Re: Removing Valve Covers and Installing Cobra Cams - A Complete How To With Pics
 

What strut brace do you have that clears the JLT RAI?

Re: Removing Valve Covers and Installing Cobra Cams - A Complete How To With Pics
 

I made that entire intake, its a replica JLT RAI out of ABS plastic and a 90mm MAF, still uses a 3" diameter tube.

Running the steeda 3 point.

Re: Removing Valve Covers and Installing Cobra Cams - A Complete How To With Pics
 

which "little fittings" are you talking about? the orange pads the chains ride on?

Re: Removing Valve Covers and Installing Cobra Cams - A Complete How To With Pics
 

The orange pads have two nipple fittings. If you feel underneath or look with a mirror the tabs fit into tabs on the metal. There are two, and I broke the one closest to the intake manifold on each side.

Re: Removing Valve Covers and Installing Cobra Cams - A Complete How To With Pics
 

oh, so you had to replace the chain pads? how much are those at the dealership?

Re: Removing Valve Covers and Installing Cobra Cams - A Complete How To With Pics
 

subscribing...

Re: Removing Valve Covers and Installing Cobra Cams - A Complete How To With Pics
 

I wonder if you can tilt the engine enough if you have longtubes on ?

Re: Removing Valve Covers and Installing Cobra Cams - A Complete How To With Pics
 

Did this by dealing with the brake booster. What a pain in the ***. Did you use just a socket on the motor mount nuts? Doesnt seem like theres enough room

Re: Removing Valve Covers and Installing Cobra Cams - A Complete How To With Pics
 

There is a hole in the k member a arm area right above the nut for the motor mounts that let you stick a socket inside and use a ratchet ;)

However, I broke the cam timing sprocket cause the keyways are different. Dam it! Now again I am waiting for another part. Turning out to be a week long project.

Re: Removing Valve Covers and Installing Cobra Cams - A Complete How To With Pics
 

That's how I did it too. Seems like it would be MUCH easier to just life the engine. Live and learn.

Re: Removing Valve Covers and Installing Cobra Cams - A Complete How To With Pics
 

So, to add another complication. The keyways on the 96-97 cobra intake cams are different than the 98-04 dohc intake cams. So, since I have 96 cobra cams, the keyways are different. I didn't know, went to torque it down, the keyway bound up and broke the secondary cam gear. WTF!

According to Ford parts online, the secondary cam gears for the 96-97 cobra intake cams have been discontinued.

So now I have to grind the keyways down on the cams so they fit. Thanks for letting me know before hand all the Cobra cam gurus! I started this project last Friday. So looking like it is going to take a week to finish since i had to wait on cam bolts which were different, and now the cam secondary gears. ARGGHH

Re: Removing Valve Covers and Installing Cobra Cams - A Complete How To With Pics
 

sorry bud, at least you are learning more about a mod motor!

Re: Removing Valve Covers and Installing Cobra Cams - A Complete How To With Pics
 

Yea I saw those bolts while I was detailing underneath but was too lazy to go grab a socket to see if it would fit:)
Mines turning into much longer than a weekend deal. Trying to track down a tick/knocking sound.

Re: Removing Valve Covers and Installing Cobra Cams - A Complete How To With Pics
 

there was a WHOLE thread about this issue, thats why people were buying the adjustable cloyes gears.

Re: Removing Valve Covers and Installing Cobra Cams - A Complete How To With Pics
 

Of course you could have just used the 01 Cobra cams that would have dropped in... gears,bolts ,keys and all . Ok, a little less lift and duration but since you werent degreeing the cams anyway only about a 5 hp loss from the 96-98 cams.:3:

Re: Removing Valve Covers and Installing Cobra Cams - A Complete How To With Pics
 

No one mentioned it when I started this thread. Oh well. And I saw that thread, but his showed the little metal key as a separate piece, and mine didn't have that when I bought them, so I figured mine were okay. It didn't say all 96 and 97 cams won't fit. I'm no Ford parts expert.

Live and learn I guess. I'll just keep bumping this thread till they sticky it, so the next guy doesn't have to deal with the issues.

Re: Removing Valve Covers and Installing Cobra Cams - A Complete How To With Pics
 

Thanks for starting this thread and keeping us informed. It inspired me to do a few things I have been wanting to do....cams and some powdercoating. Got my passenger side valve cover off yesterday, dreading the driver side.

Re: Removing Valve Covers and Installing Cobra Cams - A Complete How To With Pics
 

Well, I got everything put back together, and she is running fine. I didn't slip a tooth in the timing, and it started without blowing up, haha so I'm happy.

It is pulling stronger than ever! Love how it runs now. Can't wait to get er on the dyno, and hit the drags.

Thanks to everyone who helped.

Re: Removing Valve Covers and Installing Cobra Cams - A Complete How To With Pics
 

I recommend putting a block of wood between the oil pan and K member when you life the engine, even one between the motor mount and k member. That way in case your block of wood proping up the engine fails, your not going to lose a limb. It takes some wiggling skill, but with the engine titled, it comes out as easy as the passenger side.

There is also a sensor on the master cyclinder. Take that off, If its really tight, cut the wire clamp in front of the drivers side shock tower to get more room.

Also, I took off the bracket and white jug in front of the drivers side cover. I think its the power steering fluid container.

Re: Removing Valve Covers and Installing Cobra Cams - A Complete How To With Pics
 

One thing that will save others time an money, you don't have to buy valve cover gaskets as long as the stock ones didn't get ripped in half coming out you can reuse them, also the cam bolts you can get from ford for $10 each and you can reuse the stock washers. I recommend just ordering the Cloyes gears if you can swing it, because if your like me you'll throw them in dot to dot and 2 months down the road wonder if you'll pick up power by degreeing and advancing them. Mach828, this is a great write up the we all will learn to love you for this so we dont have to see a 96-98 cobra cam install thread again.lol

I'm going to try to degree my cams in a few months I'll try to get good write up with pics for that ad well.

Re: Removing Valve Covers and Installing Cobra Cams - A Complete How To With Pics
 

Thanks for the advice, will definately do that. Hopefully I can get some time in a few days to get the drivers side valve cover and the timing cover off. Cams should be here in about 2-3 weeks...bout the time I get my covers back from powdercoat.

Re: Removing Valve Covers and Installing Cobra Cams - A Complete How To With Pics
 

NP. Once it clears the brake booster, lower the engine back down a few inches, and then its easier to pull it out completely. Same process on the reinstall. What cams are you putting in?

Re: Removing Valve Covers and Installing Cobra Cams - A Complete How To With Pics
 

A set of custom grind comps, but just the intake cams. Was thinking about the cobra cams, but most were going for around 200 shipped. I got these for 590 shipped and they have 220 degrees duration. Should give me a nice idle and hoping they make my power curve a lil nicer to.

Re: Removing Valve Covers and Installing Cobra Cams - A Complete How To With Pics
 

So where are the pics of the painted covers back on the car???

Re: Removing Valve Covers and Installing Cobra Cams - A Complete How To With Pics
 

Here are the valve covers. Went with old Ford Blue and red tops. I like em.

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x..._enginebay.jpg