Cam shaft rear bearing; trouble with new

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2014: Cam shaft rear bearing; trouble with new
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gary London, Camarillo, CA on Thursday, September 18, 2014 - 11:13 pm:

I'm rebuilding a '15 engine and the old rear bearing was very worn..... No surprise there. I have a reground cam and the rear bearing is at .747, only .001 undersize. I bought a new rear cam bearing from Snyder's and installed it this evening. I ran a reamer through just to make sure the edges were clean; I did not even take a cut on the entire surface, basically I was just starting to adjust it so it made contact on less than 40% of the bearing surface. I measured it to just see where I was starting at and it was .0752-.753..... That's way out of tolerance before I even start to fit it.

I am not bashing the supplier, I will call them in the morning. What I need to know is where can I get a quality rear cam bearing? Tolerance is .001-.002..... I am only .001 undersize on the cam so I don't need anything drastic.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Les VonNordheim on Thursday, September 18, 2014 - 11:39 pm:

Does the new bearing/bushing have an oil grove extending out both ends like the original?
The new one I bought did not have an oil grove and ceased on the cam shaft. Also, looked like it was made out of brass material vice bronze.
Hunted up a good original bronze bearing/bushing with the oil grove and no more problems.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gary London, Camarillo, CA on Thursday, September 18, 2014 - 11:44 pm:

Les' where did you find a good bearing? The one I have is straight, no groove


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Karlsson, southern Sweden on Friday, September 19, 2014 - 12:24 am:

You can make a rear cam bearing out of an old triple gear bushing. Then you know it'll be a good material.

Just like with spindle bushings and drive shaft bushings you can fit it to the camshaft first, turn the outside slightly undersize and use the cam shaft with both babbitt bearings as a guide to glue the rear bushing in place with some high temp epoxi. Then you know the rear bushing lines up with the other bearings without any special reamer needed.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Les VonNordheim on Friday, September 19, 2014 - 12:55 am:

Gary, I found it in an old block from my stash. Based on my experience....I will never use another subject bearing/bushing that does not have the oil grove extending out each end. The grove goes on top....I even drill a 1/8" hole thru the cast iron in to the center of the oil grove. Also, counter sink the hole to help collect oil.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Tomaso - Milton,WA on Friday, September 19, 2014 - 10:35 am:

The original Ford rear cam bushing was cast iron.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gary London, Camarillo, CA on Saturday, September 20, 2014 - 12:40 am:

Steve; the early ones were not iron, the later ones were. I am not sure of the change year, I've never had a car later than a ''15.... At least to that point they were some form of bronze.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Tomaso - Milton,WA on Saturday, September 20, 2014 - 10:39 am:

Really ? I've got several '13 blocks and I recently rebuilt the '14 block in our Touring - all were cast iron.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By ROBERT BERGSTADT on Saturday, September 20, 2014 - 12:13 pm:

I have some n.o.s. cast bushings, Bob


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Richard Gould on Saturday, September 20, 2014 - 02:34 pm:

Roger nailed it on both counts. Use a triple gear bushing turned undersize with epoxy.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jack Putnam on Saturday, September 20, 2014 - 06:20 pm:

Steve has it right!


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