Cam bearings

kingair · #1 (**permalink**) 11-10-2001, 08:59 PM

Is it true that FE engines have a tedency to spin cam bearings? Especially the ones that feed oil to the rocker arms??? Big trouble!!!

James Baldwin · #2 (**permalink**) 11-10-2001, 10:38 PM

I hope you don't mean that you had that problem after getting your engine fixed????

GEORGE ANDERSON · #3 (**permalink**) 11-10-2001, 10:54 PM

I assume you have a 427 side oiler block and perhaps you're not getting oil to the rocker arms and believe the cam bearings have spun....if this is the symptom perhaps regular FE cam bearings were installed and not side oiler bearings with the additional holes to feed the cam bearings.....if the engine has not been operated too long you may be OK...if it has then things have to corrected and you may have damaged components...Again, perhaps I'm ahead of the symptoms but usually when someone complains about problems with the side oiler oiling to the rockers it points rigth to this error in assembly. FE's also have cam bores that can make installing cam bearings that will end up with the correct clearance to the camshaft a problem too.....many times these bearings will have to be lightly TLC's to have the cam turn easily......
.....let us know the symptoms and what's going on!
George
P.S. Hi James!!!

http://www.gessford.com/images/SOcambearings.htm

kingair · #4 (**permalink**) 11-11-2001, 08:41 AM

Sure did!! No oil pressure after put the new rocker arms and shafts on. As we discussed these are Shelby alum. heads and you don't have to worry about the bolt placement. While waiting for parts to come in we changed the oil and didn't think too much about any problem with that, but when started, no press. let it run for a few minutes and still no press. Pulled the V.C. Pass. side looked good and drivers side dry as a bone!! So much so that rocker arms were frozen on. At least I have good push rods and springs! We are going to do one more thing on Monday, pull the plugs and spin over with no resistance to see if oil comes up galleys. Before you ask, yes we poured oil over the new shaft assby. and thought that would be enough to last during the start up, don't forget this thing isn't new and has allways pumped 60 plus lbs. of press. Any thoughts are welcome. Kingair is grounded!!!

GEORGE ANDERSON · #5 (**permalink**) 11-11-2001, 07:52 PM

The ground crew suggests the oil galley pipe plug going to the first lifter galley on the drivers side is missing and oil pressure on that side is going to the wrong place.....remove distributor and install the plug from the front of the block...make sure it's deep enough so the distributor goes back into place correctly....if this isn't the problem it's of course possible the head gasket was installed in the reverse position and is blocking the small oil hole connecting the block galley hole to the heads oil galley hole....although it would heat up soon with the gasket on in reverse position.....
Do we have to dig deeper???
Regards, George (Ground crew)