Why do I have so much cam endplay

[mustangmike6996 34]

Setting up my 331 with a roller retrofit comp cams kit and I have a ton of endplay. about a 1/8"

 

I have the Ford Racing steel thrust plate for the block. I called comp and they said nothing goes between the cam and cam block thrust plate. What am I missing? How is there so much play? Comp said 0.006"-0.010" was what they like to see for endplay.

 

 

Is the endplay checked with or without the cam gear installed. I know its checked with no chain installed.

Edited October 31, 2014 by mustangmike6996

[mustangmike6996 34]

Setting up my 331 with a roller retrofit comp cams kit and I have a ton of endplay. about a 1/8"

 

I have the Ford Racing steel thrust plate for the block. I called comp and they said nothing goes between the cam and cam block thrust plate. What am I missing? How is there so much play? Comp said 0.006"-0.010" was what they like to see for endplay.

 

 

Is the endplay checked with or without the cam gear installed. I know its checked with no chain installed.

Edited October 31, 2014 by mustangmike6996

[1969_Mach1 333]

There is not much that effects the end play, thrust plate and cam timing gear come to mind. Not related to the end play but when I set up my 351W with a hyd roller Ford Racing tech told me I didn't need a steel thrust plate. Using a Cloyes True Roller timing set, ford Racing X303 Cam and stock thrust plate mine came in at 0.006".

[1969_Mach1 333]

There is not much that effects the end play, thrust plate and cam timing gear come to mind. Not related to the end play but when I set up my 351W with a hyd roller Ford Racing tech told me I didn't need a steel thrust plate. Using a Cloyes True Roller timing set, ford Racing X303 Cam and stock thrust plate mine came in at 0.006".

[mustangmike6996 34]

Looks like the gear sets end play

[mustangmike6996 34]

Looks like the gear sets end play

[1969_Mach1 333]

Unless something is wrong with the thrust plate, that is the same conclusion I come to when putting mine together.

[1969_Mach1 333]

Unless something is wrong with the thrust plate, that is the same conclusion I come to when putting mine together.

[barnett468 418]

wow i have never heard of that much.

 

install your gears

 

pull the cam gear forward

 

put a straight edge on the cam gear and check alignment with lower geaar

 

if the cam gear is too far forward by 1/8" then the gear is bad

 

if the alignment is perfect than the plate is too thin.

.

Edited October 31, 2014 by barnett468

[barnett468 418]

wow i have never heard of that much.

 

install your gears

 

pull the cam gear forward

 

put a straight edge on the cam gear and check alignment with lower geaar

 

if the cam gear is too far forward by 1/8" then the gear is bad

 

if the alignment is perfect than the plate is too thin.

.

Edited October 31, 2014 by barnett468

[Rsanter 152]

The plate is too thin or the shoulder on the cam gear is too deep

Nothing else can cause that

 

Bob

[Rsanter 152]

The plate is too thin or the shoulder on the cam gear is too deep

Nothing else can cause that

 

Bob

[mustangmike6996 34]

I wanted to be more descriptive but I was on my phone...

 

From the looks of it on Comp's installation instruction page, there are 2 different small block cam gears. There is a gear with a small lip on the cam side and one that has no lip that requires a washer. I have a brand new FRPP thrust plate so it shouldn't be too thin, they only come in one size as far as I can find/tell.

 

So theoretically, the cam gear will provide the back and forth limitation of movement. The thrust plate thickness will determine the exact amount of endplay. I was in a hurry to leave to go to work and slide the cam in the block, installed just the thrust plate and saw the massive amount of endplay (without the cam gear installed) I will check the endplay tomorrow with the gear installed. I haven't opened the new timing set to see what cam gear is included or if there is a spacer for the back side (between the gear and cam face)

[mustangmike6996 34]

I wanted to be more descriptive but I was on my phone...

 

From the looks of it on Comp's installation instruction page, there are 2 different small block cam gears. There is a gear with a small lip on the cam side and one that has no lip that requires a washer. I have a brand new FRPP thrust plate so it shouldn't be too thin, they only come in one size as far as I can find/tell.

 

So theoretically, the cam gear will provide the back and forth limitation of movement. The thrust plate thickness will determine the exact amount of endplay. I was in a hurry to leave to go to work and slide the cam in the block, installed just the thrust plate and saw the massive amount of endplay (without the cam gear installed) I will check the endplay tomorrow with the gear installed. I haven't opened the new timing set to see what cam gear is included or if there is a spacer for the back side (between the gear and cam face)

[mustangmike6996 34]

http://www.compcams.com/Technical/Instructions/Files/179.pdf

 

Fig 3 and 4

[mustangmike6996 34]

http://www.compcams.com/Technical/Instructions/Files/179.pdf

 

Fig 3 and 4

[mustangmike6996 34]

So,

 

What do you guys run as far as connecting rod bearing clearance?

[mustangmike6996 34]

So,

 

What do you guys run as far as connecting rod bearing clearance?

[barnett468 418]

depends on the engine . . maybe .002

[mustangmike6996 34]

My crank got polished and mics at 2.123 (stock measures 2.122 out of the box)

 

I have stock rod bearings installed and it feels like its got that metal "click" of excess clearance. I only have micrometers and platigauge is in stock at autozone.

 

 

It just seems too loose for stock bearing size and 0.001 under crank. I tried it with my old (1 hr of run time) rod bearing and my new clevite 77 triarmor coated bearing and they both felt equally loose.

[barnett468 418]

your numbers say your crank is bigger than whatever out of the box crank you are referring to.

 

loose bearings will not click when the engine is turned over by hand but i would find the sound.

.

[mustangmike6996 34]

your numbers say your crank is bigger than whatever out of the box crank you are referring to.

 

loose bearings will not click when the engine is turned over by hand but i would find the sound.

.

 

 

all the info I can find says that stock for cranks are 2.122" I am at work now, my friend is at my house mic'ing the crank and he got the same reading and said my mic was off by 0.0001 (he checked the zero with the zeroing block in the mic kit)

 

I have the rod on the crank with no piston in the block and if you wiggle the rod perpendicular to the crank you can hear the tick. I have not gone any further into the assembly process yet.

[mustangmike6996 34]

Looks like platigauge says 0.0015"-0.002" right between