I'm in the middle of doing a cam, heads, and header install on my 95 Formula with 49,xxx miles. When I got the cam out, this is what the front bearing and journal look like.

Top of bearing

Bottom of bearing

Camshaft journal

The bottom half of the bearing shows wear with some brass coloring showing. The top half is gray with a slight texture with no appreciable wear. There is no scoring of the bearing surface, but there is a ridge on the bottom third of the back edge of the bearing. There is some scoring or ridges on the front cam journal that I can feel with a fingernail, but no corresponding ridges or scoring in the bearing. The other journals all look good so I'm assuming that the other bearings are ok.

So, is that bearing history? And if it is how do you replace the bearing?

Thank you,
Kevin

 

I measured the cam journal diameter and bearing as accurately as I could with a digital caliper.

Old stock cam front journal 1.8675
New cam 1.8695
Front cam bearing 1.8710

Anybody know what the journal to bearing clearance should be?

Is this just typical wear and nothing to worry about?

What kind of wear did everybody that has done a cam swap see in their bearings?

Can the front bearing be replaced without pulling the engine using something like the Proform 66974 cam bearing installation tool?

http://www.proformparts.com/catalog/...ion_tools.html

Thanks,
Kevin

 

Here is a picture of mine on the bottom.

Cam Bearing Bottom

Here is a picture of the top

Cam Bearing Top

I'm on my third cam with the same bearings, car has 72k miles on it. Car has seen way over 600+ passes with the 2nd cam and now going on the 3rd cam.

If there is any scoring in the middle of the bearing what so ever replace the bearings. I think you should be fine, if you want to replace the front bearing the tool that you mentioned will do it.

 

Seems to be very common on the LT motor. I have torn down LT motors with as little as 5k miles and they needed cam bearings.

 

dude im in the same boat you are

mine looked about the same as yours with the rigde and all

my motor has 120k on it thought

im just thinking rebuild

from what ive heard early lt1's had oiling issues to the front cam journal and lifters

 

Thanks for the replies.
So, it'll probably be ok the way it is for maybe another 8 years and 49000 miles. Or, if I'm really ****... Who, me? .... I could replace the bearing only to have it look the same as the original after 5000 miles or so.

 

Mine showed some bronze, too. I didn't have any ridges, though. Could it be possible that these bearings only have a thin layer of babbitt? Mine was pushing 70# of oil pressure on startup, before I pulled it apart. The lowest it ever went was 35# idling, hot.
There didn't seem to be any significant play in the bearings with the new cam.

Frank

 

Yeah I would agree they are not the best bearing that is for sure

BTW I would bump the Oil Pr. down. Pick up 5HP and save wear and tear on the cam and oil pump drive