Small knicks on cam bearing and cam lobes

gnx547

Member

Sep 26, 2006

283

1

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Dec 29, 2012

#1

• Dec 29, 2012

• #1

There are 3 small knicks on the cam bearing and I can feel it with my finger nail. Can I use emory cloth to smooth it? There are also a few small pin size knicks on the cam lobes. Can a machine shop smooth out the lobes? Can I use emory cloth?

I tried taking some pics but the knicks do not show up well.On the cam bearing you can see it a little bit on the top right side and for the cam, the top of the third lobe you can see a little bit of the knicks

 

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84Ttop

They make new pistons every day, so why worry?

5 Year Member

Jul 2, 2009

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South Jersey

Dec 29, 2012

#2

• Dec 29, 2012

• #2

Time for new cam bearings and a new cam, anything other than that is an accident waiting to happen.

 

gearheadboy

15 Year Member

Jan 15, 2003

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Greencastle Pa

Dec 29, 2012

#3

• Dec 29, 2012

• #3

The spot you zeroed in on in the cam bearing looks ok but the other side of it looks like it was seizing. The cam is JUNK! The lobes are coming apart, not nicked. They look like a rear axle that ran low on lube. Trash can time.

 

gnx547

Member

Sep 26, 2006

283

1

19

Dec 30, 2012

#4

• Dec 30, 2012

• #4

So the machine shop can't fix or save this cam?

 

84Ttop

They make new pistons every day, so why worry?

5 Year Member

Jul 2, 2009

5,222

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Dec 30, 2012

#5

• Dec 30, 2012

• #5

Does it have some sort of sentimental value? A cam is not like a crank that could be welded or cut down, your only option is new.

 

marks89

Member

Sep 26, 2012

32

4

19

oklahoma panhandle.

Dec 30, 2012

#6

• Dec 30, 2012

• #6

Not sure i would trust lifters either.

 

gearheadboy

15 Year Member

Jan 15, 2003

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Greencastle Pa

Dec 30, 2012

#7

• Dec 30, 2012

• #7

Yes the lifters are poo as well. You can keep the cam for on your coffee table or as a self defense weapon, but its days of opening valves are over.

 

gnx547

Member

Sep 26, 2006

283

1

19

Dec 31, 2012

#8

• Dec 31, 2012

• #8

By chance do you have a pic of a cam with normal wear on it?

 

gearheadboy

15 Year Member

Jan 15, 2003

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Greencastle Pa

Dec 31, 2012

#9

• Dec 31, 2012

• #9

Here is a pic of normal wear. Normal wear is basically "no wear". If you were to polish this one in a parts washer with some scotchbrite it would look new. It only has staining from oil and witness marks from the rollers. Yours is JUNK. Use it for home defense weapon.

 

gnx547

Member

Sep 26, 2006

283

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Dec 31, 2012

#10

• Dec 31, 2012

• #10

I notice on the cam bearing one oil hole on the bearing is open and the other one is closed. Should the other oil hole be open? Or is there just one oil hole opening?

 

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gearheadboy

15 Year Member

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Dec 31, 2012

#11

• Dec 31, 2012

• #11

No. Bearings fit different years, blocks, positions. If I remember the second hole used to be there to feed the fuel pump rod on a mechanical pump.

 

gnx547

Member

Sep 26, 2006

283

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Dec 31, 2012

#12

• Dec 31, 2012

• #12

On my old block both oil holes are open. This engine short block is from a Explorer. So then the Explorer 5.0 motors only uses 1 oil hole? I just don't want to wipe out the new cam.

 

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David Pepiton

Active Member

Dec 17, 2011

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Laveen, Arizona

Jan 2, 2013

#13

• Jan 2, 2013

• #13

having two holes will not hurt anything looks to me like it was lacking a bit of lubrication. what brand cam is that? did it come with a coating? if i were you i would change out the lifters as well as i think someone already said.

 

gnx547

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Sep 26, 2006

283

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Jan 5, 2013

#14

• Jan 5, 2013

• #14

On my rebuilt short block on the front cam bearing I just have 1 oil hole that is open not 2. The cam is a Crane 2031. I assume it came with coating, the cam was already in the engine when I bought the car.

 

gearheadboy

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Jan 5, 2013

#15

• Jan 5, 2013

• #15

Pull the front cam bearing and make sure your block does not have 2 holes. If it does then either your cam bearing spun or was incorrectly installed. You can install a front cam bearing without much hassle and it doesn't look to be in great shape anyhow. I can't answer whether your block has 2 holes or not.