MTFCA Forum

OK I ran into a bit of a problem with getting the CAM Shaft out. I took out the two bolts that hold in the bearing and I started to slide it out and it stopped moving on the center bearing. I tapped the CAM on the back with a big punch. It started to move and looked as if it was not together. I know they are held in with a clip. So I used a thin punch and tapped on the bearing and was able to get the bearing back into a circle. I then tried to tap it again and it won't move. The front bearing moves with the CAM no issue. Am I missing something.
You can see the bearing coming out.
This is the other side.

OK; may be a stupid question, but did you remove the front timing cover?

Did you remove the valve springs? And hold the tappers up ?

Check out the Ford service manual paragraph 472 - 477. page 122-123. Pretty straight forward on removing the camshaft. Don’t know if you have the original lifters or replacement type but the springs may have to come out and the lifters have to come up. You can take the springs out and then hold the pins up with clothes pins.

Ouch!
Another bad engine rebuild, rods around the wrong way and no oil holes in the pistons for the wrist pins

I use a wooden dowell and place it on the end of the cam and give it a few good whacks and they usually come right out.

Rick

Cam Shaft cover was off, valves are out and lifters are out of the way. Kerry you are correct. This motor and trans was bad at almost every turn. J&M Machine did an outstanding job on the transmission. I know the risk I'm taking with the pistons and some other parts. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't going to hurt anything. The Cam shaft seems to slide in the center bearing so the cam lobe hits the side of it.

I wouldn't normally post this advice, but right now, I'd stop and investigate my options to buying new or refurbished cam bearings, before getting to the point where you MUST replace the cam bearings. They are not a commodity in great supply these days. Make sure you have a source before you NEED them.

Scott good advice. Thanks for posting. There are many parts in the old car hobby that if you don't buy them when available you may not be able to get them.

been a while but I got a 270 grind from Chaffins when I did mine. The engine was exactly as it left the factory so of course I changed the bearings. They lapped them to the cam for me. Very nice.

I've heard "good things" about the recently available cam bearings from the guys in California, Scott.

Be glad to help but I’d need the shaft for proper fit. 903-824-1949

Steve, that's good to know

And Bob, I thought I'd remembered someone in the recent past showing some being made...perhaps it was you

That looks great!

Biggest problem with old shells is that the partng line where they are split is often times badly worn, rendering the od of the shell into an oval shape. There is no way to repair this, so good cores for rebabbiting can be scarce.

As far aw removing the cam shaft from the threads above, rotate the cam so that the side of a lob is bridging the split in the bearing. Now when you tap or drive the cam out, the lobe will push BOTH sides of the bearing out at the same time. As others said above, you must have the valves and springs remove so that the tappets are not in contact with the cam.

Yes, I’m in total agreement with you Dan. The little broken lines must not be worn- see the last picture, if the shell are good, the rough broken seams will interlock and line up the shells. This is also why I’ve had no luck with babbitting the early iron shells, by the time you bore the for Babbitt you cut broken line out and there’s no way to line them up. But, thankfully a large majority the shells I’ve run across have a good break line. And I’m thinking if the cam bearing break lines are worn you need to look at the block also for wear in the hole. As the say, That turtle didn’t get on top of that fence post by himself.