Camshaft problems please help
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Camshaft problems please help
My 69 360 hasn't been firing on the back two cylinders so I pulled the valve covers off and had no action from either set of rockers on the back cylinders so I pulled it apart and got one of the lifters out. Turned it over while looking down the lifter bore w/ a flashlight and the cam wasn't turning back there. I went through and checked all of my pistons and they are all moving like they should so I've ruled out the idea of a broken connecting rod causing the cam to break. Does anyone know what might have caused the camshaft to actually break?? I would like to have an idea what I'm getting into before I start. I already have a cam and lifters on order from before I knew it was broke. Anyone with any advice please help!!
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From: Littleton, CO
Can't say I've heard of that one before, but that doesn't mean it can't happen. Sounds like something bound on the back half of the cam bore. I would pull that thing apart and look at the timing chain for starters, then move into the cam itself. I'm guessing that new cam bearings will be in order if it truely locked up and broke the cam.
--Mike
--Mike
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Thanks for the reply. I talked to a guy in town here who does a lot of ford engine work and he's never heard of a cam breaking without having a rod go. He kind of pointed me down the same direction as you as far as going with the bearings. I hope it isn't anything to major as I wasn't hoping to throw too much money at this thing right away.
Josh
Josh
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From: Missouri
Having a cam break with no real cause is about unheard of. What brand is it? You might call the manufacturer and get them to hook you up. You would certainly know it if the cam bearings started taking a grip on the journals I would think. If the bearings did grab on to it you will see a blue color on the cam journal where it grabbed it.
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It still has the factory cam in it. I got the cam out today, well the front half, still have to fish the back half out. When I pulled the front half out part of one of the cam bearings came with, so needless to say the cam bearings are shot. Block looks ok so far though. I just bought the truck and the cam was already broke so who knows what the deal was there. Got too dark to work anymore tonite will know more tomorrow after work. A friend of mine was telling me that you have to pull the motor to change the back cam bearing is this true? If so I really have my work cut out for me. I think that sounds like a little overkill for cam bearings but I could be wrong. I have a Crane energizer cam coming this week so I was hoping to have it running by this weekend or early next week. Any advice you can give me is much appreciated.
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Joined: Nov 2002
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From: Littleton, CO
Sorry Josh, sounds like you will need to pull the motor....
Cam bearings are a touchy thing and best left to the pro's at the machine shop, at least IMHO. There are specialty tools used to do it right and that's what it's all about. They may even be able to take care of you without disturbing the rest of the motor, but you may want to dig in there as well just to be safe. With the cam breaking, you may have some small metal floating around in there and you will want to take care of that if possible so it doesn't contaminate the rest of the engine. Hopefully you got a good deal on the truck. Keep us posted, we always like to learn new things.
--Mike
Cam bearings are a touchy thing and best left to the pro's at the machine shop, at least IMHO. There are specialty tools used to do it right and that's what it's all about. They may even be able to take care of you without disturbing the rest of the motor, but you may want to dig in there as well just to be safe. With the cam breaking, you may have some small metal floating around in there and you will want to take care of that if possible so it doesn't contaminate the rest of the engine. Hopefully you got a good deal on the truck. Keep us posted, we always like to learn new things.
--Mike
Last edited by Mike G; May 6, 2004 at 10:10 AM.
