When good is not enough, Camshaft time again.

[Newbomb Turk]

From another site I found the bearing sizes. here is a compare of what I have
bearing size ---------- new cam -------- old cam
1 2.00-2.001 ---------- 1.9995 ------ 1.9975
2. 1.984-1.985--------- 1.9835. ------- 1.980
3.1.969-1.970. -------- 1.968. ------ - 1.967
4. 1.953-1.954. --------- 1.952. ------- 1.949
5. 1.750-1.751.---------- 1.749 ------- 1.7475

The bearing size listed is nominal bearing size, I could not measure mine
Runout was less that .0005 on center journal

2 is .0035 bigger and 4 is .0030 bigger. You’d have .0005-.0015 on 2 and .0010-.0020 on 4. The cam might not fit if you are on the minimum on some of those holes. And .0005-.0015 on 1.

Most of the time it’s the block Thats not straight and round and not the cam. Without measuring every cam bearing you don’t really know what your clearance is.

If you have an old cam core there you don’t care about, grind it to a tool and stick it in the block. Then turn it to clearance the bearings.

That’s the easiest, best, fastest and cheapest fix there is. I’d be more inclined to think the issue is the block.

Big block Fords are notorious for jacked up cam tunnels. I’ve had several that the cam supposedly slid right in but once they got some heat in them the cam would grab the bearing hard enough to snap the pin off the cam and if you are unlucky you bent some valves.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Maybe, but I can't remember the last straight one I've bought and I've had cams from Lunati, Delta, Howards, Comp, Schneider, Mopar (maybe more). Who knows - maybe the delivery boneheads have something to do with that. The Lunati cam in my old duster 25-ish yrs ago was 15 thou out. That's when I started checking it. Takes about 5-10 mins to fix, so I just fix it and don't really worry about it.

I'd send them sumbitches right on back too. I've had several reground and never had not one single problem. Oregon is my huckleberry from now on.

2 is .0035 bigger and 4 is .0030 bigger. You’d have .0005-.0015 on 2 and .0010-.0020 on 4. The cam might not fit if you are on the minimum on some of those holes. And .0005-.0015 on 1.

Most of the time it’s the block Thats not straight and round and not the cam. Without measuring every cam bearing you don’t really know what your clearance is.

If you have an old cam core there you don’t care about, grind it to a tool and stick it in the block. Then turn it to clearance the bearings.

That’s the easiest, best, fastest and cheapest fix there is. I’d be more inclined to think the issue is the block.

Big block Fords are notorious for jacked up cam tunnels. I’ve had several that the cam supposedly slid right in but once they got some heat in them the cam would grab the bearing hard enough to snap the pin off the cam and if you are unlucky you bent some valves.

If his problem is the block, why does the old cam go right back in and come back out easily? Sorry, I ain't buyin it. It's the cam. If he was going to make a tool out of one, it'd be the new cam, because that's the one that doesn't fit.....but then that'd defeat the purpose.

 

[Newbomb Turk]

I'd send them sumbitches right on back too. I've had several reground and never had not one single problem. Oregon is my huckleberry from now on.

If his problem is the block, why does the old cam go right back in and come back out easily? Sorry, I ain't buyin it. It's the cam. If he was going to make a tool out of one, it'd be the new cam, because that's the one that doesn't fit.....but then that'd defeat the purpose.

That’s a good question. Did Kent say the cam bearings were replaced?

 

[RustyRatRod]

That’s a good question. Did Kent say the cam bearings were replaced?

I don't remember and I'm way too lazy to find out.

 

[Newbomb Turk]

I don't remember and I'm way too lazy to find out.

lol me too

 

[RustyRatRod]

lol me too

Check your PMs, dork.

 

[Kent mosby]

That’s a good question. Did Kent say the cam bearings were replaced?

