Upgrading Cam

[kookykrispy]

hard to beat Delta cam!

Wow, talk about more than reasonable. I called Delta, with the plan for calling Comp Cams, and Howard's after but after talking to the guy at Delta I didn't even bother. Going to send my CAM as a core in the mail and send it over to them. After talking details on the type of use I want out of my motor, a 207 or 208 grind was recommended. He asked if I needed lifters and said I do. I asked if he carried timing gears as well. He said yes. I asked if they would put it on for me. No more nylon gear. He said they would install it for me. Not until the end did I ask what I was looking at as far as price. He said camshaft and lifters were going to be about 100. Extra for gear but great price.

That's awesome. Yes I love Delta camshaft. They are like a well kept secret. I will never buy an off the shelf cam again. Why would you, when you can get a custom grind for less money? I put a custom delta cam in the supercharged 400 that I built for Hella Sunshine, I have a custom delta grind in the 350 in my '68 camaro, and I put a custom delta roller cam in the 454 I built for my buddy's chevelle. Each build was great and the cam seemed perfect for each application. And their prices are always lower than you would expect. Don't forget to ask for your free t-shirt!

[66BeachCruiser]

I put my CAM with nylon gear still in place in a box and shipped it on its way to Delta Camshafts. Can't wait to hear from them once they receive it.

I went to ship it to a local shipping store that does shipping through UPS, FedEx, and USPS because I didn't want to waste further time in FedEx and USPS websites trying to figure out price. I wanted a quote before committing to shipping this box. It was 41" long by 7"x7". Weighed 14bs. Didn't realize that's all it weighed. But price to ship was ridiculous at this store. $140, $120, Over $100!! I was mad. I said I wanted the cheapest way possible. No hurry on shipping. He said I can discount $10 but that is still about $90. No way! I was even asking if maybe I got a smaller box. I couldn't picture a business sending me a $100 cam and lifters and paying $100 to ship to me. Or charging $100 to ship. It should be the same thing me shipping the other way. I said I'd be back and check out my options. If He could discount that meant for me, that wasn't the final/real price. I drove a distance to a FedEx location and I said the cheapest way possible. The lady never weighed it, just measured and said ground is the cheapest. It was about $20. I was happy. Can't believe either the guy couldn't find the ground/cheapest option or he was just a rip off. I can do $20 and I'm sure if I took the gear off and made a skinnier box it would have been cheaper. Just a warning for you all. Sorry for the rant! Happy Thanksgiving! Spending it in Scottsdale Arizona Today.

[joyrde]

I put my CAM with nylon gear still in place in a box and shipped it on its way to Delta Camshafts. Can't wait to hear from them once they receive it.

I went to ship it to a local shipping store that does shipping through UPS, FedEx, and USPS because I didn't want to waste further time in FedEx and USPS websites trying to figure out price. I wanted a quote before committing to shipping this box. It was 41" long by 7"x7". Weighed 14bs. Didn't realize that's all it weighed. But price to ship was ridiculous at this store. $140, $120, Over $100!! I was mad. I said I wanted the cheapest way possible. No hurry on shipping. He said I can discount $10 but that is still about $90. No way! I was even asking if maybe I got a smaller box. I couldn't picture a business sending me a $100 cam and lifters and paying $100 to ship to me. Or charging $100 to ship. It should be the same thing me shipping the other way. I said I'd be back and check out my options. If He could discount that meant for me, that wasn't the final/real price. I drove a distance to a FedEx location and I said the cheapest way possible. The lady never weighed it, just measured and said ground is the cheapest. It was about $20. I was happy. Can't believe either the guy couldn't find the ground/cheapest option or he was just a rip off. I can do $20 and I'm sure if I took the gear off and made a skinnier box it would have been cheaper. Just a warning for you all. Sorry for the rant! Happy Thanksgiving! Spending it in Scottsdale Arizona Today.

For converstaion - - ONLY - - - each of us have our preferred methods, vendors, "go-to's" - - - - Like KK & Delta, I have always found Comp Cam spot on with recommendations - - - for BC's build - - - this is the recommended Cam & Kit - - - $354.00 delivered - - - if there is an issue free return shipping - - - for me, with Summit Racing 40 minutes away - - - no return hassles, ever

The Cam Kit - - http://www.compperformancegroupstores.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=CC&Product_Code=K61-233-4&Category_Code=

through Summit - - https://www.summitracing.com/search?SortBy=BestKeywordMatch&SortOrder=Ascending&keyword=K61-233-4

[66BeachCruiser]

Today, I received my camshaft from Delta. It came in the same box I sent it in but new cam was wrapped better. The Cam came with new cam timing gear in place. It came with the pair of aluminum gears and a set of lifters. I unpacked it out of the box because I couldn't wait but haven't unwrapped it as I was on my way out. I also ordered a camshaft bearing removal /installer tool. I will be removing the old bearings. There's a chance I leave the last bearing in there unless I unbolt the transmission. I put the cam back in the box. I'll probably continue cleaning the block and painting it until the tool kit gets here. It doesn't seem they included any break in product or instructions. Any recommendations...

