Proper cam installation and timing in modular heads
Attention - use the following information at your own risk!
Moudularheadshop is not responsible for any errors and/or problems encountered if you use this technique.
This is the finished picture of where your
cams need to be with a 4.6 2V. The 5.4 2V will be slightly
different with how the chains line up on the cam sprockets but the
steps required are the same.
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There are 2 ways to install a cam into these
heads. One is by installing the cam only first then prying the
rockers in. The other way is the way I prefer and that is to
install the rockers and lifters first, then install the cam by
evenly tightening the cam towers down. This is easily done
with the heads installed on the motor. Best thing is this way
you will never bend the top of the valve (which means the head has
to come back off) The first step is to rotate the crank to where the keyway is 90 degrees to the passenger side as shown in the 2 photos below. At this location all pistons are down in the bore far enough that you can rotate the cams to your hearts content and the valves will never touch the pistons.
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| Another view of crank at safe spot: |
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This is what the passenger side pistons will look like: |
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| This is what the drivers side pistons will look like: |
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| Now install the lifters and lube them on their outside, lube the tops of the valves and tops of the lifters, and lube the cam journals in the head as shown below. We are using Clevite Bearing Guard red engine assembly lube here but any good assembly lube will suffice. (A step I like to do with new heads since they have no oil in the galley is to pour some engine oil into the lifter bores before installing the lifters) |
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| Lay the cam in place and lube the top of the journals as below: |
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| Now install the can towers and evenly tighten the bolts alternating back and forth between the bolts to draw the cam down evenly. Torque to the factory spec once all bolts are seated. Now rotate the cam a few times to ensure that the lifters are all working properly. You can use a 3/8" socket extension in the end of the Windsor cams to rotate them. Once you have done that a few times and know everything is good drop some lube on top of the cam lobes and rotate some more to distribute. |
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| Next step is to install the timing chains and time the cams. First step we want to mark the timing chains. Here you lay the chains out end to end with the 2 endlinks up and down and the rest in a line like in the picture below. Take some whiteout or other marking compound and mark as below:
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| Now you do the drivers head first. Install the chain so that the mark matches the mark on the cam gear, then rotate the cam slightly to line up the mark on the crank gear. NOTE - You see the timing mark is about 180 degrees out from the raised metal of the gear. If you time the motor to that raised metal it will not run (ask me how I know) This is a common mistake that even I have made myself. Thankfully at 180 out you did not bend any valves and can fix this mistake easily if done.
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And this is how the chain will look on the crank gear:
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The tensioner needs to be compressed and you can insert a metal pin or similar tool to lock it in place as shown in the photo below We only use the cast iron gears at this shop, the plastic ones all head to the junk pile!
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| And the tensioner installed, at this point stick a pointed object behind the flat ratchet device that is pushing towards the curved arm and push it into the arm. In this picture it is on the left side of the upside down "L" and between the tensioner and curved arm (you can't really see it well in this photo but its there)
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| Once the drivers head is done repeat the same steps for the passenger head.
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| And the finished motor again.
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