If I put a new head on my volvo can I still use the same old cams ? I ordered a new reworked head and they are telling me that I have to use the cams that come with it because of the backlash adjustment ? I dont want to have to remove my old cam gears and put them on the new head because I dont want to remove old cam gears and put on new cams ?

 

Yes.

10char

 

Yes I can use my old cams and gears in the new reworked head ? Whats he talking about backlash ? I see no adjustments on these heads.. No way to adjust valves or anything ? I see the three holes for the cams are oval shaped so even if i mount the gear right I can still be off. My old cams look perfect I just wanted to make sure I could put the old cams in the new head without any issues.

 

They're hydraulic lifters, so I have no idea what he's talking about. The head is a 2-piece head, uses the top as the bearing caps. If anything, maybe take a micrometer to the cams and measure the bearing journals to make sure they're close enough, which they will be unless the cams are scored to hell and back, which you said they are not.

 

Yeah I looked at that.. its not like a rocker arm pushrod motor where you could adjust them.. its just the valve and hyd lifter.. thats it.. cams look perfect so no idea what he is talking about he said that the lashing is adjust to the cam ? whatever im gonna run the old cams thanks for the help ! Think I need a book to put this back together ? I know all the torque specs and the order to tighten the head bolts... and the way to time it.

 

If you have the timing procedure, the head bolt torque specs and procedure, and a way to put the cam cap/top half of the head back on, you should be fine.

 

wait, what engine is this? 260's, 760s, and 960's all have (COMPLETELY) different 6 cyl engines.

 

Its a volvo 960 1995

 

That uses two different camshafts. Per my parts listings, Volvo PN 1275129 for intake, and 1275130 for exhaust. Unluckily, Volvo's parts thingie doesn't crossreference all usages of a given part like BMW's does. However, I looked at a 92 and 94 960 and they used 3531901 and 3531900. looks like 95 is the switchover year, the final year V90 used the same PNs as yours.

those engines, the valve covers double as the camshaft bearing caps, and they are a royal **** to install right. you have to get sealant on all the sealant surfaces and oil on the camshaft journals, and never the two can touch. and they are right next to each other, 7 journals times two cams.

 

I wouldn't. The cams have worn themselves to the cam journals/caps. If you change them, they will have to wear again. Don't switch them. Keep the cams with the heads they came in.

 

My problem is that I dont want to remove the old cam gears and put them on the new cams. I have no way of doing this. I know there is only one of three ways to put the gear back on the cam which isnt the hard part. The hard part is that the three holes are oval and I have no way of putting these back on the right way. My cams like like they have no wear at all.. The lobs are perfect and so arent where they sit.

 

I would not worry about the oval holes on the cam gears. From the factory those bolts should be centered in the ovals, but when I changed mine over, I spray paint the bolts on the gears before removal so I could line them up exactly as they were. But I know if individually that have played with that positioning trying to get a little more out of the engine. Not sure if those couple of degrees are going to make a difference though. You certainly won't be damaging anything, just center them like my rebuild book says.

DanR

 

:shrug. I still say if it's a hydraulic lifter motor like my '95 960 is, just use the better of the 2 cams. They say the same thing about keeping cams with the original trays in the BMW world too, and we've mixed and matched those till the cows come home and it never causes any problems.