Blew a darn head gasket.. What in the world are cam carriers

[cedgtp24]

I read a lot of posts and it states that when removing a head that you would have to remove the cam carries. Cam I remove the cam heads without removing the cam carriers. I have a 4.6 T-Bird with SOHC and I didnt have to remove any cam carriers nor had the cams fall all over the floor when I removed the heads. Someone break this cam carrier thing down for me. Picks would be good if any are handy.

[grandprixgtp_91]

RE: Blew a darn head gasket.. What in the world are cam carr

on the 3.4L DOHC on top of the heads there are cam carriers, instead of just bolting the cams down onto the heads like most companys they made a special holder for them, most people get confused and think that the cam carriers are the heads. so you have to take off your timing belt , and then the cam covers and unbolt the carrier, then you can unbolt the heads once the carrier is removed. the 3.4L DOHC is a very tall engine due to the cam carriers. i can type you up a walkthrough on changing the head gaskets on your 3.4L DOHC if you want ive done tons of them. just pm me.

Jake

[5speedz34]

RE: Blew a darn head gasket.. What in the world are cam carr

Hopefully this helps.

[dohcfiend]

RE: Blew a darn head gasket.. What in the world are cam carr

i think what peeps were referring to were lifters. they go all over the place when you pull the carriers.

[JJ77]

That pic really shows how big the heads on the LQ-1 really are

[pbender]

Re: RE: Blew a darn head gasket.. What in the world are cam

i think what peeps were referring to were lifters. they go all over the place when you pull the carriers.

Speaking of this.... does anyone know how to keep the lifters in the cam carrier when removing and installing them?

The Haynes manual talks about using pieces of fuel line hose to keep things in place, but, I can't see how to do it (and there are no illustrations). they say the fuel line pieces go under the camshafts and between the lifters. The next step they list says to pull the cam carrier bolts, and then lift the cam carrier from the head.

In case your interested, I'm getting ready to pull the cam carriers on my '93 Cutlass to fix what appears to be a bad component in the valve train, and I'm almost to the point where I'm going to need to pull the cam carriers off (This has been a slow project... I started pulling the car apart in November, and I'm just now to the point where the timing belt can come off. With as much time as I have to work on it (i.e. almost none) I might actually finish by the time all the snow melts in the spring...)...

Paul

[93luminaz34]

RE: Re: RE: Blew a darn head gasket.. What in the world are

When I removed the cam carriers I had a partner remove the lifters as I carefully tilted the cam carrier one way then the other. Before installing the cam carriers, I gave the lifters a very light coat of grease and then slid them into the cam carrier. The grease is enough to hold them in when you install the cam carrier.

[bud36light]

RE: Re: RE: Blew a darn head gasket.. What in the world are

nor had the cams fall all over the floor when I removed the heads.

Oh boy,Ive not talked to anyone who has been able to do the Haynes way. The best way I have found when removing the cam carrier is to stuff a buch of towells all around the parting line of the head/cc. Then have at least one buddie if not two ready to start grabbing for lifters when you SLOWLY pull the cc. HaHa, I member the first time I did this. We looked for lifters on the garage floor for about twenty minutes. Those suckers roll EVERYWHERE! And the grease thing works pretty good to btw.