The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Camshaft Problem found but not resolved

Well here is what I found. The lobe just before the second journal sticks past the journal by a few .000 so when the lobe is in the bearing it raises up the cam so the journal doesn't line up with the bearing. Does anyone know of a supplier of cams for this motor? Would it be better to have the journals turned down on the other cam that I have or start over with the other engine I have from 55 and just use the 53 block for a anchor. Could I sand the lobe down to fit?

The situation you're describing is impossible, since a cam ground that way wouldn't have ever been able to go into a block. Fix the cocked cam bearing you installed incorrectly and the problem will go away.
Jerry

Jerry this is a new cam if you take a straight edge and put it on the journal and slide it to the lobe it hits the lobe and has to be raised to slide over the lobe. That is the reason it won't go into the block. I doubt the cam bearings are put in wrong Bought a Lisle cam tool so I would put them in correctly I plan on getting a new set of bearings for the motor if I can find a cam for it or if is worth the effort to turn the journals on the other cam but the cam that is for it won't go the lobe sticks past the journal.

I can't count the number of cam bearings I've installed wrong, and I started doing it in 1963, also with the right kind of equipment. It just comes with the territory. Just bite the bullet and admit you screwed up!
Jerry

Jerry I don't have a problem that I screwed something up I am doing this for fun and to learn something That doesn't change the fact that the lobe sticks past the journal in fact they have that lobe ground at an angle about 1/4" in on the lobe which is the only one ground that way so I am assuming that there must be a trick to putting the cam in but is does definitely stick past the the journal

Am I understanding the lobe is taller than the journal?

Check the height of the cam lobe from high point to base circle and check it against the others and see how it measures up. With some calipers.

John

One oddball cam lobe does not make good nonsense. It's hard to believe one like that even made it past the quality control checks at the factory when it was manufactured, let alone ran for years in an engine. Cam lobes MUST be identical from cylinder to cylinder, or the valve timing will be different. If one lobe is noticeably different from the rest, the cam is junk.

Let me look around the storage shed- - - -I might have a small-journal cam stashed away. If so, I'll give it to you.
Jerry

I worked on a 235 a few years back where the block was not bored inline for all the cam bearings, #3 was off (I tried several bearings).
I needed to make a cutter out of an old cam to bore the bearing to make the cam fit.
If I would have seen this before the engine was almost together I would have used another block.

I am also wondering if the cam is just being blocked by the crank?
If you try to put the cam in with the timing marks directly across from each other the crank gets in the way.
You only need to turn the crank slightly to allow cam access.

Jerry, I may not be understanding him right, but what I gather this is a new cam, not a used one.

I agree it would be very rare for it to get by quality control, but maybe quality control was in a hurry to get out that day or was hung over from the night before this cam was made.

Could be just the wrong cam for the engine.

OK, my mistake! I thought you were reinstalling a used cam. Yes, if one lobe on a new cam is different from the rest, it shouldn't be installed even if it would fit through the bearings. I was not aware the small-journal cams were still being manufactured new.

There are several 216/early 235 cams listed on ebay right now, new and used. Search "216 Chevy camshaft".
Jerry

Wouldn't that mean the number 3 journal would only be running on part of the 'bearing"? Or did you use a bearing that cut all the way around when reamed?

John

I would like to know how it measured compared to the other lobes. Hows the finish on that lobe?

Joe

In this case the cut was done on the bottom/load side. This gave me extra clearance in the top side of the journal which could affect oil pressure, but it did not seem to affect that. Like I said, if this engine was not in the final stages of assembly I would have used a different block.

I am kind of curious as to where you got a NEW small journal camshaft myself. According to the cam guru at Howard cams, there is only 2 foundries left in the country making cam blanks for any engine. They may have made a batch recently however. I do know if you try to grind the journals down on a large journal cam, you end up with the situation described. Delta cams can regrind the cam to fit within the journals

Dave I am working on a bare block I took the pistons out and the crank out. I miced the cam lobes they all range from 1.704 to 1.719 I checked it against the other cam that I have for a 55 and they very that much 1.726 to 1.714 most are closer to the 1.720 range the lobe on the cam is ground on a 45 degree angle for the first 1/4" only lobe like it. I came up with the idea of pulling the bearing out and sliding the cam in when I get to that journal slide a new bearing on then make a u shaped block to slip over the cam and the tap it in with a hammer and block of wood on the cam the bearing should be on the journal far enough to stay straight and the lobe will be in front of the bearing. I tried to put the old bearing on the cam but it won't go can't get it to go straight but I know I can get a new bearing on for I put them all on to check for clearance before I installed the bearings. The camshaft is about 20 to 25 years old bought 2 cams when I bought the truck been buying parts for it ever since.

Just had my morning coffee went out pulled the troublesome bearing #2 from the back and the cam slides right in. Could I try to hone this a little?

Once a cam bearing has been installed and then removed, it cannot be re-installed, even if the engine has not been run. It has lost its crush, or ability to hold itself in the bore securely. You'll have to get another bearing. Your taking a big risk of it spinning in the cam bore if you do.