Nagging cam Q: oil clearances

trinity_gt

10 Year Member
Jan 31, 2003
3,125
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Canada
Over the winter I've bought I set of Comp Cams XE262AHs and springs which will be going in in the spring. One thing that's been chewing away at me though is the issue of oil clearances on the bearing journals.

I know the cams simply ride right on the aluminum of the head with pressurized oil from the galleries providing oiling. My question is, what is the likihood that the Comp (or any aftermarket cam manufacturer for that matter) will have a bearing journal a smidge too large or too small that will end up seizing or wiping or knocking, doing damage to the head? Or how about thrust end play?

Is there any reason to suspect a potential problem? Any value is taking actual measurements of the bearing bores and journals and making sure the clearances are right? And measuring end-play? Or can one simply assume Comp machines the things right and they'll just drop right in? If they turn freely after the caps are cinched down, is that enough?
 
Dragstr05 said:
...but I dont think anyone here has had a problem with aftermarket cams.

That's sort of the feeling I've gotten from researching this and reading cam threads here there and everywhere. I can only recall one instance of a cam seizing in a head and that was just recently. That, IIRC, involved entire heads from some Ohio outfit, not just a cam swap.

I'm just paranoid. I hate the idea living in fear after such a swap and thinking I'm hearing noises and so on... :D
 
trinity_gt said:
I'm just paranoid. I hate the idea living in fear after such a swap and thinking I'm hearing noises and so on... :D

you sound like me- every time i do something to my car Im always worried its gonna blow up so i pay extra attention to every little noise. so annoying but you cant say i dont care lol