adk-roadrunner
Well-Known Member
Pulled the cam and looked at the bearings you can see spots on at least 3 where there were wear spots from dragging. I cleaned the factory cam up and put it in just to see and it spins more Freely for sure.
How hard should it be to turn a new cam over by hand
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hangn0ut
Well-Known Member
Check for runout on your new cam. Might be bent. Its not mopar,its people who provide services and dont know how to work on mopars. Finding the right shop can be a real PITA!
miller
Well-Known Member
Finding a 'right' shop pretty rare. Unless it's their motor their working on, their gonna do what they do...out the door stuff.
Simple fact of life on cam bearings. Hammering the things in...new, never run...gonna have high spots. Just need a bit of clean-up, though done before any put together stuff.
Three high spots? Real common, just need to knock 'em down, one way or the other.
I've NEVER had a new cam, new bearings...spin like a top. Always had some slight drag, goes with the program...unless talking 'custom fit'...basicly adding some worn in to the deal.
Cam should turn smoothly, even with a little drag...past something in there just flat wrong!
adk-roadrunner
Well-Known Member
Looks like I'm gonna pull the rotating assembly back out. I'll get them working good the re wash block and all oil passages and reassemble. I just hope I don't damage anything in the process lol. I've done too much now to risk getting any thing in the engine or putting it together with things not fitting properly.
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Wouldn't hurt to mic the bearing journals. Mic both and see if they are different and how much. Bearing journals on cams don't wear much if any unless there's something wrong....and like mentioned above, checking the run out should be done too.
moper
Well-Known Member
I bought a used Universal tool for cam bearings. It works just fine. The reality is not only are the cam bearing bores not usually perfect, they will change as the block ages. So two things:
1. Make/get a set of V blocks and see if the cam has any run out with a dial indicator. It is VERY easy to bend a std cast camshaft espencailly if it was ordered up by itself or with lifters. In a box with other parts isn't too bad. In a box with few other parts means if the main box is dropped the cam gets the brunt. It's also very easy to measure and find this problem.
2. Do not use any abrasive on a bearing surface. If you need to clearance them use a straight razor blade of a "cam bearing knife". I like the utility knife blades myself - and scrape the bearing surfaces where the shiney (high) spots are left. The cam should turn very easily by hand - like a couple fingers on the single bolt threaded into the front of it.
1. Make/get a set of V blocks and see if the cam has any run out with a dial indicator. It is VERY easy to bend a std cast camshaft espencailly if it was ordered up by itself or with lifters. In a box with other parts isn't too bad. In a box with few other parts means if the main box is dropped the cam gets the brunt. It's also very easy to measure and find this problem.
2. Do not use any abrasive on a bearing surface. If you need to clearance them use a straight razor blade of a "cam bearing knife". I like the utility knife blades myself - and scrape the bearing surfaces where the shiney (high) spots are left. The cam should turn very easily by hand - like a couple fingers on the single bolt threaded into the front of it.
adk-roadrunner
Well-Known Member
Well I pulled the short block all apart last night. I tried shaving the bearing here and there with a razor but wasn't getting the results I wanted. This morning I decided I would take the stock cam and make the tool by cutting diagonal slots in it with a cut off wheel. I packed the slots with Vaseline and installed it and rotated it several times. I did this three times and after each time I tried the new cam and eventually it spun nicely. The cam spins easily now with one hand smoothly though I have to admit the bearings don't look as nice as they used to. I rolled the block outside and broke out the block brushes and hot water and dish soap and re scrubbed the whole thing. Once I'm done I spray with air hose while coating all metal surfaces with wd40 which pushes the water off. She's all cleaned up and ready for reassembly now.
moper
Well-Known Member
The issue I have with that method is the oil holes allow for debris to get up into the oil passage above the bearings ain in the passages to the heads and the grease will trap the particles there too. With the bearings in place, these can't be cleaned 100% effectively. That's why I use a knife and carefully remove the chips.
adk-roadrunner
Well-Known Member
Ya I scrubbed all the oil galleys out with galleys brushes with hot soapy water including the galleys feeding from the mains to the cam bearings. I was actually surprised how well the slots on the cam filled with Vaseline held the shavings. It is important to keep pulling the cam and cleaning the slots out and refilling. I would never use either method knife or slotted cam without doing a very good block washing afterwards.
miller
Well-Known Member
Sounds to me, you did what you had to, to make it right. Good show!
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