No the cam bearings were not replaced. The cam is straight. Within .0005 inch. Fwiw, it tried the cam in backward to test the first journal. Very snug fit. Could barely turn by hand with lube on it. The original cam turned nicely but was not sloppy. No signs of wear on the cam at all.

 

[Kent mosby]

Just curious, does anyone have a known good cam for big block sitting around that they can measure the cam journals? Without a very unique bore gauge I can't see getting an accurate measurement of the bearing diameters. I did run a borescope to look at the bearings but saw no dents or burrs.

 

[Newbomb Turk]

Just curious, does anyone have a known good cam for big block sitting around that they can measure the cam journals? Without a very unique bore gauge I can't see getting an accurate measurement of the bearing diameters. I did run a borescope to look at the bearings but saw no dents or burrs.

I have a bore gauge that would do it.

 

[Kent mosby]

From the mopar b-rb book the cam is at the upper limit of the tolerance on 3,4,5 and over by .0005 on 1 and 2. I got this from a youtube video who got it from the mopar book.

 

[Illahe]

I'd send them sumbitches right on back too. I've had several reground and never had not one single problem. Oregon is my huckleberry from now on.

Ken's legit, but his patterns can be limited (slower above .200").

 

[RustyRatRod]

Ken's legit, but his patterns can be limited (slower above .200").

Splittin hairs far as I'm concerned. I can make it up somewhere else or not at all. If I need "THAT" last little bit, I need a new hobby. Maybe a man *****.

 

[Illahe]

“That’s” funny!


Happy turkey day.

 

[Illahe]

No the cam bearings were not replaced. The cam is straight. Within .0005 inch. Fwiw, it tried the cam in backward to test the first journal. Very snug fit. Could barely turn by hand with lube on it. The original cam turned nicely but was not sloppy. No signs of wear on the cam at

Are the journal diameters exceeding the camshaft you removed by more than .005”?

 

[Kent mosby]

Have you mic’d the journal diameters on your new camshaft and compared them to the camshaft that you removed.

Yes, it is in an earlier post.

 

[Illahe]

Yes, it is in an earlier post.

Yes, it is in an earlier post.

If you were running a reground cam core the journals were likely polished. Then your builder fit “ that core” to your block.

Just a thought.

Most machine shops I’ve delt with cursed the Chrysler cam tunnel for its misalignment.

 

[mygasser]

simplest answer is hone the cam bearings to suit the cam.
neil.

 

[Kent mosby]

simplest answer is hone the cam bearings to suit the cam.
neil.

The engine is in the car. Is it possible to do that without removing the motor?

 

[mygasser]

The engine is in the car. Is it possible to do that without removing the motor?

no not really as any debris will fall onto the crank' and rods. i didn't realise it was still fitted, doh!
neil.

 

[Newbomb Turk]

The engine is in the car. Is it possible to do that without removing the motor?

You can hone the bores if they are all the same size. So not in your case. You can bore the holes but most shops don’t have a line boring machine to do it.

If you hone the bearing they’ll be full of grinding stone and metal.

 

[mopowers]

We've been preachin on here for years now not to use Comp. Caint say you weren't warned.

Don't the Blueprint Engines 408's have Comp cams?

 

[RustyRatRod]

Don't the Blueprint Engines 408's have Comp cams?

Rollers.

 

[Bewy]

I had an over-size Isky cam once. Replacing a factory cam & Isky would not fit. Had to remove 0.002" from the cam journals.

 

[RustyRatRod]

I had an over-size Isky cam once. Replacing a factory cam & Isky would not fit. Had to remove 0.002" from the cam journals.

I believe that will be his only option here, if he wants to use "THAT" camshaft.

 

[George Jets]

simplest answer is hone the cam bearings to suit the cam.
neil.

Have had them where you have to wind in the cam with Lucas engine assembly lube.

When the lube starts turning gray and cam is getting tight. Back it out, wipe off the gray, relube and go again.

By hand, no power tools > so you can feel what is going on. The cam bearings are soft, so they will open up first.


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