I installed some cam bearings on my V8 and the tolerances are too tight. .001 to zero. There are 5 bearings and each are smaller then the other. They dont recommend line boring, not that you could and I would hate to turn down the journals of the cam. Any ideas ?

 

Does it turn free ?

 

Does not turn because I cant get the cam in. Most of the tolerances are .001 but some are zero. Trying to put a cam in with a journal that has .001 clearance is hard enough. There are 5 journals.

 

Well, if there is .001 of clearance the cam should go in there. Were the bearings chamfered before they were installed ?
How are you measuring it ? Dial bore gage ?

 

Yes the cam should go in with .001. Sounds like you have a slight burr on the drive side of the bearing. Take a sharp knife or bearing scraper and break that edge of the bearings around it's circumference at a slight angle. See if that doesn't help. Kotzy

 

Can you get the cam into the first bearing and if so the second bearing is installed incorrectly. Its not square with the cam bore. remove it and get another bearing for that location and install it again. The only block I have had a problem was the Fe blocks and that was only two blocks in thirty years. Good luck. Ron

 

I got the cam installed but it requires a ratchet wrench to turn it over. Is this common with new bearings and will it break in ok this way?

 

Not very common but it does happen. I would coat them with a marker, blueing or something of that sort. Put the cam in & turn it. Take it back out & see where the high spots are. Work the high spots out with a knife, fine sand paper. Then finish them with a Scotch Brite. You should be able to turn it by hand when it's finished.