I'm installing my own cam and want to know the feedback of changing the bearings. I have 72k for mileage. I've heard a mixed opinion on the street about this but would like some experienced feedback from here. I would not change my bearings until I done the stroker so it's not an option but I'd wait on doing the cam if it were likely to cause me premature engine failure due to the swap. Thanks for any feedback

 

unless the motor is being pulled, you cant change the bearings. they are't like main bearings-
they are PRESSED in hard. Reallly, only a machine shop can do it and I wouldn't worry about it

 

While the optimum thing to do is to replace the bearings, the majority of people don't have a problem just swapping in a new cam.

 

rob,
have you even heard of anyone spinning/knocking loose a cam bearing on a street/strip car

wearing it down to the point where there is a clearance issue and the cam wabbles or anything?

 

Hey...I thought I basically asked that same question...lol ..but yeah....that's what I'm trying to find out here

 

I had the same dilema when I did my hot cam. I noticed the cam bearings were worn on the one side more than the other cause of the direction the motor turns. But after talking to many people they said as long as the bearings are not worn into discoloration & still have enough meat on them without getting technical in the actual mic'd thickness they said it should be fine. But no gaurentees.... I dedcided to go ahead & put the cam in & as of now my car is running great with solid O.P. I too will do an engine build up but not for a couple of years so I went for it. It should be fine. My car had 80,000 very hard but well maintained miles on them cam bearings. In a perfect, wealthy, world I would have pulled the motor. But I don't have them luxeries...

Good luck.

 

i'm wondering the results of too much clearance/wear in these bearings

 

I don't hear everything , but not have heard of issues with cam bearings. A person could mic the bearings and the cam journals to see what kind of clearances there are. I am going to guess with the roller cam and retainer plate we have, chances of problems won't be prevalent. There are lots more LT1 engine building guys on here that probably have better opinions.

 

I would imagine as long as sufficient oil gets between without a lower O.P. then I would say the odds of a bearing freezing up & spinning in the block would be as if you still had the stock cam. Infact I would think a new cam might even tighten things up a bit. But then again I am not a cam expert. I figured if it will fail with a new cam then it will with the stock cam just as easy. Maybe people who spin the motors a bit higher than stock (Like Me ) may have a better chance of something wrong happening. I have really yet to hear anyone who has done a cam, really come up with cam bearing issues. But I am sure it can happen & does.

And I probably just jinxed my self....