Removing cams

I am in the process of adjusting my valve clearances and I have decided to remove the cams since 6 out of the 8 valves are way out of spec.

How do I remove the cams and replace them without messing up anything?

Also while I am in there I want to see if the cams are in good condition. what am I looking for? what do I need to measure?

 

Not a good Idea ... just to do the shims.
Once you remove the Cams you'll let the Cam Chain Tensioner IN.
You'll have to remove it to reset it and probably remove the Carbs to get it on right.

Too labor intensive.
If you know what Shims are going where ...
Loosen the Cam Bearings to lift the cams BUT don't let them get out of the Journals.
Change one side.
Keep the Bolts of the Bridges loose but not out.
Push down the side you did and life the opposite side.
Change those.

If you take the Cams out you have to retime the engine and reset the Cam Chain Tensioner.
That's an couple of hours of wrenching you dont need to do if you can borrow the tool ... or,...
Just lift the cams out of the way just enough to swap the shims out.

 

I dont know what shims are in there, So this means I am going to have to pull each shim twice right?

Once to check the size then put it back to rotate the engine and then go to the next one and so on.

You cant rotate the engine without a shim in the bucket can you?

 

This is the trouble for not knowing what shims are in there. It's a PITA to do the first time through because you need to know what shim is in each bucket.

THEN, you write them with the clearance value.

What I mean to emphasize is the care you need to exercise when you do a Cam Lift to adjust the Shims.

Without the Tool for holding down the Bucket ... which I have and will loan to you ... you get into the territory thats a Danger Zone.

That pesky Cam Chain Tensioner is just waiting for you to move the Cam far enough for it to extend and pick-up slack.
If it does, you have to remove it to reset it.
Its under the Carbs.
You need to regasket.
The darned has two springs that expand it.

I did a Cam Lift and had the Tensioner collect the slack.
I managed to remove the Tensioner and clean-up ... make a new gasket ... get it sealed and put the Body back on.

Getting the Springs compressed and refitting the Hex-end is a nightmare.
After aborting several attempts because working trying to start the Hex against a severe spring-load was near impossible ...

I took the Hex-end
Center Punched it.
Drilled a "Dimple" into the center of the Hex ... just enough relief to keep the end of a Phillips Screwdriver centered without it running-out.

I positioned the Hex and the Screwdriver.
Took up the slack of the preload.
And had an assistant start the Hex-end into the Body of the Tensioner while I pushed the Phillips Screwdriver against the Hex to apply force against the dual-spring pre-load.

With the Hex dimpled and the screwdriver having the detent to remain centered ... the stunt worked and the assistant got the Hex-end started into the end of the Tensioner.

There was swearing and hair-pulling and cursing and spitting in the eye of the Devil ... but, we pulled it off without having to remove the Carbs.