http://web.camaross.com/forums/showt...hreadid=243979

Finished my cam swap. Before some may jump on the "spun bearings after cam swap" theory let me explain.

3.5 years ago, my LT1 went 1700 kms in 3 days at the dealer before I bought it. 8 weeks later I burnt a rod bearing. Had it rebuild, but a builder that has been doing engines for my uncle for 30 years. Every time I stepped on the gas the oil pressure would dip before is came back to the required PSI. Also in 2nd gear at WOT between 2500 - 5500 RPM the PSI would drop to 10 psi, then at 5500 jump to the proper PSI. This went on for 180,000 kms.

There is a large post on Advanced Forum asking whether this condition (not the only one was) lack of oil or cavitation.

Anyway, I believe the extra power and dyno (much more load on the car than many people think), took its toll. On the way home Friday the oil pressure started dropping more and more.

Finally near home when the motor was revved to 2K under the hood you could hear the knock when the RPMs came down.

Oil was silver.

Solution: ARE balanced 355 ci (its .030 over now, not sure if we need to go another 0.010), stock internals.

Ahh well... all apart of the game. Sucks tho.

 

I had the same problem 1 hour after cam install spun bearing,not to jump on the spun bearing theory,but there are many out there that had the same problem.Im sure if we took a poll there are alot more people out there that spun bearing after cam install than did not.

 

I, too, spun not one, but two bearings about 300 miles after my hotcam swap.

It's being rebuilt now, and it turns out the oil filter was clogged up with dirt and RTV. I think I just dropped a lot of **** in my motor, because I also changed the head gaskets, and wasn't as clean as I could have been about it. Damn.. serves me right, I guess. Hard lesson learned.

 

I usually spend MOST of my time cleaning and being organized when I install a cam or heads. This is one of the most important areas to pay attention too.

Cody

 

I do that with ANTHING I'm doing on my car. It drives my friends nuts. They can't figure out how I can make a brake pad swap into an entire day project...

 

Yeah my friends make fun becaue I use sandwhich bags on every bolt..If they are helping me they throw the bolts on the ground and say, "Ill remember where it goes"....I quit working and put them In sandwhich bags and label them

Cody

 

Are any of you using "assembly/break in lube" when installing your new cams?

Frank

 

I used ARP assembly lube.

Simply speaking... it breaks up quite quickly.

I do not subscribe to the theory that it jams up oil filters enough to cause starvation.

Granted a 500 km post cam oil dump is necessary with a filter swap.... but I won't buy that it was the lube.

 

I'll bet that most people spin bearings because of rtv and junk getting in the oil passages in the crank or rod.

When I was a kid I had a mustang that I installed a 4bbl and intake on, got a rod knock, and when I took it apart I found rtv blocking the holes.

I am almost finished with my cam swap now. I know some junk fell into the engine. I cleaned it as well as I could. I also pulled the pan and found some particles in there. Cleaned it up and tried to get everything clean. I am sure there is still stuff in there.

I have 3 gallon jugs of autozone oil and 3 filters. I am going to run the car for a couple of minutes and dump the oil change filter. Then I am going to run it for another day or so and do it again. Hopefully I can get all of the stuff out this way.

Tim

 

I always have little bins and stuff labeled when I take stuff apart, I also allways stuff rags in all the holes of the lifter calley while I have it apart, and clean the lifter calley fulley before reassembly. Allways lube the cam, never run it dry. I use engine oil unless its going to be days before I start the car, if so I use a thicker assembly type lube. I learned my lesson long ago on cleanliness. Had a oil pick-up screen clogged by debree once.

 

I am going to do a search for more info on this subject to see what it is all about but I will lend you what I knwo from past experience at the dealership. Antifreeze in the oil is very bad for your bearings it strips the coating off. When we had a car with an intake leak or Head gasket where there was a possibility that any antifreeze got into the lower end at all. It was finish the job change the oil start check for leaks change the oil warm up and road test change the oil, 500 miles and you guessed it change the oil. I do not know if this has anything at all to do with the problems you are seeing but could some antifreeze be spilling in while taking intake off etc? Especially guys that changed head gaskets at same time? I would like to change my cam too but you guys are scaring me. Plus how many miles on engines? My dad always told me you cant build the top end of a motor to make more HP if the lower end is soft.