JB_BA Posted July 31, 2003 Share Posted July 31, 2003 Thinking my distributor was bad (which it was) I decided to replace it with an MSD... my car has an SBC350 in it...the mechanic says not only was the dist. bad, but the camshaft slipped OUT of the motor...??! Ok...so...exactly WHAT causes a camshaft to just decided to come out of the motor? It slid...aparently forward. Has this ever happened to anyone here? What else could have been damaged. I'm taking it out of the shop, and I'm going to deal with this myself...I just want to make sure when I get it back in it doesn't happen again. Please help...I want my car back on the road...(and the strip...) Thanks, JB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted July 31, 2003 Share Posted July 31, 2003 Never heard of that before. Don't even think it's possible, unless the cam gear came loose? Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyvette Posted July 31, 2003 Share Posted July 31, 2003 the ONLY thing keeping the cam in the standard sbc is the slight bevel on the cam lobes that is there to keep the lifters spinning in their bores, if those lobes start to wear, the cam can and sometimes does walk forward in the block, if you want to be sure to keep it in place youll need to install a cam button like the roller cams use. always a great idea on any sbc engine BTW the large washer goes behind the timing gear and awround the cam to protect the block,you also need this plate to hold that button in place and its a very good idea to drill a .040 thousands hole in the forward lifter gallery plug to spray oil on the back of the timing gear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1 Posted July 31, 2003 Share Posted July 31, 2003 It couldn't have gone backwards unless it came loose from the timing gear- So assuming it went forwards, it couldn't have gone far, maybe 1/8", before the timing chain hit the timing cover. It probably didn't go anywhere. Inspect the timing chain and timing cover closely, and add a cam button spacer to the center of the timing gear. It bears lightly against the timing cover to stop the cam from moving. Some people weld a reinforcing washer to the timing cover. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niceguy678us Posted July 31, 2003 Share Posted July 31, 2003 ----------------------love to see that one, never heard of that either. I just find things like this interesting, these "act og god occurences" although they are unfortunate and you have my condolences on the untimely death of your cam. Souonds like your having a bit of my kind of luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB_BA Posted July 31, 2003 Author Share Posted July 31, 2003 Thanks, I printed this out for refrence... I've never heard of this either. Then again, I didn't know the mechanic that did the work...I just purchased the car from a guy in Texas. I'm assuming that nothing was damaged...and it's just going to take some work to get the cam shaft back in and secure. JB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB_BA Posted July 31, 2003 Author Share Posted July 31, 2003 By the way, when the car messed up to begin with...I heard a "pop." I immediatly assumed a slung rod...but I hoped not as I popped the hood...no oil splatters or any holes in the block etc... I was thinking...what in the world is going on??? I guess I see now. JB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyvette Posted July 31, 2003 Share Posted July 31, 2003 that "POP" could be very bad news, it might be a cam lobe from the next lobe in line lifting a valve with its edge as the cam moved forward, at the wrong time and hitting a piston, if I were you ID do a compression test to see if any damage was done BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE OR replacing the cam and only if that proved ok would I install a new cam and lifters without tearing down the engine for inspection Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denny411 Posted August 1, 2003 Share Posted August 1, 2003 I`m very suspicious of the mechanic performiing the work. He may be trying to pull the wool over your eyes. The "POP" sounds more like you may have had a rocker arm come loose and/or a pushrod,allowing a lifter to come out of it`s bore. I would double check ALL of the parts that the mechanic says were faulty. If the timing cover is undamaged, he`s feeding you a load of crap. I know I shouldn`t overgeneralize, but I`ve had "mechanics" try to pull crap on me in the past. They weren`t aware that I knew more about cars than they apparently did. I just didn`t have time to do the work myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB_BA Posted August 1, 2003 Author Share Posted August 1, 2003 Thanks. I'm getting my car out of there tomorrow as soon as I get the chance... I don't trust the guy either...it could've honestly been some freakish accident, but I also think he may be after my cam or...who knows what else. JB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest billy383Z Posted August 1, 2003 Share Posted August 1, 2003 I don't think he is after your cam, (used cams and lifters usually arent worth the trouble unless you know the history of the cam and you make sure that you put all of the lifters back with the very same cam lobe they came from). He is probably just after a big chunk of your money. Or possibly he is just getting you ready to tell you that your whole engine is bad so that he can sell you another one and keep your engine for himself. I've never seen a cam come out of the engine by itself either, and I have been playing around with engines for over 20 years now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB_BA Posted August 1, 2003 Author Share Posted August 1, 2003 That's what just about everyone I've talked to has said. I haven't talked to anyone yet who said they wouldn't get their car out of there as soon as possible. The guy makes his living building race cars, but from what I've recently heard around town...he isn't the most honest guy in the world. JB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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