Replacing XFlow Cam Follower
Mark H - 8/6/03 at 08:10 PM
Hi,
The image on the right is a cam follower from a XFlow engine. The image on the left is what i found in my sump yesterday (could be why the engine
don't work, i say!).
I'm fairly sure I need to take the crank out, but can anyone tell me any other way to get to the shaft of this follwer and replace it with
another one?
Also, i can't get the botton crank pulley off. I've unscrewed it but how do i get it off? Is it just brute strength?
Newark is getting ever closer, and i will turn up in this frikkin car. Probably.
Cheers,
Mark
Rescued attachment Cam follower.JPG
david walker - 8/6/03 at 08:44 PM
Take engine out of vehicle. Drain oil, turn upside down and remove sump. Remove timing chain cover, t'chain tensioner and chain. Remoce camshaft
locking plate and draw camshaft out, thus revealing cam followers. Remove damaged follower, replace and re-assemble in reverse order. Allow yourself 3
to 4 hours.
theconrodkid - 8/6/03 at 08:45 PM
take all the usual suspects off,fuel pump,dizzy,pushrods ,timing chain,slide the cam out,grease up new followers and they will stay in place as u
slide the cam back in,if the grease u got wont hold them,magnet on a stick and do them 1 at a time
Mark H - 9/6/03 at 08:00 AM
Engine is out, upside down with sump off.
But can't take crank pulley off. Do i need a special tool, or is is just in need of a good yank?
All the best,
Mark
David Jenkins - 9/6/03 at 08:35 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Mark H
But can't take crank pulley off. Do i need a special tool, or is is just in need of a good yank?
Why did John Wayne suddenly come to mind (a good yank... 
)
Sorry...
To give a sensible answer, I used a gear puller to get mine off.
David
kingr - 9/6/03 at 08:41 AM
I don't think you'll get it off without damaging it if you don't use a puller, they take a bit of effort even with one IIRC.
Kingr
timf - 9/6/03 at 11:58 AM
Mark if that follower was in your sump
i'd be very suprised if you hadn't taken out the cam lobe for that valve 
worst case expect a new cam & full set of followers
tim
Mark H - 9/6/03 at 12:53 PM
I've felt the lobe, and its still shiny (ie undamaged?) but is slightly rubbed away with age.
I've got another cam and followers (from a mates exploded XFlow!) so may well change them, if they're exactly the same.
This is turning into a mare!
Mark
D Beddows - 9/6/03 at 07:58 PM
Mate.......... oh dear, that engine is old, tired and abused for that to happen. I agree with timf that if didn't lunch the cam you have been
VERY VERY lucky. But you obviously had seriously knackered valve springs as well and what do the surfaces of the head and block, main and big end
bearings/journals look like btw? I could go on.........sorry 
as I know it's not what you want to hear
Sorry for being so negatative but I'd look round for another engine if I were you - or completely rebuild that one as I suspect that although
it's a 1700 x-flow as it is it wont even produce as much power as a decent bog standard 1600.....
Someone'll tell me I'm wrong I'm sure
Sorry again
Dave
MikeRJ - 9/6/03 at 08:00 PM
If the cam is worn then it will be a waste of time changing just the followers, a new set will get worn very quickly by a knackered cam.
I'm not very familliar with the X-Flow, but a soft faced hammer to the back of the pulley (whilst turning crank to ensure you get a good whack
along the whole perimeter of the pulley) may do the trick. I have a anti-rebound hammer filled with lead shot that is excellent for jobs like this
and only cost a few quid.
MikeRJ - 9/6/03 at 08:05 PM
quote:
Originally posted by D Beddows
Mate.......... oh dear, that engine is old, tired and abused for that to happen
I don't think that is necessarily the case. It's possible that this engine has ingested something at some stage causing the follower to
break, but obviously a thorough investigation would be a good idea at this stage.
I know that some aftermarket followers for A series engines were prone to breaking up, I wonder if there are simmilar XFlow ones?
D Beddows - 9/6/03 at 10:34 PM
Engine problem diagnosis is virtualy imposible over the internet which means I could be completely wrong.....BUT the worst carbon/crap build up I
think I've seen on a x-flow follower on the complete one in the photo doesn't bode well for the rest of the engine in my opinion sadly and
the fact that the two halves of the broken follower don't seem to match up worries me even more (ie what happened to the the rest of it?)
