Cam Bearings Install

[chief01]

Getting ready to install new cam bearings that I ordered from Mikes. I am installing
them on a cam that I had that did not have bearings on it. My question is should the
bearings just slide on or do I need to tap them on with a socket. If so, how far do they go on. I looked in Haynes manual and it doesn't say. I tried fitting them by hand and only got them just barely on did not want to force them without knowing the proper procedure. Also, should I put a light coating of oil on the cam and bearing before installing them. Any help is appreciated. Thanks

 

[sseres]

grease it up bigtime. I used a thick "engine honey" that the machine shop that did my hone/bore told me about. The bearing fits down the cam just far enough that the oil seals fit over the ends of the cam

 

[chief01]

Anyone have any advice on putting the bearings on. Should I just tap them on with a socket or what?

 

[retiredgentleman]

Anyone have any advice on putting the bearings on. Should I just tap them on with a socket or what?

Its been a few years since I handled the camshaft and bearings. However, as I remember, the OEM bearings slipped onto my camshaft without any great force i.e. I just used my fingers to push them on. Sometimes the parts from Mikesxs are not made to the same specs as the OEM parts. If they are tight, try using some fine emery paper to clean up the inside of the bearings. Clean them well, and maybe use something like WD40, which is quite slippery, to help them slip on. Light tapping could be used if needed.

The bearings need to go fully inward on the camshaft. If they are left out even a small amount, there will not be sufficient room for the points/ATU housing oil seals to make a proper seal on the camshaft..............result could be oil leaks.

With the camshaft and bearings sitting in the head, measure the small amount that the camshaft protrudes (from the head) at each end. If they are not identical, tap the camshaft to make them identical.

This pic of my camshaft is how it looked when I first opened up my engine.

 

[I am Carbon]

after lubing the inner race, like RG said it should slide right on the cam

 

[XSLeo]

I might use a Scotch Bright pad to be sure the cam shaft is clean where the bearings set. And as RG said they should go on as far as the can. And when the cam is installed in the head you center the bearings on the seats. The bearings will over hang to the inside a bit, but they need to.
The cam needs to be centered so the cam chain runs straight.
To be sure the cam is centered I measure from the bearing outer race to the gasket surface where the points and advancer housings mount. Get the measurement the same on both sides.
Leo

 

[chief01]

Thanks guys. Took your advice, a little scotch bright and WD40 and they slipped right on. Thanks again

 

[EvenmoreXS]

To anyone who is still seeing this thread....

Should I put grease or oil directly in the the bearings where the balls are?

What to grease during reassembly?????

 

[Tim of DO THE TON]

Motor oil - use the same lube as they're going to get when you run it. Lucas Assembly Lube is nice on some of the other bits that don't spin fast like shifter forks etc. and it stays put.

 

[EvenmoreXS]

Thanks Tim. I appreciate the help. I was leaning that way.

 

[EvenmoreXS]

I put my rockerbox back on last night. Torqued down the head and set the valves. When i went to put the cam covers back on, there was a gap between the back of the cam cover/cam seal and the head. The red o ring was not pushed up against the body. Im guessing Im going to have to pull the box and set the cam bearings again.

Frustrated. Lesson learned. The hard way im affraid.

 

[Tim of DO THE TON]

Did you push the bearings onto the cam as far as they would go? No tools are needed for this - they just slide on and off. You put them on as far as they will go in and then center the cam in the head.

Did you apply Threebond to the rocker cover? Will take some effort to clean that up.

Oh, and I should have asked earlier - did you have the head off the engine? There is a little bent metal band that goes above where the breather apparatus bolts on - it prevents oil from flying off the cam chain and into that area.

It sometimes goes missing during rebuilds and gets forgotten. But it's on the underside of the head so if you didn't remove the cylinder head, you're ok, but if you're replacing cam bearings, I'm assuming you had the head off and are replacing head gaskets etc.

 

[EvenmoreXS]

Head was off. Yep, I will have to clean gasket goo. I thought the bearings were in far enough, but I guess not. No way to tap them at this point i suppose.

I will look for the little tab. Could you, or anyone, supply a pic of what Im looking for.

 

[XSLeo]

You can loosen the headbolts, use a socket large enough to fit against the outer bearinmg race but not so big it hits the head/rocker box. Now just gently tap on the socket. This will push the bearings on the cam. To be sure your all the way on watch the other end of the cam. When it starts to move the bearings are on all the way. Repeat for the other side. Once they are on all the way measure from the outer race out the where the housings seat on the head/rocker box. I use the depth measuring part of my dial caliper. Get the measurement the same on both sides. Retorque the head.
Leo

 

[EvenmoreXS]

The gasket goo will be set for about 18 - 20 hours by then. Hopefully it will still be tacky enought to stay set. ????

Any idea of a good size socket? The biggest I have now is 27 mm. Any bigger and I will need to hit the store before I go home.

Man I hope this works.

Probably gonna have to reset the valves after retorque.

 

[Tim of DO THE TON]

According to specs, the 16005C3 bearing that I believe that is, has an OD of 47mm. So you want something pretty close to that, which is a pretty big socket. No way of saying what size socket would fit as different brands of sockets have different thickness walls etc.

This is a pic of the oil baffle in the underside of the head, but you should not remove the head or take too much torque off the engine if you're not going to replace gaskets. The head gasket crushes a bit when you torque.

I forgot my oil baffle, and had torqued the engine down. Had to remove it all, clean up all the Threebond and replace the head gasket. (borrowed pic from another thread here)

 

[XSLeo]

I wouldn't buy a socket just for that, but if you are going to stop some where a plumbing supply might be a good place. A pipe nipple or union will work fine.
The Bearing has an outside diameter of about 47 mm or just under 1 7/8 inch. You can use a punch if you are careful and work around the bearing.
Leo

 

[Tim of DO THE TON]

The largest socket you have working around the edge would also work - a little more distributed force than a punch. Just light taps working around the perimeter - no big movements.

 

[EvenmoreXS]

I think I remember seeing the baffle now. I dont remember seing it upon reinstall, but i bagged EVERYTHING, and I dont remember pulling it from the bag either. Id bet it stuck and stayed. I will try to loosen and tap the bearings in. Maybe even with a piece of PVC with a cap. Or just slowly going around.

Once the bearings are correct, when I measure the cam sticking out, I want the exact same measurement from the end of the cam to the oil seal....right. Or to the inside of the housing???

 

[Tim of DO THE TON]

You want the bearings in the same distance from the surface of the head/rocker cover on either side. With the depth guage part of a caliper you should be able to measure this.

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