I have just installed the cc306 in my 94z. I haven't finished the heads and everything, so I haven't cranked it yet. My question is this...when I was installing the cam, it bumped around a little, I mean I didn't jam it in or anything, but as I would turn it to get it in, once one of the journals would go through the bearing, the next lobe would kinda bump the bearing. It wouldn't bump it hard or anything..I wasn't forcing it. But as I am reading posts about spun bearings and scoring the bearings while installing cams has gotten me thinking. How delicate are the bearings? I mean will just bumping them a little hurt them? I was very easy putting it in, but it was almost impossible not to bump the bearings a little. Do I have anything to worry about?

 

the spun bearings you hear peolpe talking about arent cam bearings they're main and rod bearings. old bearings + higher rpm = disaster. the thing to watch for when you install a cam is that you dont nick the cam bearings to death, it can hardly be done so carefully you dont have any contact especially when you get down to the end and cant support it with your other hand anymore. so i wouldnt worry about any of the bearings. if you were careful with the engine about not getting any gasket material or grit into the engine then you did good, and when you put it back you dont have to glom half a tube of rtv on just use enough to seal it it shouldnt go everywhere when you torque down the intake.

 

Cool...I guess I misunderstood. I was pretty careful about not getting any old gasket material anywhere. I haven't put the heads or intake on yet, so I haven't even cleaned the head gasket surface yet. I am gonna put a bunch of shop rags in the intake valley before beginning and then I'm gonna use a shop vac to clean up.. The only real gasket material I have seen so far was the timing cover and water pump gaskets. They were really stuck to the block. That eases my mind alot...thanks.

 

You're OK, no one can put a cam in perfectly.

 

Speak for yourself.

 

You must have some steady hands!