Roller cam end play

[Belgian1979]

I have just set my roller cam end play : .006".

What do most here use as end play ?

I noticed that the cam gear is not perfectly aligned with the crank sprocket. It sits more than .005" back. The sprocket doesn't seem to move further back anymore. Does this need to be solved and if so how ?

[SuperGas]

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=12032

My BBC has .0035"

[Wolfplace]

I have just set my roller cam end play : .006".

What do most here use as end play ?

I noticed that the cam gear is not perfectly aligned with the crank sprocket. It sits more than .005" back. The sprocket doesn't seem to move further back anymore. Does this need to be solved and if so how ?

Looks good
There is quite a bit more than 5thou of clearance in the chain on the gears so it is not a problem
If it concerns you the gear can be shimmed out or the back of the crank gear can be relieved.
Be certain there is enough chamfer or relief in the back of the crank gear for the radius on the crank THIS IS A BIG DEAL

I don't get real excited about cam thrust clearance but prefer .004-.007" with .002-.010 accepted & have taken engines apart that had twice that that looked just fine.
This is with a Torrington or bronze rear bearing & nylon button

[Bad Hombre]

I keep it in the range of .002-.010.

[Belgian1979]

Cam button is the rollorized one. Should have mentioned that one.
I noticed that the comp cams 2 piece cover I have, was moving and giving me another .020 clearance. So I had to mount my waterpump with the bolt against it to keep it from bending.

The sprocket seems to be more inward. The instructions for the cam cover + button said to keep alignment of the gears withing .005. I'm over that. Around .007.

The camfer on the crank sprocket was actually quite large.

[Moparious Maximus]

We put ours in the .000-.002 range cold, when the block gets hot the clearance can only get bigger, with an iron block that may be too tight.

[Cedarmachine]

I have just set my roller cam end play : .006".

What do most here use as end play ?

I noticed that the cam gear is not perfectly aligned with the crank sprocket. It sits more than .005" back. The sprocket doesn't seem to move further back anymore. Does this need to be solved and if so how ?

I see this a lot. Take your crank gear and center it up on a rotary table on a milling machine. Go in and cut the face that mounts flush with the crank the amount you need, in your case .005" or whatever it is after you split the thrust clearance. You may have to tilt the head and re cut the chamfer if that needs to be cut as well. Sometimes I have to cut the cam gear to get them aligned...is a horse a piece.

If you have not split the thrust clearance, do that before you check sprocket alignment. Your crank should be set in the middle of the thrust clearance when you check it. To make it easy, slip a feeler gauge in each side of the crank's flange-to-bearing surface, splitting the total. (.010" thrust, two .005" feelers, one in each side).

Your cam end play is fine, but always set this after you have checked/corrected gear alignment.

[Belgian1979]

Wouldn't it be easier to shim the camgear ? If so, where can those shims be had ?

[Cedarmachine]

Wouldn't it be easier to shim the camgear ? If so, where can those shims be had ?

Of your cam has a Torrington bearing on it, I wouldnt put some thin shim behind it, it would be a bit flimsy..

If it were a regular gear, you could machine it to accept a roller bearing and adjust the depth you machine it accordingly..which is more work than just machining the lower gear.

I could do it in less than 10 minutes..why mess with shims?

If you have an aluminum front cover, I'd use a plastic or fiber tipped thrust bumper. I see those roller ones tear the hell out of the aluminum sometimes. I have an ATI aluminum one in here right now that I'm going to have to weld back up and machine from wear. Sometimes they are fine, other times not. The plastic ones are always fine.

[Belgian1979]

Wouldn't it be easier to shim the camgear ? If so, where can those shims be had ?

Of your cam has a Torrington bearing on it, I wouldnt put some thin shim behind it, it would be a bit flimsy..

If it were a regular gear, you could machine it to accept a roller bearing and adjust the depth you machine it accordingly..which is more work than just machining the lower gear.

I could do it in less than 10 minutes..why mess with shims?

If you have an aluminum front cover, I'd use a plastic or fiber tipped thrust bumper. I see those roller ones tear the hell out of the aluminum sometimes. I have an ATI aluminum one in here right now that I'm going to have to weld back up and machine from wear. Sometimes they are fine, other times not. The plastic ones are always fine.

Yes it's a upper gear with torrington.

So the machining is half the diference right ? How much camfer ?

As for the timing cover problem : I understand that one. Was thinking of putting a steel washer on the back of the cover. Actually I like the rollerized ones. It came with the comp cam cover. Makes me wonder why the use it if it eats the covers. Well...

[Wolfplace]

Wouldn't it be easier to shim the camgear ? If so, where can those shims be had ?

Of your cam has a Torrington bearing on it, I wouldnt put some thin shim behind it, it would be a bit flimsy..

If it were a regular gear, you could machine it to accept a roller bearing and adjust the depth you machine it accordingly..which is more work than just machining the lower gear.

I could do it in less than 10 minutes..why mess with shims?

If you have an aluminum front cover, I'd use a plastic or fiber tipped thrust bumper. I see those roller ones tear the hell out of the aluminum sometimes. I have an ATI aluminum one in here right now that I'm going to have to weld back up and machine from wear. Sometimes they are fine, other times not. The plastic ones are always fine.

Yes it's a upper gear with torrington.

So the machining is half the diference right ? How much camfer ?

As for the timing cover problem : I understand that one. Was thinking of putting a steel washer on the back of the cover. Actually I like the rollerized ones. It came with the comp cam cover. Makes me wonder why the use it if it eats the covers. Well...

As I stated above you need to check the chamfer to be sure it clears the crank radius, it cannot touch it.

The machining on the back of the gear is straight forward & is whatever it takes to align the gears within a reasonable number which to me is .005 or less

To shim the cam gear is usually more work as you need to use the shims like Cloyes has that are .031 thick
This means you would have to machine either the front of the block or the back of the gear to put it where you want it
Much easier to machine the crank gear if that is the direction you need to go

For example on the cam
I have fixed a number BB's that were damaged by machining the front of the block either the thickness of the Torrington or slightly less to set gear depth & leaving an inner shoulder to center the Torrington just like the gear does & using a standard gear set that is not designed for the bearing

Lots of ways to get there but yours is a simple one if the cam gear is behind the crank gear,,, just cut the crank gear & you are done

[zums]

i think his concern is how to machine the chamfer if its interfering

[Cedarmachine]

i think his concern is how to machine the chamfer if its interfering

I covered that, tilt the head stock on the mill to the angle of the chamfer and cut it while turning the rotary table and draw the chamfer in to the bit. Make one revolution at whatever amount you need to remove and you're done.

[Wolfplace]

Or just put it in a lathe & cut both surfaces,,,,,,,,,,

[Belgian1979]

Or just put it in a lathe & cut both surfaces,,,,,,,,,,

I have to farm out the milling operation. My brother in law has a lathe. Not a machinist here, but how do you mount a crank sprocket in a lather and square it up ?