DIY Network

Civic Cam Upgrade: Cam Removal and Valve Spring Replacement Performance Cam Shaft and Cam Gears, Part 2 of 4 From "Tricked Out" episode DTRK-312

The project car, a 1992 Honda Civic hatchback, gets an upgraded cam shaft and adjustable cam gears for a serious power boost.

In this project, Tricked Out host Andrew Totolos performs a cam swap on a Honda Civic hatchback. In this second phase of the project, after removing the valve cover and distributor, Andrew continues the camshaft swap by removing the old cams and installing new valve springs.

Materials/tools used in this phase of the project:

valve springs with retainers and locks
rubber mallet
piece of cardboard
valve spring compressor
air-tool adapter
leak-down tester
assembly lubricant
clean rags/paper towels

Safety Alert: Always wear eye protection and ear protection, and follow proper safety precautions, when working with power tools or pneumatic tools. Also wear eye protection any time you are working underneath a vehicle.

Safety Alert: As a standard safety precaution, always disconnect the vehicle's negative battery cable before you begin work on any electrical or mechanical components.

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	Figure A
	Figure B

Removing the Camshafts

• Mark the timing belt at top dead center on the crankshaft and at the up marks on the cam gears.

• Loosen the tensioner on the timing belt so the timing belt can slide off the cam gears. The timing belt tensioner is down on the front of the engine. You'll have to loosen the locking bolts in the center to loosen the belt.

• After the tensioner is released, you can slide the timing belt off of the cam gears (figure A), allowing you to remove the cams.

• Loosen the cam caps (figure B) by working in a cross pattern from the middle out.

• Important: All of the valve train parts including the bolts need to be replaced in the exact position they were removed from, so loosen the bolts until they are free to come out, but leave them in the caps so you can keep the matching parts together.
  

• When all of the cam cap bolts are free, use a rubber mallet to lightly tap them loose. Stick them into a piece of cardboard to keep their order outside of the car (figure C).

• Once all of the cam caps are removed and laid out nicely on the cardboard, you can lift the camshaft out (figure D).

• Repeat the process for the other side.

Figure C

Figure D

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