The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop New CAM thrust plate........

opening too big? The old thrust plate, that I broke, had a center opening that slides over the end of the cam, that fit nice and snug on the shaft, about 1.25" diameter hole. The new thrust plate has an opening that is oversized, about 1.5" in diameter. Does this matter? Will it create some wobble, or play at the front of the shaft when those timing gears get going? Thanks

The cam will center itself in the bearings in the block, so the oversize hole in the thrust plate won't result in any wobble. Is there some reason the correct thrust plate isn't available anymore? Some timing gears have a shoulder that fits into the hole in the thrust plate, so you might have to match up the correct gear with the plate.
Jerry

Thanks Jerry, I didnt get any explanation as to the correct plate being available or not. I ordered this one from my local Carquest. And this is what they sent. Matches up fine everywhere else, and there isnt any shoulder on the back of the new gear, so I'll assume I'm good to go with what I got. Thanks again, a little re-assurance is a powerful thing when doing something for the first time. Tony

If the gear doesn't have a shoulder that establishes the correct end play, you'll need to press the gear onto the cam with a feeler gauge or something similar between the gear and the plate to keep it from getting too tight. It sounds like that plate is supposed to work with a shoulder on the timing gear a few thousandths thicker than the thrust plate, to establish the proper front-to-back clearance.
Jerry