318 Scratch free cam install. The hard way.

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Dart Into Traffic

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After learning how to install cam bearings, buying the installation tool and doing it myself for the first time, the last thing I wanted to do was to do it all over again. Overkill? Perhaps. Did it work? PERFECTLY. Not one nick, mark or scratch on the fresh new cam bearings.

Cam Install.jpg
 
Dart Into Traffic said:
After learning how to install cam bearings, buying the installation tool and doing it myself for the first time, the last thing I wanted to do was to do it all over again. Overkill? Perhaps. Did it work? PERFECTLY. Not one nick, mark or scratch on the fresh new cam bearings.

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Vertical is the smart way to do it.
 
LOL.... that worked perfectly??? As you lower the boom, that cam is not staying lined up, it's headed for the valley.
 
A pulley and wire hung from the hook (or a rafter!) let’s you drop it straight in.
 
318willrun said:
LOL.... that worked perfectly??? As you lower the boom, that cam is not staying lined up, it's headed for the valley.
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No, I had a helper. The left and right centering stays the same, the arc of the boom lowering is what I have to account for so I divided the length of arc I need by 2 and started on the high side of the arc so the forward and aft movement was minimal. What helped here is the weight of the cam was fully supported and lowered at an ultra slow speed, allowing my helper to guide it through the bearings at a snail's pace.
 
Dart Into Traffic said:
No, I had a helper. The left and right centering stays the same, the arc of the boom lowering is what I have to account for so I divided the length of arc I need by 2 and started on the high side of the arc so the forward and aft movement was minimal. What helped here is the weight of the cam was fully supported and lowered at an ultra slow speed, allowing my helper to guide it through the bearings at a snail's pace.
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That's a lot of calculations to install a cam, but hey, if it works it works !!!!! :)
 
we use a long bolt threaded into cam snout easy way to feed it through cam bearings. even using the oil pump drive gear will work, pushed into snout. also, we install cam with block upside down can reach in and hold the cam . just food for thought
 
These longest 7/16 NC bolt that you can find makes a great small block cam installation handle.
 
That's a bit extreme, but glad it worked. A "scratch" will never hurt a thing. But a "gouge" is a little different.
 
I always install the camshaft before installing the crankshaft. By doing this I can reach into the block and guide the camshaft through the cam bearings without the worry of nicking a bearing. As far as installing the bearings with the engine still in the car can not be done properly as you can't check the oil passage alignment not to mention having limited room for the cam bearing installation tool.
 
That don't work when all you're doing is a cam swap and engine still in the car
 
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The secret for successful cam brg install is to enlarge [ slightly ] the lead/taper on the brg so that it starts straight....
 
You DO NOT want to know how I install them!!!! Where is my grooved cam core?? I feel so dirty! Let’s think about this, we want a correctly sized flat bearing surface? If we gouge or nick the bearing it can/will bleed oil pressure? Have you see how much pressure the lifter bores dump? Is a knick or scratch going to dump enough oil pressure to be a problem? Mine were PERFECT, right up until I had to lube up an old cam with grooves cut in the journals and turn it in. Ham fisted monkey approach? Yep. Find someone to fix the cam tunnel is the correct way. My oil pressure is 30 lbs at idle hot. Honestly what’s more catastrophic having the cam bores “corrected” and having the bearing spinning and covering the gallery or ream your own bearing and dump a small amount of oil pressure?
 
I think this is one of those things that has been hammered into our minds FOREVER! Does anyone have first hand experience with a cam bearing with a gouge causing a problem? “Oh, I got low oil pressure! Oh I have a gouged cam bearing!!!! Change it and all is well!” Just being funny, but really you would need a GROOVE to see a loss.
 
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