289 ford cam brg

[silver_notch138]

Hi folks,
Im into a 289 ford and it has a spun front cam brg. has anyone ever ran across an oversize outside set of cam bearings for a small block ford?
Im able to machine the block for them but having a hard time to find anything available.
Id like to use this block if possible.
thanks
Adam Bird

[groberts101]

know of no available oversized bearings but know of several guys who've used rough sandpaper to prep the bores and bearings for use with red loctite. Just need stay a little ways away from the oil feed holes with the sandpaper and loctite, is all.

[PackardV8]

X2 - Unless the bore is really chewed, red loctite should be enough. We've occasionally used a center punch to dimple the bore to give it a better bite, but never proved it made a difference.

P.S. - write on there with a Sharpie " LOCTITE!" We once had an expensive repair on a Triumph motorcycle case driving out a bearing which had been installed with Loctite. The bond was strong enough to take out the case bearing web.

[wyrmrider]

maybe a roller bearing
or the next size larger bearing and then line bore it back to stock
depends on how bad it is
you said the front one
build up the cam
name your poison

[silver_notch138]

The housing is wore pretty good. I dont think loctite will hold it.. A new std bearing will slide through. Thanks for the replies im thinking best solution is another block.

[Speedbump]

Pretty back yard but with that clearance, you could use JB Weld, the long set up original. Install a clean cam so it will center the bearing as the JB sets up. The stuff is magic. I also have and have used Loctite green metal retainer. Says it will fill up to .015". As always, it comes down to how much it will cost if it "doesn't" work.

[cgarb]

Could you over bore the bearing and make a sleeve to put it back to size? Is there a groove in that bore? If no groove I would just sleeve it, the front one would be easy to work with. Make the sleeve decent thickness and pin it in with set screws along the joint where the sleeve and block meet. The threads will keep it from moving front to rear and the pins would keep it from spinning. Then just drill through whatever oil hole are there and it's a permanent solid repair.

[wyrmrider]

first get your dimensions then call durabond they might be able to match up an oversize od
I take it you think you need to clean up the bore anyway
but there is not much stress on a cam bearing so the jb weld suggestion would most likely work- really clean
what I suggested and what cgarb detailed would for sure work
I was thinking heavy press fit then align bore - but whatever
what tooling do you have available?
Is this some restore matching number deal?
the rest of the block all done already?
any idea why it spun?

[silver_notch138]

Restoring it deal. Its an old engine 67 galaxie and the owner would like to keep original. I was thinking about a sleeve i have done that before but where it is a front journal it will be a pain to line up after the sleeve is installed. Not impossible for sure but if i could find an oversize id rather go that route. I have looked in the durabond catalog and found something that may work i checking to see if avaliable today.
Finger crossed....
Thanks

[user-612937456]

Your best most reliable fix is to turn a sleeve to repair and restore the bore then block to accommodate the sleeve (probably not a bad idea to pin it also) and use race and dowel retainer (green loctite 609) then use the factory cam bearing. If you can find a piece of 2 1/2 X 3/8's wall DOM it will be a good piece of stock to machine.

block bore 2.2046
Cam journal 2.0810

If you try to go 55 mm you need to replace the cam. Although 53 mm would work but I don't think anyone manufactures 53 mm

[wyrmrider]

Think of all the extra lube you get to the timing gear thrust:)

[Caprimaniac]

Oh, I went looking for the same set of bearings.

Sure found some and was gonna install just one of them. Think it was no 2 or 3.
However; the bearings wer NOT OS OD, they had smaller ID, probably to use cams With worn out bearing faces. (Wouldn't the lobes probably been worn out by then?)
So, a bad buy right there. Quite sure the bearings Application was saidto be +001 or something like that....

Sorry- Cannot help you With any part number. However, as he wants to keep the Block, why not do a permanent repair, like a sleeve...?

[cgarb]

A Bridgeport, indicator and a boring head. No problem. I wondered how much stress was on a cam bearing myself. My 377 had a cam bearing bore that the fit was pretty loose on it. Wasn't a slip fit but it tapped in real easy. I used some loctite and wished it well. It has been problem free so far.

[KnightEngines]

I repaired an MG TC block a while back - it had thrown a rod & punched out the side of the block, repair with bronze welding was done by the time he bought it to me.
The welding had pulled the centre cam bearing almost .020" out of alignment.
I bored the centre cam tunnel oversize, spun up a sleeve, press fitted it with Loctite, bored the sleeve to size in alignment with front & rear cam tunnel & fitted stock cam bearings.
Has been driving for a few years now, all good.

[bone6145]

The dura-bond 351hp-1r1 might work for you