Yes, unless they are held in place with clothespins or the block is inverted. Also, if the lifters are not held in the full up position, the cam will hang up when you try to slide it out or in. If the lifters fall in to the engine you will lose the order of which lob of the cam each lifter goes with.

57 Black Tbird 312/auto

So when the camshaft is removed the lifters can fall into the crankcase?

1959 Century Resorter 16' 312 Ford w/velvet drive trans

Thanks John! I knew it was CCW.Just forgot to hit the "W" key.Fixed it!

  

Whoa Mark.  Rotation is CCW!!!

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

To spin the oil pump is the same procedure as any other motor.Rotation is CCW.

  

I just went through a similar choice. Using the clothes pins ( the procedure is in the Ford Service Manual) is possible for replacing a cam in the vehicle if you are very careful. The lifters have to be held completely up to allow clearance. But....removing/installing cam bearing involves the cam bearing tool being driven by hammering which can loosen or pop off a clothes pin, dropping a lifter. This can be extremely frustrating and time consuming. I agree that the best solution is to get the motor turned upside down, with the crankshaft removed. I ended up removing the pistons and rods as well.

57 Black Tbird 312/auto

Tesserra,

Changing cam bearings CAN be done without removing the engine; BUT, it can also be extremely difficult, and is not recommended.

If not done exactly right, even a single lifter dropping will force you to pull the engine anyway.

16 regular clothes-pins are used to hold the lifters UP all the way, in order to clear all cam lobes for cam removal; then, there is the issue of clearance for length-of-cam removal; plus additional clearance for the bearing insert tooling; and, the fact that you most likely will need to remove crank and pistons anyway (for working clearance on cam bearing replacement).

Easiest way is to remove engine, mount on fixture, turn "upside-down", and work on it with ease.

Regards,   JLB

55 Ford Crown Victoria Steel Top

I like the high pressure air idea. I will try that on Friday. Is it obvious how to spin up the oil pump once the distributor is removed? I have done this on small block gm motors, is it basicly the same set up?

I will also get a oil pressure gauge to verify oil pressure.

Since it is a boat, I have a  lot of room to work. Does the camshaft removal and repair of the bearing need a machine shop, or can I replace the cam bearing with the motor in the boat?

Or is the next step head removal?

Thanks for all the ideas, this is an awsome site. I was refered here from the Ford Truck Enthusiasts site.

I will post any results.

1959 Century Resorter 16' 312 Ford w/velvet drive trans

I was always afraid of filling a engine with diesel, or other solvent. My concern is that it could loosen so much sludge, that even after changing the filter, and having new oil into the engine, something could get plugged.

My friend Maycon did this to a '94 SS-10 Chevy mini truck he bought used, and at first it was normal, but a few days after, on a wighway some 50 kilometers from his home (and lucky him, just 2 kilometer from my house), the oil pressure got to zero, and he perked the truck. He called me, and I towed the Chevy with my Galaxie to a Chevy dealer in my neighborhood. At the shop, the guys found the mesh of the oil pump to be blocked with lots of sludge particles. The oil filter was alredy at bypess mode.

My other concern is if the diesel, or solvent can damage some oil seal.

I don't know, maybe I'm afraid for nothing, but every time someone says it's going to do this, I have a bad feeling.

Túlio Lazzaroni "FORD", Florianópolis SC Brasil.

'74 Ford Galaxie 500 292 V8

'82 Ford Galaxie Landau 302 V8

'98 Chevrolet S10 4.3 V6

'01 Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec

I have remedied a few by installing solvent (lacquer thinner, carb cleaner or anything thing that will thin the sludge) in the feed hole and put high pressure air to it, keep filling and blowing until you hear the air finally blow through the cam bearing. You can then fill the block with diesel/kerocene, remove the distributor and turn oil pump with a drill to flush oil system, drain and repeat a few times. Fill with oil then prime again. Its not the best thing to loosen sludge from and old engine but it may get your oil system flowing again.

55 Vicky & customline

58 Rack Dump, 55 F350 yard truck, 57 F100

59 & 61 P 400's, 58 F100 custom cab, 69 F100, 79 F150, 82 F600 ramp truck, 90 mustang conv 7 up, 94 Mustang, Should I continue?