How Do My Cam Bearings Look?

I'm getting ready to install a new Mark Burton turbo cam (engine is on a stand) and I'm planning on replacing the front cam bearing with a TA dual grooved one. I removed the front cam bearing last night and practiced trying to tap it back in from the front to see if I could to the job without removing the crank and/or rods and pistons. I tapped in it pretty terribly and I think deformed the bearing, so it looks like I have to remove the crank to fit the bearing driver part of my cam bearing tool in there and do it properly from the rear of the block. I was planning on doing the rear main seal as well so I think I will have to remove the crank regardless.

I also noticed some small nicks in bearings #2 - #4 (couldn't really see #5). I'm guessing these were caused by me not being careful enough when removing the old cam? I took some pictures of them, do you think I now need to replace all of the cam bearings? I can just barely feel the nick on #2 with my finger, can't feel anything on #3 or #4:

#2




#3


#4



I also noticed that the #1 bearing was not lined up with the oiling holes very well. Could this have been part of the reason it looks so wiped out and has such a bad groove in the hydraulic wedge area? You can see in this picture that the edge of the bearing is flush with the edge of the oiling hole, meaning the other side of the oiling hole is being partially covered by the bearing (which has a smaller hole than the block):





Couple of images of the bore after bearing removal for reference:

 

The bearings look ok to me, but since your going to tear it down, I'd replace 'em with TA's dual grooved bearings.

 

Nice pics/camera! Die grind some of that excess flashing out around lifter bores while you're at it.

 

Thanks for the feedback guys! Stupid question, do I absolutely have to remove the crankshaft to do the upgraded rear main seal?

If not I'd much rather unbolt the one rod blocking the bearing driver from getting in than remove the whole crank, that way I could just do #1. If I can unbolt that rod and just push the piston all the way up I think I can get the driver in there an then use the #5 bearing for the tool centering guide form the outside of the block.

As far as grinding the flashing off, I would love to but I'm afraid of getting metal grit in the engine. This thing makes 160psi compression in all cylinders so I'm trying to not really touch the bottom end if I can help it!

 

How are you going to load the new bearing onto the expanding mandrel with the crank in the way?

 

My mandrel is one of the fixed, non-expanding types that is the same ID as the bearing with an extra lip slightly smaller than the OD to drive it. You can see it here:

https://carshopinc.com/buick-v8-cam-bearing-mandrel-for-carshopinc-cam-bearing-driver.html

It attaches to the long rod of the driver, and there is also a centering cone that slides over the rod. The mandrel is only slightly wider than the cam bearing and I was able to fit the bearing by itself in between the rods (that's how I got it out). If I remove one rod I think I can slip the mandrel with the bearing already on it up there and then put the driving rod thought from the rear of the engine and drive it in. I would have the centering cone on the outside of the block in the #5 bearing for this.

What do you think?

 

Patrick, If you can do it, I say do it
I've replaced all but the rear cam bearings in the car buy loading the tool thru the openings between the lifter bores
It wasn't easy, but I did it, a couple times actually
If your successful I applaud your ingenuity!!
Keep us posted

 

Post a pic or two of what/how your doing it if you can.

 

I don’t think that rod should be in the oil hole of cam bearing. Is that a tool or something?

 

Looks similar to my home made model. Mine pulls the bearing in, no hammering or drifting. The o.d. has to be about. 004 smaller than i.d of bearing to allow for crushing after install or you'll scratch up bearing i.d. trying to remove it after installing. The blue delrin threaded spacers hold the threaded rod true and centered to block cam bores. The large flat washer goes against the block while you turn the nut and pull the shell in. Works slick. Rear cam plug has to be out to use it for all the bearings. Don't know if TA bearings, (cause they are wider), will fit without crank or rod removed to sneak them into position.
All i.d.'s are threaded and concentric to o.d.'s. Never have had a cocked or distorted bearing using this contraption, so no i.d. reaming ever necessary.

You're on the right track!

 

Andy,
That seems to me to just be the oil hole to the #1 main.

 

Taking the crank out will not change the compression. I would CERTAINLY not remove any pistons. Be VERY anal about putting every thing back exactly as it came out. Be very careful to not nick the crank, and put assembly lube back on everything. JMO

 

u do not have to remove the crank to remove/replace the rear main seal. loosen the mains bolts and lift the crank a little at the rear. Easy to r/r the main seal. Been there; done that. We place some crank/main lube on the seal and made sure that the seal slightly turned (1/2"?) so that not parellel to the base.

 

I usually offset them 1/4".

 

Thanks for the info all! Glad I can leave the crank in.

For the rear main seal I was planning on using this guide:
http://www.v8buick.com/index.php?threads/bop-455-rear-seal-install-step-by-step.301130/

I know it's for a 455 but I assume 350 is similar?

I'm headed over to my garage to take more pictures of how I plan to do the cam bearing for clarification!

 

Well I just made a stupid rookie mistake: I completely trashed the rear cam bearing by knocking the cam plug inward instead of outward. To my credit I tried outward first using the rod of my cam tool but it kept bouncing off. Well I got the damn plug out but it also did this to the bearing:



All idiocy aside, I did make a rather interesting discovery! It is possible to insert the bearing driver of my tool into each of the bearing bores without removing or loosening the crank in any way! If I rotate the crankshaft in just the right spot I'm able to use a combination of a string and a magnet tool to drop the driver in (engine upside down on rotating stand). I guess I could do all of the bearings and not touch the crank! Here are some pictures:












I will still be at least doing the rear main seal but this definitely make the cam bearings easier. I'm going to at least order a full set of bearings and then if I can put the front and rear ones in without to much trouble probably do all of 'em.

Also, here are some general pictures of how I plan to use my cam bearing tool by putting the centering cone on the outside of the block:

 

Ahhh, I like your ingenuity
If you can find a way to do something, do it

 

Thanks Mark! I'll let you guys know how it goes once I actually order/receive the new cam bearings from TA!

Question about centering the back grooved bearings on the oil holes . . . can I operate under the assumption that the block's cam oiling holes are centered in the bores front to back and just center each bearing (except the last I guess)? Or should I take careful measurements of each hole and install each bearing accordingly? Unfortunately my digital vernier calipers don't fit into the cam bores so I'd have to use a ruler, or is there a measurement spec for TA bearings?