I just got done doing a CC503 cam swap and puting in my new SS3600 stall converter.

On first start up I heard some loud cherping and a slight growling. It went away after the first couple minutes of running. Then it came back really bad at about the 15 minute mark.

I then noticed oil coming leaking down the front timing cover at a rate of 1 drop every 4 seconds. I proceeded to take the water pump off to find the leak, and found there to be a very large about of play in the water pump drive shaft, which was causing oil to leak from this seal

I took the timing cover off to find the bearing for the water pump drive shaft totally destroyed and metal shavings and ball bearings everywhere. Oh crap.

The engine though, other than that problem, seemed to function perfectly. How did this happen? What are the chances of this bearing failing at this same moment of the first start up? I cant figure out what I did wrong on the re-assembly if anything. I never touched this shaft or bearing. The closest thing would be that I put on a new timing chain and gears. OEM equipment.

I'm at a loss on what happened and what to do now. I think I can clean the mess up and put in a new bearing. And just change the oil 2 or three times to clean more of it out once i get it running again.

But my biggest concern is how to keep it from happening again.

Does anyone have any thoughts on what happened and what I should do now?

Thanks for reading,
Ben

 

So, well I got car further apart tonight.

Is it possible the end flange of my new CC503 cam is too short? (doesnt stick out of the block far enough) Which would make the cam gear sunk in towards the block further, and cause it to rub on the water pump drive shaft gear.

Any thoughts?

I will know for sure when I get the new shaft and bearing tomorrow and install it, if they rub, that will explain everything. I didnt notice it on the first re-assembly but maybe I over looked it.

Had anyone else ever encountered this problem? ( the cam being too short )

Thanks
Ben

 

The timing chain should keep the cam in the correct position.

 

Hey man even if the cam was a shorter one which would mean that you hav the ninety four or earlier style opti. If you had that wrong it would have not idled properly or wouldnt have ran at all due to the opti not working properly. As long as the timing chain was bolted down then its not the cams fault or the timing chain. Remeber that a short dowel pin cam is made for 1994 and earlier lt1 opti spark units and the long dowel pin is for the ninety five and newer. After further looking since you have a 1996 model it should have the long dowel pin measuring .620 in length or close to that. If you have the cam with a short dowel pin measuring around .320 then thats the wrong type of cam for you car and will not work for your opti spark. The new vented opti has to have that long dowel pin to reach to the back of that opti into the groove to rotate the opti. But even though the opti is bolted into place along with the timing chain and would not affect the water pump drive. Seals do bust but your problem with the car runing like that and making that noise is due to the short dowel pin probably hitting the distributor and and not rotating it properly so you should take it apart and pull the cam and find one with the correct length. Also i didnt even know they still sold the cams with the short dowel pin due to usually they sell them with long dowels that way if you need the shorter version you can just file it down. Well man you might have tore up that opti but definately take it apart and let me know what you come up with.

 

Slick-Z: The opti and dowl pin fitment is not the problem. I have measured the dowel pin and found it to be the correct length. My original post above^ states that I already have it apart and the water pump drive shaft bearing is what failed and is totaly ruined.

I just put the new shaft and bearing assembly in. It fits and doesnt come close to rubbing on the timing chain. There is about a 1/8" to 1/4" gap between the chain and drive shaft gear. This is where the old ruined one rubbed like crazy when it failed or before it failed, i wasnt sure. But the new one does not rub and thats all that matters.

So she's going back together. I'm crossing my fingers.

 

Im just asking but you know that the timing chain is supposed to mesh with the waterpump driveshaft so that it turns the shaft to operate your pump. Its not supposed to be to tight but is supposed to mesh well with the timing chain otherwise your pump will not operate.

 

No, the chain is not supposed to touch or mesh with the water pump driveshaft or its gear. The chain turns the cam gear which has teeth on the back side of it that mesh with the water pump driveshaft to drive it and the water pump.