Camshaft Cracked on Advance Threads During Pamco Install

[theblackassassin]

I received my pamco ignition from Mikes XS yesterday.
So last night I Got everything ready to install and the bushings did not go in easy at all..
I have a 1980 and at first glance the bushings seemed a little too big.
I first started on the left side. Cleaned out the inside of the cam hole and put the bushing up to the hole..
Could not push it in at all with my finger. So I began to tap it in nice and easy..
as i was tapping it in started to notice that the bushing was throwing burs..
note that the bushing was going in even and straight but the bushing was not going in easy at all.
I had to really put some effort to get the sucker in..
Finally it got in but man did I really have to hit it.
So on to the Right side of the bike..
Same exact thing. bushing just seemed too big..
I finally got the first one in on that side and went to get the second one in....and it got started going in and then boom it cracked the threading on the cam from where the pin hole is all the way to the end.
It seems as if the bushing was pushing so hard on the inside of the cam it just couldnt handle all the stress.

I will be posting a pic as soon as I get home. Writing this at work right now.. Its been bugging me all day.

My friend who has an 81 with a pamco was there with with me and could not believe how difficult it was to get these bushings in..
His Bike took two taps on each one and all the bushings were in.

Have you guys ever heard of this issue before?
Should I of had a different size bushing?
I cannot see how or why this would of happened if the bushings were the correct size.
Any feedback from you guys would be great.
I have found one other thread on this and dude had same thing happen but in two different spots.

 

[tonyc]

I sounds if there was a bushing in there when youi started.

 

[hotdog]

Sounds like Mikes Q.C. might be a bit off

 

[theblackassassin]

I sounds if there was a bushing in there when youi started.

I thought the same thing when I mocked up the bushing.. There was nothing. I double triple quadruple checked.
The Bike is completely stock. The PO didnt do anything to it but let it sit around in his garage..
So I doubt he touched those the cam cover Screws didnt have a single scratch on them

Sounds like Mikes Q.C. might be a bit off

I am thinking the same thing as you man.

 

[theblackassassin]

Bump

Here is a pic of the cam

 

[theblackassassin]

I am under the impression that my engine had the cam swapped to an aftermarket one..
Just installed the bushings on another cam and they slipped right in.
I am so lost for words

 

[gggGary]

The good news is there is no longer any need to do this!

 

[XSLeo]

As gggGary said with Pamco's new electronic advancer you don't need to worry about thay crack.
All I can say on the tight bushings is that with a steel cam and a few years of rusting make the hole in the cam tight. When you cleaned the hole, how did you clean it? I have reccomened useing a srainless steel cleaning brush for a 54 cal muzzle loader or 20 ga shotgun. Mount the brush in a drill and spin the brush into the cam. Keep at it till it's bright and shiny.
Leo

 

[Mendez78]

I received my pamco ignition from Mikes XS yesterday.
So last night I Got everything ready to install and the bushings did not go in easy at all..
I have a 1980 and at first glance the bushings seemed a little too big.
I first started on the left side. Cleaned out the inside of the cam hole and put the bushing up to the hole..
Could not push it in at all with my finger. So I began to tap it in nice and easy..
as i was tapping it in started to notice that the bushing was throwing burs..
note that the bushing was going in even and straight but the bushing was not going in easy at all.
I had to really put some effort to get the sucker in..
Finally it got in but man did I really have to hit it.
So on to the Right side of the bike..
Same exact thing. bushing just seemed too big..
I finally got the first one in on that side and went to get the second one in....and it got started going in and then boom it cracked the threading on the cam from where the pin hole is all the way to the end.
It seems as if the bushing was pushing so hard on the inside of the cam it just couldnt handle all the stress.

I will be posting a pic as soon as I get home. Writing this at work right now.. Its been bugging me all day.

My friend who has an 81 with a pamco was there with with me and could not believe how difficult it was to get these bushings in..
His Bike took two taps on each one and all the bushings were in.

Have you guys ever heard of this issue before?
Should I of had a different size bushing?
I cannot see how or why this would of happened if the bushings were the correct size.
Any feedback from you guys would be great.
I have found one other thread on this and dude had same thing happen but in two different spots.

I got my pamco yesterday and the same exact thing happend to me I have a 1980 as well cracked at the threads and the damn bushing where a bitch to get in

 

[gggGary]

I don't know but suspect the later cams without bushings installed are not reamed. Yes I have seen several reports of this.
Point of fact the bushings are MikesXS products not Pete's
2nd point of fact if the bushing don't fit you can't convict uh I mean you shouldn't force it in, even if you manage to jam it in there, what are the odds the advance shaft will spin freely in the now beat up bushings? That shaft must turn easily inside the bushings.
3rd item, now that Pete is selling the E-advance there is no reason to be putting a mechanical advance on an XS that didn't have one from the factory.
The same issue has occurred with bronze swing arm bushings. To ME even! Having heard of the issues, I stopped, removed the "too big" bushings and used smaller ones from a different vendor, they and the sleeve slid right in.

 

[Mendez78]

I don't know but suspect the later cams without bushings installed are not reamed. Yes I have seen several reports of this.
Point of fact the bushings are MikesXS products not Pete's
2nd point of fact if the bushing don't fit you can't convict uh I mean you shouldn't force it in, even if you manage to jam it in there, what are the odds the advance shaft will spin freely in the now beat up bushings? That shaft must turn easily inside the bushings.
3rd item, now that Pete is selling the E-advance there is no reason to be putting a mechanical advance on an XS that didn't have one from the factory.
The same issue has occurred with bronze swing arm bushings. To ME even! Having heard of the issues, I stopped, removed the "too big" bushings and used smaller ones from a different vendor, they and the sleeve slid right in.

This was first time doing this. I did not bash on it to get it in... I tapped it in lightly and boom the thing was cracked!