Thread: cam bearing help

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Hope yall can help me on this one. I pulled my camshaft wanting to swap cams. after inspection i noticed the second journal back from the front has a pencil eraser size portion missing from it. It is a thin peice but nonetheless it is scored Is it ok to proceed with swap ? Can this be filled or smoothed over? Arent the cam bearings a little more forgiving> Please give me good news. Also if motor needs to be pulled does any body know a good fe mechanic in the greensboro nc area?

well since you have the front off and have at least the area clear for the distance of the cam length----remove the oil pan---with a cam bearing driver tool, drive out the first and second bearings, remove from the bottom(wiggle out between the rods), install the second bearing, check for fit by installing the cam, if ok, remove cam, install first bearing, install cam for fit, if ok put on oil pan and button up engine---remember that the #2 and 4 cam bearing feed the rockers oil so you can check the job by checking for oil flow at rockers with the valve cover off---you can briefly run engine without front cover to check this if you want before you put all the accessories and h2o pump and radiator on

And don't be a stanger, come back and tell us how it went

so the bearings will be driven out front to back? Then driven back in from the front? Is it ok to change first 2 but not the others? I know im limited with it in the truck. The gashed area is not on the bottom but at about 145 degrees from top. Could it be alright to leave alone? Also if i decide to replace the first 2 , how can you tell if oil holes line up? Where do i get this tool and would it be a standard size bearing for a 390? Hate to ask so many questions but want to make sure i get it right.

Rub your finger over it, is it ruff???
Are you sure the bearing was not made like that???
Was the motor making any noise before it was torn down???
I have had bearings that were made like that with a little section
missing right around the oil hole. I have also seen some folks modify them
like that, to try to get a little more oil in there.
If it is smooth and is a tight fit when the cams is in there. I would leave it alone.
Kurt

cant get to it with finger because of location. No its not made this way. i found the thin peice of shaving this morning. I must have done it when cam dropped down. Im sick!. from the looks it still is possible to leave it alone. The bearing still seams tight and its not on bottom but between bottom and 90 degree.

We were typing at the same time.... I'll defer to Kurt, Jerry, Pat and other experienced engine guys.

The gash is about an inch away from oil hole up the right hand side. About an 1/8 of an inch wide at the back narrows almost closed then opens back to an 1/8 at the front. The cam would still rotate freely just not sure about pressure .