centering the cam sf
- Thread starter Evan
- Start date
piranha-bro2
Hero member
- Location
- Melbourne
The cam end covers will centre it - don't worry as long as you have it close.
1200ts
Hero member
- Location
- USA - Riverside CA
Get the cylinder head hot so the bearings will move in the head easy.
Tighten the nuts on the cam flanges.
While the head is still hot, put the cam end cover on with their gaskets.
This will center everything and you are done.
After it has cooled down and the wife is not home, put the head in the refrigerator until it is very cold. Check that the cams turn freely. If not you need C3 clearance bearings.
Tighten the nuts on the cam flanges.
While the head is still hot, put the cam end cover on with their gaskets.
This will center everything and you are done.
After it has cooled down and the wife is not home, put the head in the refrigerator until it is very cold. Check that the cams turn freely. If not you need C3 clearance bearings.
piranha-bro2
Hero member
- Location
- Melbourne
You'll find they move quite easily in the head cold. But by all means heat it up.
1200ts
Hero member
- Location
- USA - Riverside CA
Yes agree C3 is the correct clearance bearing for the cams. But if you have a head where all the shrink fit for the bearings is gone and the cam slides in without needing to get the head hot, C3 bearings may not be needed as there is no compressive load on the outer bearing race anymore.
The difference in radial clearance for a standard clearance and C3 clearance for a bearing this size is only about .00003"
The difference in radial clearance for a standard clearance and C3 clearance for a bearing this size is only about .00003"
piranha-bro2
Hero member
- Location
- Melbourne
I mistakenly fitted non-C3 bearings to my cam assembly and have had no resulting ill effects. The cam spun freely in the head by hand and I didn't want to stress the flange interference fit by dismantling it. As you say, the clearance diff is very small. I wouldn't do this with a crank obviously.