Cam wont go in HELP!!!
Cam wont go in HELP!!! Ok I have a serious problem. I am trying to stab my cam into my 383 shortblock. It was a little bit tough to get it past the first cam bearing, but nothing to out of the ordinary. The second cam bearing is tight. The cam will only go in about 3/4 of the way and then get really tight. What is going on?
Is it possible the machine shop got the cam bearing installed crooked? How would I go about fixing this myself? I just want to get this car back on the road.
Is it possible the machine shop got the cam bearing installed crooked? How would I go about fixing this myself? I just want to get this car back on the road. I am using Comp assembly lube. I have stabbed many cams before, so I know how it should be going in. Something is definitely not right. Taking the motor back is not really an option at this point because it was built half way across the country, by a reputable shop. I sent him a quick email because they were out for the weekend. He said that "in some cases you will need to polish the cam journal down some to get it to fit properly." I have never heard of that before? He said Monday we can talk over the phone and hopefully get this figured out. I am still thinking one of the cam bearings was installed crooked.
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I am using Comp assembly lube. I have stabbed many cams before, so I know how it should be going in. Something is definitely not right. Taking the motor back is not really an option at this point because it was built half way across the country, by a reputable shop. I sent him a quick email because they were out for the weekend. He said that "in some cases you will need to polish the cam journal down some to get it to fit properly." I have never heard of that before? He said Monday we can talk over the phone and hopefully get this figured out. I am still thinking one of the cam bearings was installed crooked.
yea thats a big noooooooo..........if the cam's lobes measure correctly then there is a bearing issue........either damaged bearings......or the wrong ones.........or possibly some block twist.......or possibly the cam is bent.....time to start checking some things.....do you have another cam laying around you can try and put in???
what he said ^
i say they put the wrong cam bearings in it. LT's use staggered cam bearing sizes. Id order the right set and a cam bearing tool and put them in. if you close to Kansas City you can use my cam bearing tool or ill come do it.
I checked the cam the best I could, rolled it on the kitchen table. It looked straight. I was thinking about trying to put my old LE2 cam in just to rule out a problem with the cam. I have to pick it up when I drive out to my other garage. Luckily the motor is out of the car with the pan still off. I can see the bearing but it I don't see anything wrong with it? Not noticeably crooked, just really tight. I will try my other cam and then call the machine shop if it doesn't work.
I called the motor builder up today and he gave me some excuse as to why this happens and its not his fault, and they have about one motor a week they build with this crap happening. 
Sounds like he is trying to blow smoke up my *** but whatever. Needless to say it is going to the local machine shop tomorrow morning to be fixed. Kind of ridiculous to spend that kind of money with a reputable engine builder and have to deal with stupid crap like this.
Sounds like he is trying to blow smoke up my *** but whatever. Needless to say it is going to the local machine shop tomorrow morning to be fixed. Kind of ridiculous to spend that kind of money with a reputable engine builder and have to deal with stupid crap like this. So here is what happened. I got the motor back from the local machine shop today. They had to replace the cam bearings. Apparently they had been deformed. The machinist said they were most likely deformed from being started crooked. After the new bearings were in the cam slid right into place. I sent the original builder a email today. I am hoping to get the $133 bucks back because the shop fucked up.
I'm sure he will make it right.
I'm sure he will make it right. 
TECH Regular
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 452
Likes: 0
From: Sacramento, CA
So here is what happened. I got the motor back from the local machine shop today. They had to replace the cam bearings. Apparently they had been deformed. The machinist said they were most likely deformed from being started crooked. After the new bearings were in the cam slid right into place. I sent the original builder a email today. I am hoping to get the $133 bucks back because the shop fucked up. I'm sure he will make it right.
I'm sure he will make it right.
I always lube it well! 
I got an email back from him today he is gonna pay for the bearings! I definitely didn't expect this. He took responsibility and said that they must not have installed their test cam or they would have caught this. This entire thing has really been a pain in the ***, but I am so glad that they are going to make it right.
I got an email back from him today he is gonna pay for the bearings! I definitely didn't expect this. He took responsibility and said that they must not have installed their test cam or they would have caught this. This entire thing has really been a pain in the ***, but I am so glad that they are going to make it right.
