I just got my block back from the machine shop. (FE-390 "352" block) I had it bored 30 over, hot tanked, and new cam bearings installed. I'm about ready to put it together. But when I look at the cam bearings, I'm not sure they are installed correctly.

Looking at the diagram in the Steve Christ "Big Block Ford" book, it shows the oil flowing from the upper center lifter gallery, down through the cam bearings to the main bearings. The cam bearings in my block do not have oil holes to the top of the block and that center oil gallery. There is only one oil hole, and it points down to the bottom of the engine, and the main bearing saddles. I can see through oil hole in the main saddles, and see into the cam bearings. BUT... the rear most bearing is oposite the others. The single oil hole is on the top of the cam, facing the top of the engine. I can see through the oil hole in the bearing, and it looks to be matched to an oil hole in the block. I can only assume that the rear cam bearing is oiled from the lifter gallery. If so, how does the rear main bearing get oil?

I can't remember what the old cam bearings looked like. But based on the Christ diagram, the cam bearings should have two oil holes. One in the top, and one in the bottom, and the bearing should be grooved so that the oil can flow past the cam journals on to the main bearings from the upper oil gallery. My bearings only have one hole, and they aren't grooved. And neither is the journals on the cam.

I just don't understand how oil will get to the cam, and on to the main bearings with no oil feed from that center lifter oil gallery.

Do I have the correct cam bearings? I don't want to assemble the engine if these aren't the right bearings. The machine shop furnished the bearings, so I don't know if the right bearings were ordered, and installed.
It just doesn't make sense to me when I look at it.

Some of you FE experts enlighten me here....

 

BUMP! Anyone?

Me personally, I don't remember, and I'd hate to screw you up.

 

YouTube - Cam Bearing Installation on a Ford FE Block

From the looks of this clip, the block has a groove for the oil to flow around .The first bearing he installs is at the rear main.

 

Yes, There groved because it is a Blind installation. FordEdselFanatic, Sounds like you be ok.

 

I saw that clip before, and it's one of the things that concerned me. When he installs the rear cam bearing, he installs it with the oil slot on the bearing towards the main bearing. On my block, the oil slot on the rear bearing is aligned with the oil hole on the top of the block, or oposite of what he shows in the clip. If the position of the bearing in the clip is correct, then it's wrong in my block. Hence the concern.

I haven't been able to find any reference material that explains in detail how the cam bearings should be oriented in the block.

 

I have a couple blocks with the bearings still in. I'll get a look and report back later tonight.

 

I went down to the barn and looked at a block. All of the cam bearing holes face down toward the crank. 2,3,4 and number 5 have a groove around the full diameter in the block. The oil will flow out to the cam as long as the bearings are centered in the radius . The orientation of the hole can be up or down. The bearing in the number 1 spot has no groove in the block and will need to be aligned with both holes.

 

I appreciate the responses from you guys. After studying the block, and factoring in you guy's responses, I've come to the conclusion that with the exception of the #1 cam bearing, it really doesn't matter where the oil slot in the bearing is oriented. As long as the slot is positioned somewhere over that oil grove in the block, the cam will get lubrication, and so will the main crank bearings. It really shouldn't matter if the oil slot in the bearing is up, or down, or somewhere between the upper, and lower block oil holes.
I'm going to go ahead and build this engine. I think it's going to be OK like it is.

Thanks again for all your help.

 

FEF, it DOES matter, and the guy in that you tube vid is doing WRONG. I wouldn't run it the way he has the bearings, they won't last. I have to step away from my terminal, but I'll come back and explain why. The shop who put yours in owes you a refund and a new set of bearings. DinosaurFan

 

FEF, it certainly sounds like your block has the bearings in wrong. The #1 cam bearing has two holes and a groove. As you're looking at the block from the front, right side up, the holes should be at 4 and 6 o'clock, the groove runs between the holes. On cam bearings 2,3,4, and 5, still looking at the block right side up and from the front, the oil hole should be on the side, at the 3 o'clock position. Think about the valvesprings pushing the rockers and pushrods, the cam is between two rows of lifters, being pushed straight down, with hundereds of pounds of pressure. If the oil hole is right on the bottom, like Edward's video shows, the oil pressure will be unable to float the cam from the bearing. If the bearing is at the 3 o'clock postion where it belongs, the oil is fed into the unloaded space on the side of the cam, where it gets carried around with the shaft and forms an incompressible hydrodynamic wedge, just like it is supposed to.


I'm shocked that a supposed 'master machinist' from an 'engine shop' doesn't know how to do this. It does make it understandable why some folks think that rebuilt engines aren't as good as new, the FE series in particular. When folks who have no clue what they are doing try to rebuild an engine, especially an FE there are going to be problems. You are wise to wonder if the bearings are in correctly, 'cause it sure sounds like yours are not.


DinosaurFan

 

DinosaurFan

Seems to me the hole should be "under" the cam so oil is forced under the loaded side of the cam.

By similarity, we always install the rocker shafts "oil hole down", so oil comes out on the loaded side of the rockers.

On the other hand, a crank gets its oil feed from the top (unloaded side).

So.....since we can see various supporting and contradictory examples, can't we conclude it doesn't really matter, as long as there is oil flow?

 

Further to this.....my factory 1966 Ford manual only says to line up the oil holes in the cam bearings with the oil holes in the block. My Petersen rebuild manual for the FE says a little more. They seem to insist you line up the cam bearing holes with the block hole that "supplies" the oil. So it appears oil flow is the requirement more so than the direction of loading.

Interestingly, this would mean the cam bearing holes face the top of the block for a center oiler and face the bottom of the block for a side oiler.

 

check out this link Hydrodynamic Bearings, by EPI Inc.

I believe I going to install my cam bearings at three o'clock . Thanks for making me research this DinosaurFan .

 

Arg, you have to wonder if it does not matter, why does the factory install the bearings as I described ? It ain't them copying me, but rather me trying to duplicate their way of installing them.
I think the main bearings are instructive here, because the crank is also being pushed down, and spins constantly. The rockershafts are a differant deal because they are loaded intermttantly, rather than constantly, and they have something rocking back and forth on them rather than continueally spinning in one direction.
Don't any of you guys have a block with the factory cam bearings still in that you can look at ? Then you'll see what I mean.
I cringe to think about how many perfectly good engines have been screwed up by a lack of knowledge or an abundance of ignorance. Like this Edwards guy, did he take out the originals ? Did he or anyone else bother to notice how the factory does it, or wonder why ?


DinosaurFan

 

Yes.....I don't really know....I was just throwing some other points of interest out there.

For the record, I just checked my block. I happen to have it apart due to piston damage from detonation. All the cam bearings have their holes pointing down, and have had since the Machine Shop put them in over 3000 miles ago. There is no bearing wear. There is no camshaft wear (that I can see). I think things can go back together the way they came apart and work fine. One of those things where it may not be the best, but evidence shows me it is sufficient.

I don't want to suggest to the original poster if his situation is acceptable, but if it happens to me, I'm not going to worry about it.