Hello all. I am looking for insight in installing the VX Cam I just bought (used) with the IPD adjustable gear. Is there anything that I should look out for and/or are there any shortcuts? The belts and t-belt on the engine are fairly new, so do I need to do all that too, or?

And with the used cam do I need to have a special break-in schedule?

Thanks for your input.

Stefan

You may be able to reuse one or more of the 8 shims.

The technique is to measure all the valve clearances, remove the cam, remove and measure the shims, keeping them tracked to each tappet.

You may be able to shuffle the shims among tappets to get the correct clearance and thus minimize the number of new shims you have to use.

I understand there are neoprene or other synthetic rubber O-rings or somesuch underneath the shims....now would be a good time to replace them.

I would lubricate the top of each shim with a little dab of Lubriplate as well as the cam lobes and cam journals. Put everything back together (don't bother to remeasure clearances, the O-rings will tighten everything up and give you tight readings anyway...just don't make gross errors!) and start it up and run it at around 2000 rpm for twenty minutes and shut it down and let oil drain for 10 minutes or so and remeasure valve clearances if you're anal about it.

There is a cam setting tool from Volvo but I think you could set the cam using the journals alone, but check into that. I used the tool. I would set the cam and tighten, then measure all clearances. Then I would remove the cam and replace all the shims with the correctly sized ones and replace the cam, oiling the journals well. Then recheck all clearances. Do not be tempted to run the car without checking valve clearances. Permatex the front journal cap ends with the proper stuff, hardening(?). Check all torques and tightening order with Bentley or Volvo manual.

If the T-belt has 20K or less, I would reuse it.

Aack! you mean to say that I can't just slop the cam in and floor it? man what a bummer!

I don't have the volvo or bentley manual, so I might just stop by Borton here and get that info... unless there is some way to get it onlne here.

Well, I guess I need to look into this a little more seriously than i initally thought, so I don't screw it up. I did a cam once in a Oldsmobile V8, you just pull the old one, pull the lifters, install the new stuff with the lube goo, and break it in!

Thanks for any more input.

Stefan