Cam not going into new 402... any help?
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Cam not going into new 402... any help? Was trying to work on getting my shortblock together, but while trying to install the new cam, its getting hung up on the second bearing. I can get a good view of it from the bottom, and the cam is about halfway into the 2nd bearing, and its just stuck there. It will BARELY rotate if you put effort into spinning it, and it wont go any further than that. Ive tried several times and thats as far in as it will go without forcing it. I waas tempted to give it a few soft taps with a rubber mallet but I dont want to mar up the bearing surfaces. Im using redline assembly lube. Is it possible the bearings are too small, or the cam journals are somehow too large? Ive installed a few cams before and never had an issue...
Its a LS2 402, Callies crank and rods, assembled by TSP. Thanks for any help!
Its a LS2 402, Callies crank and rods, assembled by TSP. Thanks for any help!
You can measure the actual cam journals with a micrometer. They should measure 55mm. You can also try another cam to see if that one goes in easily. I wouldn't use a rubber mallet to install it. Are you holding the cam level and rotating it slowly as you install it? Any kind of angle will cause it to bind. If all else fails, give TSP a call.
I had the same problem yesterday while installing a cam in a new block, but mine was on the front bearing. The machine shop that put in my cam bearings put it in crooked. I would advise against spinning the cam in, mine scored the bearing a little when I did.
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Thanks guys for the replies...
All the cam journals measured between 55.02mm and 55.08mm. I even tried installing the cam backwards just to see if it would go in further to help determine if the cam was maybe a little bent, but still gets hung up in the same spot.
I don't have another cam laying around to try but I'm sure I could find someone to loan me a stocker to try out, but it's not sounding like it's the cam, right?
I guess I'll give TSP a call on Monday morning and see what they suggest...
All the cam journals measured between 55.02mm and 55.08mm. I even tried installing the cam backwards just to see if it would go in further to help determine if the cam was maybe a little bent, but still gets hung up in the same spot.
I don't have another cam laying around to try but I'm sure I could find someone to loan me a stocker to try out, but it's not sounding like it's the cam, right?
I guess I'll give TSP a call on Monday morning and see what they suggest...
Thanks guys for the replies...
All the cam journals measured between 55.02mm and 55.08mm. I even tried installing the cam backwards just to see if it would go in further to help determine if the cam was maybe a little bent, but still gets hung up in the same spot.
I don't have another cam laying around to try but I'm sure I could find someone to loan me a stocker to try out, but it's not sounding like it's the cam, right?
I guess I'll give TSP a call on Monday morning and see what they suggest...
All the cam journals measured between 55.02mm and 55.08mm. I even tried installing the cam backwards just to see if it would go in further to help determine if the cam was maybe a little bent, but still gets hung up in the same spot.
I don't have another cam laying around to try but I'm sure I could find someone to loan me a stocker to try out, but it's not sounding like it's the cam, right?
I guess I'll give TSP a call on Monday morning and see what they suggest...
I brought my cam in to test fit when I picked up my block from the machine shop. It had a couple of spots where it was tight and wouldnt go in. The machinist had to remove some material on one spot of two cam bearings and it was fine. IMO the sleeve retaining compound that they use to secure the bearings swells a bit especially if it collects in larger quantities on one side of the bearing and causes problems like this. Maybe this is why you read about honing the cam bearings after they get installed?
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Well the good news is a fellow tech-er let me borrow his stock cam and a bore gauge... The bad news is the stock cam gets stuck in the same place lol So at least I know its not the cam.
With the bore gauge, the 2nd bearing (where its getting stuck) is a little smaller than the first bearing by around .0012" and its even a little more narrow than that when measured horizontally (close to .0015). But it still seems like its within the minimum bore clearance according to some reading I was doing, isnt it?. So I guess that would maybe point to the bearings being offcenter, not perpendicular to the bore, or misaligned?
Zeroed on narrowest point of the first bearing:
2nd Bearing compared to first bearing:
2nd Bearing bore measured horizontally:
This is how far the cam is getting in:
And it took some effort to get the cam in that far. It didnt get to that point and stop, it get stuck a little before that point, and took a little persuading to get in even that far.
With the bore gauge, the 2nd bearing (where its getting stuck) is a little smaller than the first bearing by around .0012" and its even a little more narrow than that when measured horizontally (close to .0015). But it still seems like its within the minimum bore clearance according to some reading I was doing, isnt it?. So I guess that would maybe point to the bearings being offcenter, not perpendicular to the bore, or misaligned?
Zeroed on narrowest point of the first bearing:
2nd Bearing compared to first bearing:
2nd Bearing bore measured horizontally:
This is how far the cam is getting in:
And it took some effort to get the cam in that far. It didnt get to that point and stop, it get stuck a little before that point, and took a little persuading to get in even that far.
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From: Granada Hills, CA
Yeah I've been in touch with Matt@TSP. He's given me every confidence they'll take care of the issue, so I'm not worried, just was seeing if there's other things I can try or measure to help them diagnose the issue since they're closed for the weekend.
bearings gotta be the wrong ones. if i remember correctly, 98-00 is difference than 01-02, just by a hair, but it matters. one has a larger o.d. but has the same i.d. when the bearings are installed the interferance fit causes them to shrink a tad. i would guess they have the larger o.d. bearings in the other style block. causing the i.d. to shrink too small.
also if they have the bearings out of order they will do the same thing. the bearing bores in the block vary in size. 1 and 5(front and back) are the same, 2 and 4 are the same and 3(center) is different than the rest. center is the smallest bore, 2,4 are a little bigger and 1,5 are bigger yet. if they accidentally put one of the 1,5 bearings in a 2,4 bore. then that will cause the i.d. to be too small also
best thing to do. knock the bearings out and install new. peace of mind
also if they have the bearings out of order they will do the same thing. the bearing bores in the block vary in size. 1 and 5(front and back) are the same, 2 and 4 are the same and 3(center) is different than the rest. center is the smallest bore, 2,4 are a little bigger and 1,5 are bigger yet. if they accidentally put one of the 1,5 bearings in a 2,4 bore. then that will cause the i.d. to be too small also
best thing to do. knock the bearings out and install new. peace of mind