What are the best steps to take when doing a cam swap with the motor still in the car? Like what are the torque specs for everything?

 

I really must tell you that this question is best answered by advising you to get a service manual, and I do NOT mean Chilton, Haynes, etc. I mean a reprint of a FACTORY service manual. You can find them, either in paper or CD, on ebay

And of course you didn't think it was necessary to give us a clue as to what engine you have? Slant 6? 318 Poly engine? 383? Other? For all I know, you might have a hemi in the thing.

If the administrators approve, I could post a link where you can download a couple different year of service manual for free from other sites.

AND...........this gets more complicated

WHY do you want to change the cam? More performance? The old one is worn?

HOW accurate do you want to get? If this is "an average" driver, you can just toss the new cam and cam drive right in there and line up the timing marks

IF, however, you want the last bit of performance, you need to consider "degreeing" the cam, which compensates for manufacturing tolerances by altering the timing, as well -- in some cases -- of purposely moving the cam "in time" to change the engine power band up or down in RPM

Google "degree a cam." You'll find many helpful videos, websites, how -- to's. Some of the cam manufacturers give info on this, right on their websites

pdf from the Comp Cams website:

www.compcams.com/technical/instructions/files/145.pdf

(Sorry, can't seem to get the link above right, copy and paste the line above into your URL box)

It is EXTREMELY important to read and follow the manufacturers BREAK IN procedures.

Generally, this involves special lubricant applied to the cam and lifters, and generally involves an immediate startup, IMMEDIATELY bring the engine to about 2000 RPM and hold it there for the recommended time, 15 minutes or so.

AND you might need to change the brand / type of oil you run, or find an additive to enhance camshaft life. MODERN OILS do not have the proper additives for long cam wear as they used to.

Read a few of these links

https://www.google.com/search?num=20...17l25l0.frgbld.

and

https://www.google.com/search?num=20...0j4l4l0.frgbld.

THIS MEANS that you MUST have your ducks in a row. YOU MUST have the coolant properly "burped" so that you don't have to mess with an overheating, airlocked engine.

YOU MUST teach yourself how to properly set static engine timing so that you can fire the engine without a large amount of grinding on the starter, backfiring, and other nonsense

YOU MUST figure a way of re--priming the fuel/ carb so that you have fuel immediately available, again for a quick start.