BlackLT1_TX

I am considering doing a hotcam since I have this pig totally torn apart.

I have 105k on the clock right now, but I dont think the car has had a "hard life". With that said, I blew a headgasket, so I am going to have the heads and everything off.

So, how many of you guys think I will spin a bearing, or have personally spun a bearing after a hotcam install.

-James

faded93bird

Put in a cam at 118k a year ago. No probs with bottom end so far, and it has seen 6500 to 7000 juants with no signs of a fus.

The only thing is you blew a head gasket, how much coolent got into the oil. If none then i would say go for it and dont look back.

Eric

BlackLT1_TX

No coolant in oil, no oil in coolant either. I think it was a very slow leak, and what coolant was introduced got burned away or pushed out the exhaust.

What cam did you go with?

faded93bird

Well you should be fine. Also I recomend just using stock GM head gaskets, with some ARP bolts. I have had no problems with sealing or leaking. The only issue is the oil pump pick up fell off, due to installer error.

I went with a wilttle-itty-bitty cam and think i may go smaller in the future

FastZinTennessee

I installed my HOTcam after a blown headgasket, no spun bearings. The headgaskets blew again, this time really bad. I'm gonna put it back together and see if it holds

billy mensch

i put the hotcam in at 124000 miles i spun a rod bearing in about 10 miles i heard a lot of good things and a lot of bad just think if it spins a bearing look at it as oppertunity i just bored and new crank you could 383 or something if it goes

IrocSS85

another vote for bad bearings after cam install. Im a tech, so Im 99% pos. nothing went wrong with the install (as in nothing in the oil caused the bearing to go). I took the eng. apart very carefully and inspected everything closely thinking something must have gotten in the oil to take out a bearing w/only 75K easy mi.s (almost all easy ) Im thinking the extra rpm's and extra power pushed it over the edge. BTW, why a hot cam? slightly bigger cam will give you better perf. for the same dollar if you have some supporting mods, or are plannin on more. also BTW, I got 300 mi.s out of mine. albeit some hard mi.s.
chris

ps, I think its hit or miss though, you may get lucky, but why push your luck if you dont have the money for a rebuild in worst case scenario.

92rslt1

why not just throw in some new bearings as a refresher??

PoorMan

About 1100 miles since my cam/heads/headers project. I have changed the oil 4 times since. I also running 10w-30 dino oil for the break in. Plan on going back to Mobil 10w-30 or 5w-40 on my next oil change which will be about 2000 miles from now. 74k on the clock and crossing fingers.

ledfootz28

i plan on changing out my cam bearings for sure before i do my cam/head install this winter.would it make sense in changing the other bearings but still use the stock parts?im not gonna be able to afford the rebuild and want the motor to last me a couple years until the fully forged 355 and blower go in.

NAZTLT1

Just put mine in the garage after riding home in a flat-bed. Only managed to get about 800 miles on it. I did GM847 though. Everything was done surgically and i still had failure on an 80k motor. I think all the high reving had much to do with it but it all seems to end up being a game of roulette. Some come out winners some come out losers. Good luck.

IrocSS85

didnt have any cam bearing problems, main bearings. make sure and put in good bearings. not the cheapies. and yes, reusing the stock parts is ok, if thats all you can afford. put in a new high volume oil pump too.

TenaciousZ

Hotcam was installed at 60,000 miles and then heads at 72,000 miles. Car is now at 76,000 miles and I thought for sure I would have spun a bearing by now, knowing my luck. But as soon as it happens the Z gets either a 383 or a 355 with a blower

rpm4lalo

installed nitrous at 90,000 miles 150HP, at 105,000 cam went in (306) and lowered nitrous to 100 shot was shifting at about 6200-6300 reguarly.

At 112,000 ported heads went on and nitrous was upped to 125 and I shift reguarly to 6800-6900 rpms on nitrous. So far so good, just got to 122,000.

I understand though that at those rpms and with an increase back to the 150 shot that everytime I go to WOT the motor could let go at any time.

Good luck.

Z-RATED94

Nice to see someone with a little luck on his side. Hope it continues for you.