How do I remove this without ruining it?

djohnk · Post by **djohnk** » 09 Jun 2013, 16:29

Does anyone know how to remove the steel fixture on the camshaft cover that the oil fill cap screws into?

I am finishing up installing a re-manufactured head from Clearwater heads. I want to transfer it to the new camshaft cover before I fill the car with oil and see how she runs. Please don't tell me I have to pound it in, I already installed the camshaft cover. Heres a picture of what I mean:

Post by **Ben850** » 10 Jun 2013, 06:52

Just curious, but why is it missing from the cam cover you've installed?

It appears to be pressed in.

djohnk · Post by **djohnk** » 10 Jun 2013, 08:06

The re-manufactured one I ordered from Clearwater didn't have it. I want to move it over from the old one before I ship back as a core.

Post by **abscate** » 10 Jun 2013, 08:32

Well, at least it is well lubricated.

I would try a pipe wrench and turning torque. If you put the jaws in the 'right place' you wont see the cosmetic damage the wrench might do to the oil filler neck (OFN - part is now officially named and acronymed)

Or you can market the OFN with racing stripes as a performance upgrade...

Make a sharpie mark on the OFN and the cam cover and watch the mark carefully, increasing torque - s-l-o-w-l-y until you see the marks begin to move...

Post by **misha** » 10 Jun 2013, 16:19

Ben850 wrote:...It appears to be pressed in.

I also think that it's NOT removable.

Post by **Ben850** » 10 Jun 2013, 16:59

misha wrote:
Ben850 wrote:...It appears to be pressed in.
I also think that it's NOT removable.

It is probably removable, it's a matter of what condition it would be in after the fact.

Post by **abscate** » 10 Jun 2013, 17:49

Post by **demian5** » 11 Jun 2013, 01:19

Pound it out from the underside with a socket or pipe that fits the diameter without getting itself stuck in the cover?

Post by **jimmy57** » 11 Jun 2013, 06:42

I have changed these before. I hate the ones with the grate in them and have removed the grated ones and installed the open ones without the top cover being apart.
Since you have the top cover off you can use a punch with a very clean and square edge and tap it out from underside. Tap at 3 different places. The idea above is great but the piece is thin metal and I couldn't find pipe, a socket, or any special tool seal drift that was the right diameter.
It is not hard to remove.
I install them with a piece of pipe that will slide past the top portion and catch on the edge made when the diameter increases 1/2 inch or so below the oil cap seal top face.
Put a thin film of sealer on the piece before you drive it in to assure it doesn't have any seepage.

djohnk · Post by **djohnk** » 11 Jun 2013, 10:34

Thank you to everyone for the feedback.
I successfully removed it and installed it on the other camshaft cover.

Here's how I did it after reading your advice:
1) Soaked it overnight in Kroil (that's why the before picture is so oily). By the way Kroil is a bit expensive but it's good stuff -- Google it if you never heard of it.

2) After trying the pipe wrench (see the gouge) to no avail, I used a ball peen hammer and tapped it from the top down -- actually it only took about 20 taps and I saw progress on the first tap. It came out easily.

3) I put it in the freezer for several hours and coated the inside of the cam cover with thread sealant (thanks for the good idea)

4) It was pretty hard to get in (it wanted to rock back an forth), but after about 5 minutes I was able to install it. It got a little beat up as you can see, but it's functional. I could have tapped it down another 3/16", but it seems alright there, and I like it a bit higher.

If I would have had the cam cover off, I would have installed it by tapping it in from the bottom side up. It seems that would have been much easier. Anyway, thanks again for the advice all.