Ok I looked at my cam I took out & it was fine, the first time I did a cam swap I never looked, but this is the third cam swap & only now that I'm doing it outdoors in the sunlight I noticed my #1 cam bearing is worn on the bottom, the brass is exposed, can I replace the bearing while its on the car? I'm thinking its just the number 1 bearing, I looked further down with a flash light & they seem ok, one other one is kinda weird but none of them are like the #1 bearing, the bottom is completely worn, I have .005" out of round, it seems replaceble while on the car, just wondering if I should attempt putting a new bearing on? Thanx guys, if so what do I need, & how do I know how far down to install the new one etc.. aside form maybe looking at the marks where the old one was once removed, thanx guys, want to know if its easy/hard, doable at all thanx.

 

TTT

 

That kind of wear is very common on Small Block Chevrolet engines. I have put cams in engines that were showing some copper on the front bearing. There really isn't any way to replace them in the car so the best you can do is measure the bearing and use some judgement. The first layer of the bearing is only about .001 inches, exposed copper while not being good, isn't the end of the world.

 

I would not take a chance like that. If I saw wear like you mentioned, I would not go further. I would consider a rebuild.

 

I left mine in as have others. For comparison check out the photos linked in this discussion when I asked the same question. http://web.camaross.com/forums/showt...hreadid=124477

 

Ohh sweet thanx, mine looks like the 2nd guy's posted pic, good enough for me, I love this board

 

IMO, the front bearing would be not be that hard to replace with the engine in the car. You would just need to make sure the new bearing is lined up properly with the oil passage.

 

Can you email me on how you would do it? I know about lining it up with oil pasages etc.. I'm just afraid that when I take it out some metal can scrape into the oil passage which leads right down to the main bearing

 

I guess shavings could be a concern, though I don't know how much chance there would be of that happening if you took precautions. Figuring out a way to remove it without special tools and not causing shavings might be an issue. I would ask at a machine shop, but i think you could tap one side of the bearing to spin it in the bore (like you can do with freeze plugs) and then you could remove it without much trouble. You would want to be sure that you did not knock it inside the engine.
If it sounds like too much risk, maybe you should just go on without changing it.

 

yeah if I did knock it in the engine what would it cause? BTW I didn't just wondering, I'm thiking it might damage the bearing race so the next one would spin? thanx.

 

You don't want any loose parts floating around in the engine. If you use a brass drift, there is little chance you are going to hurt the cast iron of the block. In this situation the bearing, itself, wouls be considered the "race".

 

So what about getting something to hook onto the bearing & using a slide hammer? like a tinny slide hammer?

 

IMO, that would work.

 

Made up a tool for myself, no hammering at all, just made a puller & got the bearing out, now how to put it back in ? the safest way, I mean I can put it in but I think I need an install tool, Hmm.. I could use the same tool I made to put it in, but rather not just need a different washer. But is there a sertain amount that it should go in? How do I know when to stop? thanx.

 

If I were you I woulda left it in..If 1 is worn they will prolly all be worn a little..seems like there was an oiling problem sometime or the other with the motor..I woulda just put the cam in or pulled the motor and replaced all the bearings..

Cody