#1 camshaft journal groove

[Heavyw8]

I just installed a Edelbrock 204-214. I noticed the stock cam does not have a groove. Is this going to be a problem if so does anybody make cams without the groove.

Last thing just brought a oil pick up 25505644 the screen is not as dense as the original.

 

[GNVAIR]

No one that I know of makes cams without the groove. I had purchased one of the last new GM cams back in 2001 and even it had a groove in it where as the original cam out of my 87 didnt. The engine in my dad's car was an 86 and it had the groove in it. After freshening that engine up with new bearings and other misc parts, I put approx 2k miles on it. It blew a head gasket and I ended up tearing it down again and found the #1 cam bearing was badly grooved from this groove in the cam.
I just built 2 different engines and had the groove welded up in both of the new cams. The first engine is in my father's car and has about 600 miles on it so far. Cost was about $75 for each cam to do so.

 

[getchasum]

I doubt you’ll see any trouble. Most of the cam manufactures machine the groove into the cams due to the fact that there is many more applications that calls for it. When I was building my engine I used the grooved TA cam bearings. The fact of both cam and bearings being grooved give me concern of oiling problems. I decided to take the cam (billet roller) to a machine shop, where they submerge arch welded the groove and turned the cam back to specs. By doing this I feel like I corrected two problems, 1) being oiling issues, the other being load bearing area/surface on the #1 journal. If you are not using cam bearing that are grooved, I wouldn’t sweat it. BUT I would advise of a good quality cam bearing if the original GM’s are not in there.

 

[getchasum]

On a side note......Next time I need a cam, it will be custom ordered without the groove. I talked to Crane and they said no problem. I would suspect that Reeds or any of the others would give you what you wanted.