Super 55 camshaft removal

Starting a new thread for my Super 55 diesel rebuild, I couldn't get oil pressure but I found the problem-[b:47f25b9f8b] I forgot[/b:47f25b9f8b] to install the 3 oil gallery plugs behind the camshaft timing gear. A search of my garage reveled a Ziploc bag with the 3 plugs, I took the engine apart more than a decade ago, assembled it several years ago between multiple hospitalizations for a serious medical problem so I am not surprised that I forgot them.

Moving on, I had to remove the cam gear to install the plugs and now I can't get it back on the cam. Gear, key and cam are very clean and undamaged. Several tries with a heated gear always fails to get it more than 1/3 of the way on to the cam. The gear teeth are meshed with the crank gear in the right spot and not binding. I need to remove the cam and press the gear on but I can't get the cam out as it hits something solid after moving forward about 1/8"-3/16". Fuel and oil pumps are out and the cam lobes are still on their respective lifters. I suspected the oil pump drive gear or the fuel pump lobe hitting the next lifter but that doesn't seem to be happening.

Any tips on the best procedure to get the cam out? Also how to [b:47f25b9f8b]hold the lifters up[/b:47f25b9f8b] in their bores to let the cam pass by. Trying to avoid taking the tractor back apart and putting the engine on a stand and rotating it upside down.

Mike

For holding the lifters up, I use the extendable pencil magnets. You will need 8 of them for your 4 cylinder but they are cheap. Put them down the bore, pull the lifter up and slide the magnet to the side against the bore and the magnet will hold the lifter there. Works slick. Just don't loose the lifter when the cam is out as it will drop down into the crankcase and you will have to do more disassembly.

Thanks ABD-la, I tried your suggestion and it worked great, the cam is now out. The lifters definitely have to be pulled up as far as possible to clear the bearing journals on the camshaft. I found some magnets at Autozone (#az3234) for only $1.99 each so it wasn't too painful. I had one lifter that kept sliding back down so I pulled it up then put an alligator clip on the magnet's wand where it came out the top of the head to hold it up.

thanks again
mike

Good to hear. Did you get the gear pressed onto the camshaft? Too bad it wouldn't go without pulling it out. Good luck on reassembly. I just love to hear one run after you get it all put back together. Makes me smile!

p.s. As a precaution, if the camshaft is going to be out any length of time, it might be wise to slide a dowel or something into the camshaft bore under the lifters to catch an escapee in case a magnet got bumped.

The oil pan is off so any that slide out will just land on some cardboard under the engine. Pressing the gear the rest of the way on and reinstalling the cam is today's project.

I ran the engine for about 15 seconds when I was waiting for some oil pressure. The exhaust manifold was not installed and Ollie sounded funny, almost a popping sound like an old John Deere. Even that sounded good as it hasn't run in 15 years after a energy cell nozzle clogged and a piston, rod and head were destroyed. I have owned it since 1990.