how the hell can a stock 69 396 snap a cam in half, would it have anything to do with the oil bottle neck ring that i found in the head when i took the valve cover off?
i know its a lil off topic, but this is the best GM board that i have found yet, and the only chevelle messae boards are about the band. any help would b appreciated, i do not wwant this 2 happen again.

 

could you tell if it siezed before it broke?

 

yup sounds like a seized cam bearing

 

i heard from a buddy of my dads who has had like 5 velles that they are notorious 4 eating the cam bearings, but i didnt hear any squeal or anything, it was running a lil bit rough and shootin a lil tiny bit of white smoke, but i thought that was just an older engine that hadnt started in a while. then i drove it about half a mile, it just died, wouldnt start again. im just worried about it having cracked the block, cause thats gonna cost a shitload 2 fix. any1 on here happen 2 have a 396 block, preferably bare, email me at abel1122@yahoo.com, just put 396 block in the subject line
thx
andy

 

Hi andy, Hey I doubt you cracked the block, those things were built pretty stout. My dad had a '67 Impala SS with a 396, but damn him he sold it right before I got my driver's license in 1974. Why the hell did he do that?

 

lol, of course, my mom had a 67 malibu 327 that she pulled the same kinda stunt.
and of course, i was unemployed

 

My high school friend had a 67 malibu 327 also; it was for his older sister first, but she never added oil and siezed it up. So his dad rebuilt it and gave it to him, said "That's too much car for a woman anyway!" I still remember riding to school with him in that thing, rear end jacked way up with "mexican racing slicks" for rear tires. I won't forget going down a snow-packed highway sideways with a semi coming from the other direction! A high-reving 327 & Muncie 4-speed does not make a snow machine!

 

What the hell, go for the 454 or the 502 crate. 396 is ok, but it is heavy and the 454 will drop right in.

 

AMEN! Unless, of course, you are trying to preserve the car near original specs.....

 

I almost did that...

http://www.akmcables.com/camgear.jpg

The timing gear gave before the cam did... That was my LT1. I have yet to pull the motor apart.

Andrew

 

ya that sux, but just your luck, i have a complete 396 reuilt on an engine stand in my garage, out of a 71 chevelle. all it needs is head gaskets and intake gaskets, and normal stuff, and she is ready to go. give me a PM if interested.

 

i dunno, the motor in it right now is a GM crate 396 from 1970, so i kinda wanna go 4 the old school hotrod look on it. of course, being born in 85, i missed all that. any1 tell me how ppl did up their cars back in the mid 70s?

 

well, i pulled the main bearing caps and **** 2day, and they are shot 2 hell, didnt get 2 the cam bearings tho.