[TurboVan]

Yes, you need some kind of break-in/assembly lube containing moly like Isky Rev-Lube, and then use an oil containing zinc like Valvoline VR1.

[66BeachCruiser]

Yesterday I began removing the old camshaft bearings. I used my new cam bearings removal tool. Easy enough to use. The rubber sleeves that go on the unit of the tool where the bearing is placed made sliding the bearings real difficult. It was too tight. Too tight that the rubber ripped when removing the bearings. I tried a thinner rubber and same effect. For the first bearing I only used the small extension portion of the tool due to clearance issues in front of the engine. You need enough room to smack the tool with a hammer. I used a socket at the end of the small extension to be able to hit it with a hammer. I used the long tube with the rest of the bearings 2 and 3 since it goes deeper into the block. I ordered cam bearings from 12bolt.com (king brand) since Tom recommend these on his site. I got disappointed in opening the box and feeling the bearings. I had to file some outer rough jagged edges down on all bearings. And one had a scratch in the middle. Luckily it was not going to be used since I was not removing the 4th one from my block.

[66BeachCruiser]

So today I was able to install the new bearings. I did check the last bearing and no scouring was felt. The important part about installing new cam bearings is to align the oil holes. If you don't, the rest of the engine will not get the necessary lubrication, and definite catastrophe will happen.On my first attempt I tried to eye it with just a line on the hole in the inner and outer parts of the bearing and I was close but no cigar. If you look carefully at the first picture you can see the whole in the bearing not aligned to the block oil hole. I needed to figure out a strategy that would work. First, I needed to press out this new bearing and try again. I placed the new bearings in front of their respective cavity and aligned the oil hole by a marker line I drew on the bearing face. Then I drew a marker line at the 6 o'clock mark so I can visually see a visual center while under the van to drive the bearing in accurately. It worked out great. Right on the mark, aligning the oil holes perfectly.

[66BeachCruiser]

The front bearing was installed last. I used the small extension once again. I used only a mark at the outer bearing surface to align the oil hole since I was not going to be under the van. This mark would be visible from the top as I drove it in. The other bearings were aligned first with the marks and then blindly smacked in slowly. When I thought I finished driving this last front one in the oil hole was not aligned. It looked like it needed to be pressed in further to be just right with the hole. I rechecked a picture with the original bearing and it was further in. So I went ahead and pressed it in further. The hole lines up. Time for Camshaft install. But first I will be removing the crankshaft gear with a puller. Wish me luck.

[66BeachCruiser]

These are the original bearings. Surprisingly the front bearing (#1) was not too bad. The 2nd and 3rd were bad. Glad I replaced them. The 4th one was left in the block. It felt smooth. I have to add a disclosure. Bearing inner diameters are all the same but outer diameters are different. I had taken out all new bearings from the box. They were shipped in order. I mixed them up. I didn't know. I thought they were all the same size until I saw part numbers on the box. Luckily I marked my old bearings as I took them out. I measured and re measured and matched measurements to new bearings. I repeated to make sure. The # 1 and 4 are bigger (size 5.11/picture) and middle 2 and 3 are smaller ( size 5.09/picture)outer diameters. So, bearings 1 and 4 are part number CH 5-2, and bearings 2 and 3 are CH 5-3. This is from memory so if incorrect I'll come back and correct them.

[66BeachCruiser]

Ok, just came out to remove the crank gear with a 3 arm type puller and the clearance on the bottom is not big enough to fit the ends of the puller and the top of the gear has no space behind it to allow a puller. I removed the woodruff key first.

How do remove this gear? And what's an appropriate tool to use? Looks like maybe a 2 arm type puller with thinner ends? Help if anyone has done it before. In the meantime I'll be looking for a different puller.

[panelmanrd]

that gear is a bitch to get off, it usually runs against a gear
that is fiber and never wears out, it is harder than the fiber gear
and an aluminum replacement gear, it theory it should never need
changing. I`d leave it there and assemble it.

[66BeachCruiser]

that gear is a bitch to get off, it usually runs against a gear
that is fiber and never wears out, it is harder than the fiber gear
and an aluminum replacement gear, it theory it should never need
changing. I`d leave it there and assemble it.

My new CAM came with a new aluminum Cam gear attached (no more nylon) and came with a new aluminum crankshaft Gear for me to install. This original type gear on the crankshaft looks like it could be steel. I don't want to mix metals by leaving this gear on. One gear may be stronger than the other and eat it up.

[jrinaman]

if your determined to change the gear (I would leave it) use 2 small chisels as wedges to force it off. beat them in between block and gear and keep both snug/tight. a little heat helps. if still not budging, beat the chisels in as tight as you can and then tap on the crank forcing it into the gear. while a good solid smack will pop it right off, you do not want to damage the end of crank. if it is tapped/threaded, install bolt with a few washers and hit I as hard as you can. plan on buying a new bolt.

[Vanner68]

You need this style puller:

[66BeachCruiser]

Thanks guys for the suggestions. If having an aluminum cam gear and a steel crank gear is not a known problem I will leave it. I was just going to replace it with Aluminum so it can be aluminum to Aluminum gears.