• Welcome to For E Bodies Only !

    We are a community of Plymouth Cuda and Dodge Challenger owners. Join now! Its Free!

383 cam stuck

1970fury3

Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2020
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
I’m in the middle of disassembling my 383 currently. I have the lifters cam-chain and gears out and off. I also have the push rod for the fuel pump as well as the gear drive for the distributor/ oil pump off. So I put the cam gear back on to take the cam out but it’s not budging am I missing something? Or is there a larger problem
 

Adam

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
1,637
Reaction score
693
Location
Washington
Take off the cam gear and thread a long bolt into the end of the cam, as a handle. You will have better leverage.
 

fasjac

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2019
Messages
2,237
Reaction score
1,126
Location
Arkansas
I agree. Just needs a some influence. Unless the B has set for a very long time or it ran so hot the bearings are stuck to the cam somewhat . I doubt that though.
 

Chryco Psycho

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2008
Messages
4,402
Reaction score
2,042
Location
Panama
Sounds like a bigger problem , is the cam turning ?
There could be a ridge in the cam brgs holding the cam in , you could use a pry bar behind the cam gear & try to pop it forward
 

1970fury3

Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2020
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
I
Sounds like a bigger problem , is the cam turning ?
There could be a ridge in the cam brgs holding the cam in , you could use a pry bar behind the cam gear & try to pop it forward
it spins it just won’t slide out
 

1970fury3

Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2020
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
So I got the cam out and this is what the cam bearings look like. What do you think caused this? I personally have never ran this motor I bought it to rebuild it so I’m just curious

image.jpg
 

Chryco Psycho

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2008
Messages
4,402
Reaction score
2,042
Location
Panama
I have seen it before , hard to know the cause , if the brgs were not sized properly it could cause the damage & that may be why the cam would not slide out also , if you are rebuilding you will be replacing them anyway at least .
 

moparleo

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2011
Messages
6,926
Reaction score
1,709
Location
So. Cal. Riverside area Moreno Valley
Have the cam journals checked for straightness. May have to have the machine shop hone the journals true. Than just need over-sized bearings. Also have the main journals checked at the same time. I have experienced problems with both before on an engine block that was "dropped" in the past slightly causing a bearing misalignment problem with the rear mains.
 

Steve340

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2016
Messages
894
Reaction score
329
Location
New Zealand
I have seen a similar problem on several engines with really old bearings or perhaps the original bearings worn out and damaged by acids etc in the engine oil.
Excess bearing clearance leading to not enough oil protection also comes to mind.
I had an engine years ago that a cam bearing had completely "delaminated" the bearing material layer. The only way I got the cam out was to remove the back oil plug and tap the camshaft forward out of the block.
There was nothing really wrong with the block. New cam bearings and all good.
 

413

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2019
Messages
189
Reaction score
94
That’s the front bearing, someone banged the cam journals against it going on the block and the material flaked off.
 

Adam

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
1,637
Reaction score
693
Location
Washington
That’s the front bearing, someone banged the cam journals against it going on the block and the material flaked off.
I agree, also could have damaged them during installation
 
Back
Top