More Drag Pak information that you won't find anywhere else...

There is still a lot of Secret Squirrel Information about the Drag Pak in general, and our car in particular, that will be withheld, until I decide that we are either done racing, or just don't care anymore.

So don't expect to see that very special stuff here soon. But there are  a lot of other things that we know/have done, that I will happily share as a contribution to the Drag Pak Community.

Did you know?

Did you know that you can change your Cam without pulling your heads? You Can!

Chris and I first discovered this when our second cam arrived. We had originally had LSM do us pretty aggressive Cam, but they couldn't do the grind that we wanted as they didn't have a proper core available. So we put that cam on back order, and it was finally done. Gun Drilled core, and more duration than seemed possible. We were ecstatic about receiving, but didn't have a spare set of head gaskets, so we started trying to figure out how to change the cam without pulling the heads.

To solve a problem, And Chris and I were both pretty good at that, you need to break the problem down, and question all assumptions.

First assumption: You need to remove the heads.
Question: Why do you need to remove the heads?
Answer: To get at valve lifters, and remove them.

Next Assumption: You have to remove valve lifters to remove Cam.
Question: Why do they need to be removed?
Answer: Because if not removed, they will drop down and interfere with Cam removal.

Next Assumption: The lifters will fall down and interfere with Cam removal.
Question: What makes them fall down?
Answer: Angle of lifter, and gravity.

Next Assumption: The angle is such that gravity will cause lifter to fall.
Question: Is that true in this engine?
Answer: Nope, these lifters are almost horizontal.

1. So, you do remove the rocker arm assemblies, and push rods, so that nothing is pushing the lifters down to the Cam.
2. Then you take the cam removal tool, screw it into the end of the Cam, and turn it slowly, 360 degrees.  This causes the lifters to be pushed back into the block at the highest point on the cam lobes.
3. Then you slide the Cam out, and slide new cam in.

What happens if one or more of the lifters slides back down in the block, and interferes with Cam removal or installation? 

You can buy small telescoping magnetic tools at Harbor Freight, and a lot of other inexpensive suppliers. You insert this magnetic tool into the lifter bore, through the push rod hole in the head, and because the heads are aluminum and don't mess with the magnetics, you put the magnet on the lifter and pull it back. It probably will stay, now that you have actually pulled it back further than the Cam lobe. Then you can do the same to any others, two is the most we have have had, and you are good to go.

We have changed Cams without removing heads no less than four times. You might ask why so many times? But the truth is that what seems like the best today, may not be the best tomorrow. And in one case, we sheared the Cam alignment pin, and replaced the Cam for that reason. So, there are reasons to do it. And it isn't as bad as it is on a lot of other engines.

God Bless, an Race Safely!

David