bearings tight on cam

I have 1 or 2 bearings that are a little tight on the cam..anyone ever encounter this? I going to use a flapper wheel 150 grit to do the fix!!!thanks Dave

 

Was it tight before the new bearings ?

 

be honest here, how many windows do you have, i have worked on engines so blown up that i had to sheet metal screw a road sign on the windows to keep oil from leaking. if the cam is not spinning freely, you need to think why?
1. bent cam
2. tfx..pinned bearings, is this after a new bearing install (we have all been there)
3. brad...give some more details, do you have the crank gear installed?
i've seen all three (and then a couple)
not the end though, sometimes they find a way.
you are not working on a small block chevy. bump to the top for a guy that seen more than me
give some details.

 

I had a stage 10 block welded up a few years ago. The cam wouldn't fit right after that. It fit before the welding though so apparently the block warped with the welding. It required removing the bearings, overboring the bores and putting in oversized bearings. If this is an aluminum block KB or BAE call them for the oversize bearings. If you grind or sand the bearings to fit you will have a egg shaped bearing. The cam will probably turn but won't be supported all the way around which will cause flexing. I don't know how long they will flex before they break. Dave Germain

 

called BAE and talked to donnie and he said the way they fix the problem is (use a flapper sanding wheel) thats how they fix hem!!!Dave

 

stuck cam

I had that problem a few years ago on a blown uo stg. 6 block. Had to put new cam bearings in it and the cam wouldnt turn. I talked to a good machine shop around here, and they alined honed the cam bearing and it worked great. it was so bad it took alot off the front cam bearing. Ran it in a psi blower TAD @ 10500 rpms and did not have any oiling or cam ploblems. Also should say it was with the std. CHRY. bearing cam. Not the FORD JOURNELS. That should be easier being all the same size. Good luck!

 

cam tool

Your installation tool may have rolled a small burr where it pushes from. Ive seen this quite a bit.If thats the case you can remove the burr with a small pocket knife or deburr tool if thats not the cause you could very well have a twisted block. Good luck

 

Cam bearings are often tight when they are freshly installed, usually you put the cam in, rotate it a bit, take it out, and scrape the shiny spots off. The other thing I have done, that worked very well, is to take an old cam (perhaps one with screwed up lobes) and grind a slot through the journal to make a cutting edge. Then, you put the modified cam in and as you turn it, it scrapes the cam bearing to the right size, and it's round too.

I wouldn't run the cam tight. I have seen guys run cams after putting in new bearings, and the camshaft busted in half.

 

Thanks to everyone that posted, everyone of you had great ideas..fuelslut..I think it is on the 4th or 5th window Ken Sitko the old cam idea is a cool idea also...Cooter you taught me something...always check after the install (everytime) and Jonimus333.your idea is a very accurate fix..and Dave Germain..you are very right egg shape when fitting on one side of bearing what happens to the other side??? you guys are great to help thanks for all the ideas and post...life would suck without this site..thanks WILL..Dave Lowe