Can I wet sand a cam bearing?

[gnx547]

Can I wet sand a cam beaing? The end cam bearing has a small knick and I can feel it with my finger. I was wondering if I can wet sand the knick on the cam bearing smooth?

 

[billison]

I wonder if using a polishing wheel on a drimel would be better... not sure though.

 

[mikestang63]

How bad is the nick. A small scratch won't hurt the motor and the camshaft should smooth it out. IMO if you can feel the ridge of the nick is above the bearing surface, I would replace the bearing. Others may disagree, I wouldn't sand the bearing regardless. You could embed foreign material in the bearing or change clearances and make it worse.

Is the engine in the car?

 

[gnx547]

The engine is out of the car. The knick is small, size of a pin hole.

 

[mikestang63]

Up to you. I think you should be fine but since the engine is out of the car, if you want piece of mind, replace the bearing.

 

[Noobz347]

How bad is the nick. A small scratch won't hurt the motor and the camshaft should smooth it out. IMO if you can feel the ridge of the nick is above the bearing surface, I would replace the bearing. Others may disagree, I wouldn't sand the bearing regardless. You could embed foreign material in the bearing or change clearances and make it worse.

Is the engine in the car?

This ^

 

[NIKwoaC]

When I built my current motor, I accidentally dropped the cam during install and it left an impression of the gear teeth on the #1 bearing. My machinist told me that it's not the impression that's the problem, it's the ridges around it that would drag against the cam. He had me lightly sand it out just until the ridges were gone, but not the whole "dent". Car has been running great for 2 years now.

 

[Rick 91GT]

When I built my current motor, I accidentally dropped the cam during install and it left an impression of the gear teeth on the #1 bearing. My machinist told me that it's not the impression that's the problem, it's the ridges around it that would drag against the cam. He had me lightly sand it out just until the ridges were gone, but not the whole "dent". Car has been running great for 2 years now.

Correct, using scotchbrite or some high grit sand paper will not hurt a thing, you end up doing this to the thrust bearing at time to get the proper clearance

 

[NIKwoaC]

Correct, using scotchbrite or some high grit sand paper will not hurt a thing, you end up doing this to the thrust bearing at time to get the proper clearance

Yep, IIRC I used Scotch-Brite.

 

[srtthis]

i had an issue with my volvo cams when i put it back together and i used some 1000-1500-2000 then a white scotch brite pad and it looked like i never had an issue