great - doesn't use a drop of oil and vacuum is perfect. I plan to do a compression test and leak down test before I get too far into this just to be sure. Don't want to put a bunch of time / money into it if it's got a bad cylinder or what not.

ANYWAY, I was reading my "handy" Chiltons on replacing the camshaft and it has a couple things that concern me:

- "Remove clamp, bolt, and oil pump drive from the rear of the block"
? Assuming this is on the top of the block, and not on the backside?

Now the SCARY stuff:

- "Remove the oil pan as previously described"
? Ah, Why? To get the front cover off? And if so, can it just be dropped a bit vs totally removed?

- "To remove the oil pan, remove the complete engine assembly from the vehicle"

? WTF? IF this is necessary, a cam swap is non-starter for me - too many other projects to invest this much time right now. If I have to pull the engine, I would either do a 5.0 swap or at least rebuild the 4.0, as regardless how great it seems, 200K is too much to reinstall. And since the syncros are bad in the 5-speed, then I'd fix that as well. Just too much work right now... If it can be done without TOO much more work than pulling the heads, then I would like to do it along with some other BPU's, as this 4.0 is ANEMIC IMHO, especially for the crappy MPG. I'm fine with what I consider poor performance if the MPG is good, but I don't think I even get 17 on the highway - MAYBE.

So, any advice / guidance would be GREATLY appreciated. I'm hoping someone has good news for me, and I don't have to pull the engine. I'm fine with everything else, including AC condenser, as I'm replacing a bunch of AC stuff anyway.

OH - re the 49-410-8, anyone used this can tell me what length pushrod I have to use? Apparently the stock ones won't work, but not sure of they are too short or too long or what. What a PITA. If they are a BIT too long, what about shimming the rockers a bit to compensate? Or would that jack up the geometry?

Thanks again!!!!

Gary

 

[PlumCrazy]

You don't need to pull the pan or engine. But the radiator and condenser will need removed in order to gain enough room to pull the cam out. The oil pump drive is on top in the very back, behind the lower intake, looks like the bottom half of a distributor.

As far pushrods go....get a push rod measuring tool....they are cheap. IIRC the 410 allows you to get away with stock push rods? The 422 requires longer rods to compensate for the reduced base circle.

 

[gman-1970]

That seems positive!

Thanks for the reply. I know Chiltons isn't the bible of the auto world, but I've never seen them be THIS wrong before, and I've probably used their manuals for minor and major repairs on 20 different cars.

I'm guessing the front cover is attached to the oil-pan with studs, and maybe that's why they say you have to drop the pan, which then for clearance reasons requires an engine pull - or at least a lift? I've seen this before on GM 2.2L in a Cavalier. I just pulled the studs out from the bottom and replaced with bolts, as the tensioner kept melting, getting stuck in the chain, and making timing jump 30 degrees - no bueno. Had to replace that damn thing 4 times in two years!!! Gawd, having flashbacks just thinking about it....

Re pushrod length, the CompCams has the same footnote (98) for both the 410 and 422, stock length rods cannot be used. If the base circle IS smaller and that's what's driving the requirement for the longer pushrods, can't I find the delta between new cam circle and OEM, and then add that to the OEM pushrod length and I'm done? I'm getting new heads, so don't have to account for milling and such. Once I start assembling, I prefer to not have to wait another 3 - 7 days to get the right rods. Maybe use the base circle delta method and order a set of longer rods, BUT, double check with a "proper" measurement and exchange them (and wait) only if necessary...

Oh, assuming I can reuse my roller lifters if they are in good working order? I'm trying to do this "right", but I'm already up to $1500 'ish and would prefer not to spend another $500 on new lifters unless I HAVE to. I know with non-roller they mate with the cam and you "should" replace them with the cam, but I'm thinking with rollers this is a moot point?


Thanks again!

Gary