I would still say either it's old,abused and worn out or it's been 'performance tuned' by someone who hasn't a clue - both
circumstances would explain the continuing problems and neither is good news sadly.
Sorry again
Dave
david walker - 10/6/03 at 06:55 PM
Hold on here! Worst carbon build up ever seen...... - Rubbish! Carbon build up that we can see on the pic looks pretty normal to me even for a medium
mileage X'Flow. The two bits we can see look to match to me. What are you all trying to do? A follower has broken and that's it. How can you
diagnose all the symptons that have been listed on here from that picture?
Take the cam out and check it for wear (pitting on the lobes). Check the shells etc and the rest of it whilst you have access to it. Do what needs
doing, do the lot if you feel like it but don't scrap an engine because of the expert opinions of people on here who can diagnose all from the
view of one follower.
And before the rest of you have a go - I've probably seen inside more x'flows than you have or ever will.
Metal Hippy - 10/6/03 at 06:58 PM
You don't work at Northern Road Engineering or summat do you?
david walker - 10/6/03 at 07:10 PM
One day I may get chance to insult you too!
stephen_gusterson - 10/6/03 at 07:11 PM
Actually, john wayne was a right wing racist gun supporting lobbyist.
Must be pretty right wing in suffolk david!
;0)
atb
lefty steve
quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
quote:
Originally posted by Mark H
But can't take crank pulley off. Do i need a special tool, or is is just in need of a good yank?
Why did John Wayne suddenly come to mind (a good yank... )
Sorry...
To give a sensible answer, I used a gear puller to get mine off.
David
Metal Hippy - 10/6/03 at 07:13 PM
Sorry Mr Walker.
I shall never again mention Northern Road Engineering.
There was me hoping for some cheap engine work....
stephen_gusterson - 10/6/03 at 09:48 PM
too deep for me
D Beddows - 10/6/03 at 10:41 PM
I said I could be completely wrong and am more than willing to admit I could be - and yes perhaps I was a little OTT in my apraisal of the
follower....but it's obviously not a recent build is it? or if it is someone hasn't done it properly.
Whatever, I didn't say throw it away either I just suggested it may be easier and cheaper to find another engine especialy as Mark admits to
being not especialy experienced in mechanical matters.
btw why are so many people on here always so eager to tell everyone how they helped design Apollo 2, have a double 1st and doctorate in gromit
technology etc etc ?
David Jenkins - 11/6/03 at 07:52 AM
quote:
Originally posted by stephen_gusterson
Actually, john wayne was a right wing racist gun supporting lobbyist.
Slightly to the right of Attilla the Hun, is the description I heard!
DJ
stephen_gusterson - 11/6/03 at 09:06 AM
quote:
Originally posted by D Beddows
btw why are so many people on here always so eager to tell everyone how they helped design Apollo 2, have a double 1st and doctorate in gromit
technology etc etc ?
Could be a couple or so reasons.
1. It makes your post seem more important or accurate than others that dont have direct experience.
2. some people like to publicise their successes of field of knowledge
3. they have spent too much time on TOL and feel they need to be defensive by putting more 'clout' behind their posts.
4. that they know what they are talking about over other peoples lesser experience.
Personally, I dont like posers that think a degree or a job at a blue chip company makes them better. (Im not referring to anyone here, its a
generalisation.) What matters more is EXPERIENCE not a bit of paper or a theory.
A good example of this was Ken Walton on TOL.
Ken probably had no degree (that I ever heard him speak of) but he did work in race car teams, build cars and race them himself for over 50 years. He
never had to be on the attack to support himself and always provided advice in a selfless and helpful way.
I try and put my small experience on here as I enjoy the community - even though I specialise in hardware and a bit of software design in my daily
life I would always be careful in saying how fantastic my knoledge is cos there is always some flash bastard who wants to pick on a hole in what you
said, rather than accepting the advice as was intended.
Anythign read on here is advice. There are no guarantees....
atb
steve
Mark H - 11/6/03 at 01:58 PM
Calm down dear, its only a question!
I'm really pleased that people have helped me out - i really have. Without it i would have been stuffed (you would have thought my BA (Hons) in
Business studies plus my accountancy training would have set me up, but no!)
Anyway, the engine is back in. I decided to go down the route of sort out the issue (the cam follower), check the cam (no pitting that i could
see/feel), then stick it back together, and see if it runs!
Now the timing up! And I'm the first to accept that my knowledge is lacking, but desperation keeps me keen!
