Cam Install =
Author unknown.
PART 1.
This article is for informational purposes only. I do not accept responcibility for you blowing your crap up.
Ok, here is my write up on how to swap a camshaft in an L67 engine The L67 comes on the following cars: 1996 Pontiac Bonneville SSE, 1997+ Pontiac Bonneville SSEi, 1997+ Pontiac Grand Prix GTP, 1997+ Buick Regal GS, 1997+ Buick Park Avenue Ultra, and the 1996+ Buick Riviera STD. This write up is how to swap a camshaft as it is in the 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP. Your car may be different, but if it's a 1998 Grand Prix GTP, then it should be just like this.
DISCLAIMER! I NOT responsible for anything you may do to your engine by following these instructions. These instructions worked for me, but you should have some knowledge of engines and mechanics before you tear yours apart. You have been warned!
Parts you will need:
Valve cover gaskets (P/N 24503937)
Supercharger gasket (P/N 24503911)
Throttle body gasket (P/N 24503648)
Intake manifold gasket set (P/N 12480880 OR P/N 12538689 depending on when your car was made)
O-Seals for supercharger (P/N 24501563)
Engine front cover gasket (P/N 24502252)
Timing chain dampener (P/N 24503893) (Optional but if your engine has high miles, it is strongly recomended)
Timing chain (P/N 24504668) (Optional but if your engine has high miles it is strongly recomended)
Rocker arm bolts (P/N 24503215) (Optional but if your engine has high miles, it might be a good idea)
Intake valve seals (P/N 88891774) (If replacing valve springs)
Exhaust valve seals (P/N 88891775) (If replacing valve springs)
Crank pulley bolt (P/N 24504736) (Not needed, but for completeness and added safety, I've added it here)
Cam sprocket bolt (P/N 24501366) (Not needed, but for completeness and added safety, I've added it here)
Valve springs and retainers (available from ZZPerformance or INTENSE Racing)
GM Assembly Lube (P/N 1052367)
Engine oil and filter (whatever kind you like to run; ~ 5 quarts)
Dex-Cool coolant or equivalent (2 jugs).
Note that the part number for the timing chain is for a stock GM part. INTENSE Racing makes a stronger timing chain set that is available for about $200 (prices may vary).
Also, stronger springs and retainers are necessarily if you install a relatively mild camshaft. However, as your engine gets more miles and if you install a more agressive camshaft, you may want to get tougher springs for added safety. Remember, it's better to be safe than sorry so if in doubt, buy springs.
J-Tools you will need:
Fuel line separator (J-41769-1 and J-41769-2)
Spark Plug Port Adapter (J-23590)*
Valve Spring Compressor (J-38606)*
Crankshaft dampener puller (J-38197-2)
Torque Angle Meter (J-36660-A (GM) OR SNAP-ON) (Optional)
*Only if replacing the valve springs and/or retainers.
The torque specifications that you will need while working on this project are listed as needed below. However, if you find that you are in need of any others, you can head to the Torque Specifications Page to find whatever else you may be looking for.
The same applies for fluid specifications but if you need any additional specs, you can head on over to the Fluid and Lubrication Recommendations page.
1
Regular L67
First, disconnect the negative battery terminal. You will be disconnecting the alternator, and it's always a good idea to disconnect the battery when doing a big job like this.
Now you should go ahead and drain the coolant out of the engine. This can be difficult. There is a small drain plug on the bottome of the radiator on the drivers side. It was green on my car. It can be very hard to turn. I had to fight with it for a while before it decided to cooperate. It does NOT come out all the way; it simply comes out part of the way and makes room for the coolant to pour out.
Go ahead and take the intake and throttle body off. There are various ways to get the intake off (especially if you have an aftermarket intake) but for the most part, you simple pull the F-Duct off of the throttle body. Then, unplug the IAT sensor (located on top of the F-Duct). I'm sure you can figure out the rest of getting the intake off, so I'll leave that to you.
Remove the throttle body. First, remove all the various plugs and sensors that are attached to it. The throttle body itself is held on with three nuts. The first one is directly on top of the throttle body. The other two are at the corners. The throttle body is shaped somewhat like a triangle with a nut on each corner. Remove these nuts and slide the TB off the studs that come off the supercharger. There is a gasket that you will also have to remove with the TB.
2
Throttle body
Ok, we must remove the fuel rails. This is most easily done using a J-Tool (J-41769-1 and J-41769-2). These J-Tools (which are special GM tools) allow you to separate the fuel rails from the actual fuel lines. First, hold the fuel line up against the fuel rail. Install the tool around the fuel rail, then push the tool under the fuel line to release the barb hooks. Then pull the fuel line off the fuel rail. A little fuel may spray out when you unhook them. This is normal so don't worry.
If you don't have those tools, the fuel rails can be removed using a small flat-head screw driver though this is much tougher. You have to unhook the barbs that hold the fuel rails together by pushing the screwdriver in against them while you gently hold back on the line itself. Once you get the four barbs unhooked, you can slide the fuel rail apart. It can be difficult but it's very possible to do.
Now we need to remove the connections for the injectors. Locate the silver hook at the end of the connector. Push in on the hook and gently pull the connector off each injector.
3
Fuel line separator J-Tool (J-41769-1 and J-41769-2)
The fuel rails are held in place by six bolts. These bolts are easy to find and are located along the sides of the supercharger. Take these bolts off.
Disconnect and/or push aside all the wiring that is on top of the engine. For some reason, GM decided to put all the wiring for everything directly on top of the engine. Disconnecting it isn't hard, but very time consuming. Make sure everything gets disconnected that could get in your way. You will probably have to pull some of the spark plug wires out of the coil pack that is on the passenger's side of the engine compartment, near the front. These wires will get in your way if you don't do this.
After everything is disconnected, there is a large bolt on top of the supercharger that holds the fuel rails down. This bolt also acts as a stud for the engine cover's nut. Take this out and remove the fuel rails. You may have to get violent with them to get them out. The official instructions from GM say to remove the boost bypass valve, but I did not need to do this. I suggest that you only remove it if you have to. Every car is different so it's possible that you may have to remove the bypass valve to get the blower off.
Whew! Now it's time to remove the supercharger. Make sure you remove the supercharger belt first thing. Also remove all the vacuum lines to the supercharger. You may have removed these when taking off the fuel rails, since they tend to get in the way. Now, there are several bolts along side of the supercharger that bolt it to the intake manifold. Remove all these bolts. Keep track of which ones go where as some of these are longer and some of them have threads on top which held the fuel rails on.
After all the bolts are off, pull the supercharger off. Again, you may have to tug pretty hard with it to get it off. (CAUTION: Keep the blower horizontal unless you have drained the oil out of it as it may leak out of the breather nut)
