How To: Mazda FS-DE Camshaft Installation

Hey guys, I just installed my cams and Cam gears in this weekend and was going to do a how-to but twilight beat me to it. I have no mechanical skills and this was the first time I've ever done it and it was easy as hell!! I could do this all day blindfolded now!!

Basically the only thing you have to watch out for is your timing! If everything is not at TDC you're screwed!! (at least I am at the moment!)

You could get RVT sealant at any Kragen, Pep Boys, Autozone...etc. and it would help to pick up some assembly lube.

Another caution, the bolts holding the cam gears in are tight! If you're by yourself (like I was) then just use a cresent wrench to hold the cam, and a socket to hold the bolt on the cam gear. Put a pole between them (like the one on your car jack) and use them as leverage against eachother.

Also, when installing the gears, put the exaust gear on first and tighten it down. Then grab the timing belt and pull it up until there is no more slack. Bring the slack over to the intake side and make sure everything is aligned!! To get the intake cam gear in, simply put the bolt through the cam gear hole, and into the cam. As you tighten the bolt, it will force the cam gear into place. Don't worry about stripping the bolt because it won't happen!!

Make sure to oil everything up and that's it.
 
somebody didn't read the FSM....
http://www.permatex.com/products/in...ng&product=Permatex, Ultra Grey, Gasket Maker
gray is the ONLY one that should be used on our cars EVER

find out for me what code is casted on your stock intake cam... I have a feeling you'll be surprised...


twilightprotege said:
yeah i forgot to write remove the timing belt. that's what i did.

with reinstalling the cam pulleys, that's why i referred to step 13...once again, could have written that better.

and you're going to have to slap me silly, but rtv? wtf?

theman, when you talk about bearings, what are you talking about? also, i dont know about the stock cams...but i can check when i next have them out....what's each stamp referring to? i assume one is the jspec, 1 is the early cam and the other is the later cam. i saw them stamped on it but didnt take any notice
Click to expand...
 
arh that's what rtv....i see said the blind man. the manual refers to it as silicone sealant. because i didnt actually change the cams and i'll be doing that again in a few weeks i didnt worry about it this time.

and our cars definately do not have cam bearings.

raaz227, i first of all tried without removing all the belts, but then decided to remove them, just to make life that little easier. and yeah, there are definately other ways to do this

theman, so what does do the codes you said refer to? ie is the fsd7 j-spec etc...

and just for people reading this thread for the first time, mrpopnfresh reitterates the most important point....
Basically the only thing you have to watch out for is your timing! If everything is not at TDC you're screwed!!
Click to expand...
 
my stock intake is a FS1G and the exhaust is a FSD7
I cant remember what the new intake was, and the exhaust had been ground from a blank im guessing, the cast number had been removed.
 
damn i have no idea what anyone is talking about anymore..... this looks way to complicated for 10 horsepower.... maybe if i could get an experienced friend to help me, it would be better
 
i have to admit it's a pretty long process, but isnt overly difficult if you take your time and make sure everything is done right the first time. like i said early, this was actually the first major engine work i have done myself and i had no problem. but if you dont feel confident enough, get a friend to help.

i'll be taking a few more pictures next weekend as i once again remove the cams....and head and intake manifold (for porting)

theman, as soon as i take the cams out, i'll let you know what code is casted on the cams...
 
im gettin my cams in the mail tommorow..i jus ordered them .there mazdaspeed intake and exhaust cams. ill try to follow what you wrote on the how-to but ill e-mail ya if i get stuck....i got em @... srmotorsports.com....mostly a mazda site..its pretty tight ..they got a good price for engine parts check them out ...
 
yeah no worries...just pop me an email if required.

i'll be taking my cams out again this weekend (sunday) so i'l try to take more pics...but this time i'm also taking out the head and intake manifold to get ported...will add an additional how-to for the head and intake manifold removal
 
long weekend...unfortunately not here in queensland. i'm going to be rushing it actually...my mum is going to italy on sunday at 3pm, when i get back that's when the head and everything is coming off...
 
that's what I thought you had... so now, here it is...

OEM solid lifter cams
intake FSH9 = J-spec/E-spec FS "high power" intake cam
exhaust FSD7 = HP biased cam

intake FS1G = US-spec mild/midrange cam modified to be emissions friendly
intake FSD7 = mild/midrange cam

intake/exhaust FS1E = torque biased cam (from J-spec/E-spec 99-00 MPV)



OEM HLA lifter cams
intake/exhaust FS01 (exhaust cam has distributor gear)



and you thought an FS-DE is an FS-DE huh? ;)
 
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Guys engines are not hard to work with, just take your time and be logical. If the parts doesn't fit, it doesn't work. Me along with 4 other kids were able to fully dissemble a Ford SVT Cobra V8 engine and put it back together, only using an engine diagram from Ford. It just take time and the right tool anybody can do it. And man looking at our engine compared to that big V8, ours is tiny. hehe
 
a v8 cobra engine is about the easiest engine to disassemble/assemble i have ever seen. I know this due to the fact that i worked in a machine shop for 3 years. The 4.6/5.4 v8 engines are about as basic as a OHC engine gets
 
this is true about the DOHC Cobra motor, and it would be even more easier if there was a little more room in between the strut mounts.
 
hello old thread, lol. Yeah this is true. Although you think its a tight squeeze in the cobra, try the lightning engine in a ranger. Its been done by SVT, as well as a older SVT ranger they prototyped back in the mid-late 90s. It had a 5.0 HO and a explorer front end.
 
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