Ive got a reground turbo spec cam from datsport lined up to install next weekend before i get a tune. Problem is i no there isnt enough room to slide it out so the cam bearings/holders (4) will have to be undone so i can just lift the cam out. However in doing this 4 head bolts will have to be undone, will it be ok to just retension them after or will this throw the gasket out of whack somehow? There would be only one headbolt in the middle holding that side down? Its a genuine nissan gasket by the way. Thanks

cant comment on whether the gasket will be okay after being undone and retiensioned, but if you do go down this path make sure you undo all the head bolts evenly so not to stress the head and possibly damage it.. I definantly wouldnt leave just one bolt done up - you'd be asking for trouble..

Youve done a few head gaskets now, I would replace it while your at it, just to be sure. If you dont do it now you'll only have to do it in a couple of weeks anyway.

Cheers. Adam

haha yea this would be the 5th or 6th headgasket in the thing, a genuine $70 nissan one, im 90% sure that now ive modded the chambers and built a fresh lower comp bottem end as well as having head done/machined that it wont do it again, it no longer pings too! The thing is its a HUGE pain in the ass changing a head gasket in the beast, id rather keep the cam for whenever the head has to come off than changing everything again just to fit a cam. Anyone changed an l series cam and not the headgasket at the same time?

what's in the way of sliding the cam out? surely its higher than the radiator support panel?

Yeah my thoughts too, I can change the cam in mine with the head bolted on. Can you not just drop the g/box so the front of the motor comes up or will the back of the head hit the firewall?

Unfortunatelly my head would be 10mm max from fire wall, i guess all i can do is try and drop the box x-member and undo mounts and jack the front of the motor, dunno how much clearance ive got with the dump pipe etc, its all too damn tight in there! Yea it looks like it would hit rad and support pannel for sure as it is now. Thanks for the responses.

Just remove the cam followers man, number them and then when your putting them back, before torqueing them down tap them with a rubber mallet until cam spins freely then torque.

so you reckon the headgasket would be ok doing that, wonder if it would be better draining the coolant, undoing all the headbolts in sequence, changing cam then tightening in sequence.

When do you want that front end?

Well once you have the cam out theres no tension across the 4 cam towers so I dont see why just unbolting the four towers and removing the cam wont be ok, at least the head can stay torqued down.

as for f/end can i grab it this weekend?