Front Cam Bearing Change

[gs.davies]

Has anyone successfully removed and installed a new front cam bearing while the engine and box are still attached?

[Peter Laidler]

Ah, Gary....... No doubt there will be some bright soul on the forum that says that it CAN be done and indeed, he's done it. But somehow, I bet that in doing so, engine in-situ, it becomes one of those jobs, several hours in and bits spread all over the garage floor, you'll be thinking to yourself that '......it would have taken half the time if I'd just taken the whole bloody thing out to start with. AND done a few other jobs at the same time.

Been there and done it many times.......

[gs.davies]

I'm not considering doing with the engine in the car, rather trying to avoid having to split the engine and box whilst it's on the floor.

[Peter Laidler]

Ah, yes..... Understand now! Opened mouth before engaging brain

[timmy201]

I guess theoretically it would be possible, but you'd want to try and remove the cam bearing outwards with a slide hammer rather than pushing it in like normal. You'd also need to be careful not to introduce any swarf into the sump

[Polarsilver]

Remember Past Forum topic .. problem engine running where Engine Oil was filling up in the Rocker Cover & not draining ..the cause was an installing the wrong way around front cam bearing.

[gs.davies]

Yes, that’s the problem.

Hoping for a quick fix to this that doesn’t involve a complete strip down of the engine.

[Exminiman]

Devils advocate…….why do you want to change it ?

[gs.davies]

Because it’s installed backwards

[imack]

I'm certain that the appropriately sized blind bearing puller and slide hammer would get the job done cleanly.

[Polarsilver]

i would be concerned as to how to get the Cam refitted without causing unseen damage to the Camshaft as getting the Cam through the bearings is always a job that needs care ..let alone how to connect the Cam onto the installed Oil Pump drive that would be a challenge.. then how would you know the Cam spun freely when it was re-fitted.
the Long way is probably the best way to resolve the problem.

[Exminiman]

Agree with the above comments, you can probably pull the old one out and drive another one in........

But how will you know if the cam is free running or if the oil way in the bearing is properly lined up, or whether the bearings need a scrape etc....honestly, I would not try it, just because of the potential fall out.

This is quite a good vid to illustrate issues, especially dropping (rather than sliding in) the cam in and grinding out the oil hole in bearing

https://youtu.be/eZM_4owPcpQ

[Tim]

I'm not sure what block you have, but if its a 1300 without tappet covers, you would need to take some sort of preventative measures to hold back the cam followers so you can firstly pull the camshaft out, and then so that they don't fall down into the gearbox. Maybe stand the whole lot on end so that they are horizontal?

Also the cam bearings are meant to be line-reamed after fitting. I'm not sure how critical it is.

Tim

[MiNiKiN]

Ah, yes..... Understand now! Opened mouth before engaging brain

Or as I tend to say: "How am I supposed to know what I think, before I hear what I say?"