Roller cam bearing guestion
- Thread starter 86george
- Start date
As long as you have a 86-87 engine block you don't need the groove in the front cam journal. Just buy some quality cam bearings. I ran into this also when installing my roller cam.
The "109" block has a groove behind the cam bearing to oil both lifter galleys. The earlier blocks did not have this so that was why most of the camshafts out there have a groove in the front journal to ensure the engine gets oil on both sides of the lifter galleys. This way the cam could be used in the earlier and later production engines.
On the plus side when I installed the roller my oil press jumped about 5 psi at a hot idle. Just be sure to set the end play clearance correctly when installing the cam.
The "109" block has a groove behind the cam bearing to oil both lifter galleys. The earlier blocks did not have this so that was why most of the camshafts out there have a groove in the front journal to ensure the engine gets oil on both sides of the lifter galleys. This way the cam could be used in the earlier and later production engines.
On the plus side when I installed the roller my oil press jumped about 5 psi at a hot idle. Just be sure to set the end play clearance correctly when installing the cam.
Thats some good news for a change.I've got a new set of bearings and thought i might have to get another set.A little extra oil pressure can't hurt either.Thanks.
If you have a 20 bolt pan and the casting number ends in 140 or 109 you are gtg on the cam. The blocks are grooved in the cam bearing bore. OIl pressure is a crap shoot with the roller lifters. Ive seen engines lose some and some stayed the same. If the front cam bearing is new there will be no difference over a grooved or non grooved cam. Id rather have the extra bearing surface of the non grooved cam journal myself.
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- Feb 13, 2005
what about an 84 4.1L block, does it require the grooved front cam bearing?
Only if you have a cam with no groove.
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- Feb 13, 2005
does the front bearing only need to be grooved? or all four? my (not anymore) machine shop installed 109 bearings in my 4.1L block. also where to get the grooved ones, cant seem to find them. please
Only the front area needs a groove in the block, bearing, or a grooved cam. Any one of the 3 is enough. 4.1's use a different od cam bearing so you need to do a complete teardown since this should have been general knowledge that any machine ship should know. You will likely find other issues.
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- Feb 13, 2005
i went to install my cam in this new build and noticed the front cam bearing oil hole (no groove) as i was inspecting it u can see the block through the oil hole. 3 o' clock position. i think oil passage in block is like 9 or 10 o'clock position. im sorry im rambling on im just really pissed and need to vent. i slid the cam in to mock up lifters to order my pushrods and cam fit nice and snug in block (bearings) so i think maybe they installed the incorrect 4.1L bearings. either way that front one needs to come out. yadda yadda yadda
