I'm a little unsure how to press the front and rear cam gears onto the camshafts with woodruff keys in place without causing damage. I know how to install the assemly into the cam plate, but the instructions call for a light press of gears/keys onto each camshaft. Is there a fixture I'm to use for this to ensure proper alignment? Also, I've read that some of you have worked on the keys to reduce the tightness, but not sure if that's needed if they are pressed on. Any help?

 

Ensure that the key is properly lined up in the slot and fully seated and "level". sometimes you need to clean the key up a bit with fine emory cloth.

It is very important to press them on "square". If you are not comfotable with you press or don;t have one.... try this.

With the key(s) in place in the cam(s), put the cams in your freezer for 30 ~ 45 minutes.

Put the gears in your oven (preheated to 200~225 degrees) for 20 minutes.

Get a gear out and set it on something like a very large socket so that the center hole is open thru the middle, but the edges are supported. Quickly get one of the cams and place it in the gear. It will likely drop right in, but may require a very light tap.

***Be sure to put the front gear on the front cam, with the alignment dot facing the cam lobes***

Let the mated pair sit at room temp for about another 20 minutes and viola... gears are on.

You can repeat this process to get the bearings on the cams and to get the whole assemblies in the camplate too, if you don;t have a press and the alignment jigs

 

Tater,

I took mine to a local garage that had a press and they pressed them on for me....


Jer

 

Hey PhilM
You forgot about applying JB weld.
GlennsGlide

 

Thanks, fellas. I've got access to several presses at work, so that's not an issue, but like Phil said when I press the gears/keys on the camshafts they have to be straight. I haven't seen a fixture that would do that, so I've been a little puzzled as to how to do it without screwing up the works.

I did think about the freezer/oven method and was hoping that would do it, so Phil your instructions are right on. I'm getting tools to press everything else in place, but will use the shrinking/expanding method for the gears/cams/keys.

One last question -- how tight should the keys be after I clean them up with emory cloth, just snug? And, I assume the flat part of the key will rest in the camshaft slot, right? Not sure why the cams have rounded keys and the outer gear has a square key, but whatever.

Oh yeah, Glenn, don't worry, I've got plenty of JB Weld to fix things if it comes to that. Might have a hard time getting her up in rpm, but she'll stay together for sure.

 

I gently tap them into place with a tiny ball peen hammer.

 

One trick that helps, once you get the gear lined up and fairly straight, start pressing it on. After the press presses it anout a 1/16 to 1/8" release the pressure on the press. Repeat a couple of times. Releasing the pressure on the press allows the part (gear) to straighten so if your "slightly" cocked it will pretty much self align.

It's a fairly common practice on bearings, races, shafts....

 

PhilM is right on.

As I remember, the camshaft keys are half-moon. The rounded portion goes into the "shaft" - shaft slot should be rounded as well. The flat portion goes onto the actual geat slot.

Note: Using the oven / freeze method the gears should drop right on - BE SURE to seat the gear against the camshaft shoulder like Phil said (need to do this while still hot). After cooled off, watch that the key won't hit the retaining plate - the end of the key can stick out just a tad.

 

I did have to use some very fine paper to hand fit those woodruff keys in place in their respective slots - they were just too thick to fit in the slots - was afraid of causing damage by forcing them in - eventually, by some careful fitting with the help of some either 400 or 600 wet-dry paper, they fit just right.

 

Man, this place is great. Where else can you ask a question like this and get the answers you need within a few hours?

Thanks everyone for all the good info. Just what I needed.