318 LA cam gear

[Dusted73]

Any advice on getting the cam gear out on a 318 LA? I used a T bar with a hook on it and got it almost all the way to the top of the hole but it must be all gummed up inside and the shaft must still be engaged into the oil pump. I'm trying to pull it to prime my oil pump because I have no idea the last time my engine ran or if it does.

 

[cudamark]

Oh, you're talking about the distributor/oil pump drive, right? I use a wooden dowel trimmed at the end so that I can drive it tight into the slot. Then I work it up and down (sometimes with a little WD40) until it comes out.

 

[tonysrt]

Put a big flat screwdriver in it and turn it counter clock wise. Opposite direction of distributor.

 

[cudamark]

Sounds like he already got it up above the cam gear and that it's the last little bit to get it out of the hole, that's the problem. Just oil residue deposit on the shaft keeping it from coming out all the way. WD40, carb cleaner, or similar can help dissolve the deposit on the shaft and allow it come out.

 

[Dusted73]

Put a big flat screwdriver in it and turn it counter clock wise. Opposite direction of distributor.

I did that, even had a wrench on the shank of the screwdriver, it came up to about 2" of being flush with the top of the hole and wouldn't come up anymore because I had nothing to pull up on it with and the shaft felt like it was still engaged in the oil pump and just wouldn't go.

 

[Dusted73]

Sounds like he already got it up above the cam gear and that it's the last little bit to get it out of the hole, that's the problem. Just oil residue deposit on the shaft keeping it from coming out all the way. WD40, carb cleaner, or similar can help dissolve the deposit on the shaft and allow it come out.

 

[Dusted73]

Sounds like he already got it up above the cam gear and that it's the last little bit to get it out of the hole, that's the problem. Just oil residue deposit on the shaft keeping it from coming out all the way. WD40, carb cleaner, or similar can help dissolve the deposit on the shaft and allow it come out.

I will try wd40 and see if that will do the trick, it's being a real PITA. When I do get it out do I run my oil pump CW or CCW with my priming tool on a drill?

 

[cudamark]

Same way as the distributor rotation.....clockwise on a small block. I'd recommend putting a live oil pressure gauge on it while you spin the pump. That way you can tell if it's building pressure.

 

[Dusted73]

Sounds like he already got it up above the cam gear and that it's the last little bit to get it out of the hole, that's the problem. Just oil residue deposit on the shaft keeping it from coming out all the way. WD40, carb cleaner, or similar can help dissolve the deposit on the shaft and allow it come out.

Won't WD40 or carb and choke cleaner mess up the oil viscosity? I just dumped 5 quarts of break in oil in the engine, should I drain it and recover the oil before trying to spray carb and choke cleaner on the shaft? This is my first project I've ever gotten this deep into.

 

[cudamark]

Won't WD40 or carb and choke cleaner mess up the oil viscosity? I just dumped 5 quarts of break in oil in the engine, should I drain it and recover the oil before trying to spray carb and choke cleaner on the shaft? This is my first project I've ever gotten this deep into.

Break-in oil on a used engine? You're only going to spray a small amount of WD40, not drown the thing in it. Same goes with the carb cleaner, but, it will evaporate pretty quickly. Nothing to worry about IMO. You're going to want to change that oil soon after you get it running anyway.

 

[pishta]

I had a set of /6 lifters that were the same way, all 12 were locked in from 50 years of varnish. just kept working them up and down and turning them when I could. you have a very close tolerance bushing and it doesnt like old varnish. Id not worry about it, just get 'er done and crank it with a oil pressure gauge. Make sure you got the oil pressure port plugged with a gauge or sender prior to priming/starting. It WILL shoot a guyser of oil when pressurized.

 

[tonysrt]

As a last resort remove oil pump and with a long 1/4" rod push it out. Another way is a small 3 jaw puller and get underneath gear and pull up with the puller to give you something to pull up with.

 

[cudamark]

I've never seem a 3 jaw puller that would fit inside that small hole and reach around the gear. Even if one could be found, what is the puller going to push against? You still would end up with something that you would just have to pull on with your hand. I've never had one that wouldn't come out with the dowel and WD40 method, and I've pulled hundreds. Just work the dowel up and down like a plunger while you squirt some WD40 on the shaft.

 

[Dusted73]

Break-in oil on a used engine? You're only going to spray a small amount of WD40, not drown the thing in it. Same goes with the carb cleaner, but, it will evaporate pretty quickly. Nothing to worry about IMO. You're going to want to change that oil soon after you get it running anyway.

That's the plan, I'm not sure if the previous owner installed a new cam and lifters so im just covering my ***, it has different heads on it so better safe then sorry.

 

[AJ/FormS]

up and down, spin it all around, the shank is varnished up; I have seen lots of those. Upward pressure with a hook tool and simultaneously spinning or back and forth rotating.
One time I hooked a coat-hanger loop under it and wrapped it around the shank, then back and forth with upward pressure; that was a hard one, but I won in the end.