Hey guys,
I have EVERYTHING prepared for this swap now..the engine is tore down and waiting for my love haha Now..when I get the cam timing gear on..I know that the camshaft end stick out from the timing gear about 1/32 of an inch for proper alignment. I planned on taking some washers and a bolt to press it down..but that will only make it go so far...how to I go the rest of the way? What did you guys do?

Also..the spacing ring..there is one beveled side. I know this is critical when installing, and for the life of me, have forgotten which side the beveled end goes. Any insight would be helpful. I plan on spending the day doing all of this tomorrow..so by tomorrow evening I'll be ready to rock

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post12449385

 

What exactly am I looking for here??

 

I knew I'd never remember which way the spacer goes, so I took a picture. Looks like the tapered end goes out.

Also, where did you hear that there needs to be space? Mine was flush when I was done with it.

 

Here is a pic out of the Ford Service Manual.
The camshaft end play is determined by the difference in thickness between the spacer and the thrust plate.
For example, if the spacer is .005" thicker than the thrustplate, then the endplay will be .005".
The cam gear must be pressed TIGHT onto the spacer to get the right end play. USUALLY some of the camshaft sticks out past the gear, but that does not matter, you only are concerned with the gear being TIGHT to the spacer.

There is a very small radius machined into the camshaft where the cam gear land meets the shoulder of the front cam bearing. This is to prevent a fracture point. To prevent any possible interference of the spacer with this radius resulting in a false end play, the bevel should face the cam bearing.

You will also note that there is also a small bevel in the rear face of the crank gear for the same purpose.



You can get a grade 8 longer bolt at Ace Hardware and use a socket or similar big enough to slip over the camshaft and washers to press the gear TIGHT to the spacer.

 

So the bevel on the spacer faces the cam gear or the engine?! Cuz I installed it with the beveled end facing me..not the gear but the spacer..everything is put back together..did I do that wrong!!?

 

Now i'm worried..i hope i did this rightr..

 

No matter which way you installed it, I wouldn't rip it apart again.
As long as the end play is correct, I would run it.

 

I don't see any mention of which direction the cam spacer needs to go in that documentation. When I put mine on, it was in response to how everyone I spoke to told me to put it.

Also, isn't camshaft end play how much the cam can "wiggle" in place and not how far the cam gear is from the end of the shaft?

 

I tightened the gear as far as it would go with the washers...i hope I don't have too much wiggle

 

I had everything cranked down..the gear was perfectly flush with the end of the shaft..sorry..I'm spazzing cuz I spent money and time on this and I don't want it to fail..

 

It's not in the docs I posted. Usually when fitting parts together that have been machined, there is always a relief to prevent unwanted interference.
Besides the crank gear I mentioned, look at all bearing races, they are all radiused to allow for full seating.

Don't know what you mean by "wiggle", but the thrust plate prevents the camshaft from walking back and forth,. front to back in the engine and the clearance determines how much it can.

Don't know what to tell you.
You can check the clearance by pushing and pulling the camshaft by the gear and measuring how far it moves.
If your confident you did it right, move forward.

 

Oh, my bad. I forgot end play was in and out. I was thinking up and down, like if it were to wiggle if you had bad bearings or something.

 

I'm comfortable ..but I may pull the timing cover back. Off just to check..y not?

 

Ok..i've decided since I'm not comfortable with it..next weekend when I'm back to workin on the truck..and since i haven't put on the new water pump..i'm going to pull the harmonic balancer off and take the timing cover off. then..as tiap suggested..i'm going to get a bolt..a washer, and use a socket and cinch down the gear...peace of mind so 350$ doesn't go down the drain haha