[johnta1]

I had a bad enough oil control problem that the lifters lost oil under hard cornering and it sounded like a sewing machine under the hood.

That isn't a problem caused by the crank.

If the pan and oil pump aren't setup for hard cornering, you'll lose a crank no matter what it's made of.

[uneasyrider]

Originally Posted by johnta1

That isn't a problem caused by the crank.

If the pan and oil pump aren't setup for hard cornering, you'll lose a crank no matter what it's made of.

Yes I know, I'm just covering all my bases. With about 6k in this engine now I'm getting worried about EVERYTHING if you know what I meen.

[TnVTX]

Originally Posted by uneasyrider

...I'm getting worried about EVERYTHING if you know what I meen.

Hence the username "Uneasyrider"

[bullheimer]

look at two pictures on page 27 of jim hands book. just wondering if, as he says "eagle cranks may have inadequately finished surfaces for the thrust bearing (#4)" and on page 26 "the existing finish is rough enough to affect oilig and may quickly destroy the bearing surface." i know ALL of your bearings are getting wiped out but this was the first thing that popped in my retarded brain, and still wondering if your machine shop addressed it.

[DPlum]

Install new bearings and measure for yourself rods .0025-.0028 mains .003-
.0035 only way to rule out clearance issue

[Jack Blum]

Those pic look very simular to mine. I had a bent scat crank.
The swirl pattern on a couple of your look very simular to this one of mine:

[uneasyrider]

Originally Posted by TnVTX

Hence the username "Uneasyrider"

LOL! That and the Charlie Daniels Band song of the same name.

[bullheimer]

just read some of an old issue of HPP on the john and their test mule 455SD sprung and oil leak on the rear main and they had problems with the #2 bearing. they thought at the time, that although the block was magnafluxed very thoroughly, that perhaps there was a crack inside one of the oil passages and that it was losing pressure to that bearing. they said they were going to do an industrial X-Ray of the block to see it that was it.....
i somehow can NOT get HPP to send me a full subscription, i dont know what their problem is, but regardless, i did not get an issue that ever told me what they found with that block

[Jack Gifford]

I subscribe, but don't recall that they ever followed up with the X-ray results. Anybody see anything?

[TnVTX]

I emailed the magazine about Racekrafter's SD failure a month ago, and got no reply...

I however, took my assy to a older long-time Pontiac builder/racer, and he looked at everything. He seems to think the problem was two-fold.
He thinks the crank is flexing around, and, the rod clearances were way too tight.
So, I'm going to try one the "new" forged stroker cranks and let him build it this time...

[dci]

How are you coming with your engine TnVTX? I think I have found another potential problem with the oil pump. If you still have your old pump that was in the engine. Take it apart and look at the top surface to see how rough it is cut. I pressure tested a pump I just recently purchased and it was aireating the oil. I think this could be a very serious problem and may be some of your issue. If anyone else has any feed back or done a similar test let us know. Thanks Don

DCI MOTORSPORTS INC.
Don Johnston
330628-3354

[TnVTX]

After taking the engine to the long-time Pontiac racer/engine builder, he measured what was left of my clearances, and he said some of the rods would have been .0015" instead of the .0025" they were supposed to be...even wiped out, some couldn't even measure .002"!!
So, I am paying this guy to build it this time, since he has been around Pontiacs all his life (he's gotta be near 70 now).
He went to Butler's and got me one of the new forged cranks.
He also had the block align bored again, file-fit new rings, ordered a custom spec'd cam, new valve springs setup for above cam, replaced the "standard" ARP rod cap screws with the ARP-2000 series, installed new cam bearings.
Now we are waiting on the crank & rotating assy to be re-balanced again, and then he will get back on my engine again...
I'm hoping to get the finished engine back in a couple of weeks...

[HWYSTR455]

I was digging for this thread, since I too suffered a bearing problem. Mine was specifically a #4 rod bearing, and it was my fault, I accidentally swapped two bearing halfs and put two upper shells on # 4, and two lower shells on #3. Ok, so, that explains my bearing wipe at only a few hours of run time, BUT:

TnVTX - I'm interested in the cast/forged crank thing. You say the guy who's doing your engine now suspected crank flex? If that's the case, why haven't we seen more of these problems?

formulabird428- What was your findings and resolution to your cam bearing situation? Reason I ask, is because mine are the same as yours, check the attached pics...

[Will]

Regarding the cam bearings - did the cam spin freely by hand after it was installed?

Cam bearings are REAL easy to screw up when installing and there have been numerous reports of cams with out-of-spec journals (oversize) in the last few years.

[HWYSTR455]

Yup, cam spun freely upon assembly as I recall, but I will certainly pay closer attention this time around. You say there is a number of reports of cam bearings out of spec lately? Brand?

[HWYSTR455]

One thing, this is the first time I've installed cam bearings myself, though I had another builder with me when I did it, and got a thumbs up. What in specific do you look for when installing cam bearings?

[Will]

Not cam bearings, but the journals on the camshaft itself being oversized. Have heard of it on a couple of Comp cams and another brand as well, maybe Crane?

I look for the bearing to go in straight and clean without cocking to one side or hanging up on anything. Cam bearings are REALLY soft, they deform super easy. I haven't installed a cam bearing in awhile because I no longer have acess to the tools I had at the machine shop, but I would always debur the edges of the journals with one of those triangular bladed carbide scrapers before pressing them in, to remove any lip the bearing could hang on.

Once the bearings are in place, lube them up and slide the cam in and spin it. If it hangs up even a little bit anywhere in it's rotation or if one of the journals doesn't want to go through a bearing there's a problem that needs attention.

[HWYSTR455]

Cam journals, hm, why does that sound more likely! Ok, so, I guess I'm going to have to start checking journal sizes on cams too now! Geez! It was a Comp by the way.

I did deburr the block journals, inspected the bearings thoroughly, they went in straight and were straight, and had a second set of eyes checking it. (Someone who's done many of them.) Now that person wasn't there when I installed the cam, and like I mentioned, I don't recall if it hung at all, but I'm sure if it were severe, I would have nticed it during assembly. I used a brand new cam bearing install tool, the right inserts for each bearing, matching them several times during assembly. (I wanted to know the specifics, being the first for me.)

So, question to all, what are the journals supposed to measure on a Pontiac cam?

[HWYSTR455]

Well, after calling a couple places, it seems that there are differences in tolerances, and the only way to be sure is to check it during assembly. The practice is to use a ball hone on the bearings to achieve the desired clearance.

I'm still curious as to what the cam journal should measure on a Pontiac cam. Anyone?

Maybe I'll call a few manufacturers, see if I get different answers....

[AG]

When I pick up a block from the machine shop that I have had new cam bearings installed,I take a cam with me and insert it while the block is vertical and level to make sure the cam bearings are good. I don't leave until they are. If it doesn't spin freely then you'll see where the shiney wear is.