http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/show...threadid=55010

Rick

I've gone back and forth,use it or replace it with the simpler standard unit. I stopped by my local machinist and talked it over and ended with leaning towards replacing the Hex unit.Called George Guessford talked to Neil . George later called me to check on my troubles and we talked some . I was now leaning towards useing the Hex unit. I deceided to get new ARP fasteners and the like and useing the Hex unit again with a new dowlpin ..Then My wife came home and we talked and deceided to replace the Hex unit with the older simpler tried and true timing set.So I called George back ,talked to Neil again, my earlier order had allready gone out.I ordered the simpler true roller timing set and some other stuff like gaskets .Inbetween all these calls I removed the rockers ,pushrods,and lifters .Just pulled the lifters out of the bores and still under the intake.One lifter (#1 exhaust ) must have fell ontop of the OEM sheet metal splash guard and rolled to back of engine.I've been looking through every hole sticking magnets and coathangers in trying to locate and move it into view.I took the evening off and went to a movie.Tomorrow I'll let the nose of the car down and see if I can get the lifter to roll forward.The cam is tight .I can turn it with a short wrench and a little effort ( no gear or handle to grip) I can also drag it out with the same effort. Not tottally free needs to be broke in worn a little.

Mike H You took all the lifters and pushrods out of he motor? You should be able to spin that cam over with your fingers. If everything is OK. Something doesn't sound good with this. Unless there is no oil or prelube on the cam and bearings, that thing should spin easy, no wrench You might want to call back George and ask a pro. I would still like to know how you snap that pin with the cam bolt at spec for tork. The motor only spins in 1 direction and even with the play in the hole the worst it should have done is rotated in that direction and stay there. Hope you find the lifter. Rick Lake Ps Mike you might want to put the intake, it will take another 15 minutes and check that cam out good, I would pull it out to clear the cam bearings and re prelube it, just pour a little on all the surfaces. A paste brush works great, as long as the brissels are tight. Just a thought.

With the engine installed and radiator the cam will not come all the way out.I only pulled it forward to the second bearing jurnal..What it needs is a solid shaft installed and a wack w/a hammer. When I used to install new brass bushings in track rollers the new pin was allways tight.A perpendicular smack on the exposed end of the shaft with a sledge hammer and everything was free,the bushings were all in line.The Cam is not dripping with goo I took the cam and gear set to the machinist.I later could only drool some assy lube through the lifter holes (over a year ago).The purple stuff was so thick I couldn't squirt it through an oil can.And most of the purple stuff ran at the lifter low edge and missed the cam.now i have to find the Cam card.I know I saved it and the recamendations for advance or retard..But I have to find that.A larger garage and a system would help.

George and Neil at Guessford Machine Fixed me up with a ProGear timing set.It is traditional except that it has seven key ways in the crank gear. . 6°A ,4°A, 2°A, 0°,2°R,4°R, and 6°R . Who would ever tear into an engine again just for a cam timing change?Unless they made a mistake at time of assembly. I'm not going to . OH!,ARP bolts , Get them all at once ,crank harmonic balancer bolt, Cam bolt and washer,thrust plate to block bolts.The torque increases from OEM are dramadic.The dowl pin George sent was just long enough to seat in the cam and end up flush with timing gear with no eccentric.I have electric fuel pumps anyway.

Mike H, This was an old post, but thought this could still help some.
You say the cam is hard to turn?
Did this block get redone when it was apart?
Common mistake is for the cam hole plug at the back of the block being installed backwards. The FE's are the only engine that the cam goes all the way to the back of the block. If the plug is in the wrong way, the cam will bind againt it. The cup should be facing in.
P.S. How did you make out?

I do not remember what the bind was .The dowl broke with the engine together.I blame the Hex-adjustable timing set. In a Ford cam appication ,there is only the one bolt holding the gear to camshaft.It had the dowl driven off the eccentric going though the slotted hole in the gear and into the camshaft.. The motion is from the clamping of the eccentric ,gear, and camshaft. I ended up with an ARP cam bolt , way more torque.
I used a solid carbide 5/32" bit,a Drill Doctor and four hours. till the bit was too short.Next morning I bought a carbide tipped bit in1/8" no twist .I had to experiment with the drill doctor a little .When the tip broke off that second bit then I went after it with a 1/8 moto-tool and a carbide rotary file (burr).I went throught he back of the dowl then started opening the hole and trying to divide the dowl into four peices .When I actually went through the side of the dowl ,I was able to collapse the dowl and remove it. All with the camshaft in the engine and engine in the car.