Chuck’s engine build thread!

[ChuckN]

Cam bearings turn at 1/2 crankspeed and don't see the abuse that rods and mains do. No pounding,just turning. At work we replaced them probably 90 percent of the time. At home I may do them 1/2 the time.

Yeah we”ll take a closer gander at them today. I was as gentle as I could be when removing the cam, but there’s no saying I didn’t score something with a lobe on the way out.

 

[TotalyHucked]

That is true that LS's are line bored after the bearings are installed at the factory, so it's not uncommon for them to show some copper and be perfectly fine. I didn't do the cam bearings in the 5.3 in my C10 but I did do them in my '05 just because they felt like 60 grit sandpaper on the top. Probably still woulda been fine but whatever I'd definitely always do cam bearings on anything else.

 

[TotalyHucked]

Yeah we”ll take a closer gander at them today. I was as gentle as I could be when removing the cam, but there’s no saying I didn’t score something with a lobe on the way out.

Nah, you're fine. I've watched buddies remove and install cams not being careful at all, clunking and banging around and it's been fine lol

 

[DoubleDingo]

Cam bearings turn at 1/2 crankspeed and don't see the abuse that rods and mains do. No pounding,just turning. At work we replaced them probably 90 percent of the time. At home I may do them 1/2 the time.

Probably only if there is a lot of scoring

 

[bluex]

3 cam bearings came out with the cam on the last 6.0 I did. They installed an updated wider bearing an honed it after they were in so the new cam spun freely. Said he's done a bunch that way that had spun them

 

[Jrgunn5150]

I've had multiple LS cam bearings come out on the stock cam.

I always just drive another in and party on.

 

[ChuckN]

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Long live the Swiss Army knife of vehicles, the minivan. Off to the machine shop.

He said it will need to be bored. So he’s going to hot tank it as well and put in new cam bearings. Might as well start off with a clean slate.

 

[xm20k]

If I'm doing a quick refresh in the garage ie dingle ball hone etc. I don't touch the cam bearings unless there trashed.

If the block is going to the shop for more work than a dingle ball hone it gets tanked and new cam bearings.

 

[Radiohead]

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Long live the Swiss Army knife of vehicles, the minivan.

Ha ha ha, why do they call them "mini" vans anyway? They aren't mini by any stretch.
Behold the multi purpose vehicle. Covered transport in my mind. This was back when mama's hardbody had a defective transmission

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[Fat 454]

My wife would kill me if we did that. Its the only "nice" vehicle we have ! ...( she won't drive any of the trucks ...)

 

[Radiohead]

My wife would kill me if we did that. Its the only "nice" vehicle we have ! ...( she won't drive any of the trucks ...)

Lol. Nutty as it sounds, it was her idea. Gotta keep on doing farm stuff, the world won't wait. Yeah, mines a keeper. But guess who had to do the clean out?

Yeah....

 

[idahovette]

Back in the day, we had a caustic "hot tank" at the Chevy garage. Not sure what was in it but it was hot and if you got that sh!t on your skin, given time you may end up with your bones....it was brutal!!! Any way rebuilding my "race car" 327 I took it all apart, left the cam bearings in, put it in about 4 PM, turned the heat off at quitting time and tanked it overnight. Went in early pulled out, hosed it off and let it dry. Put it together the next evening and left the cam bearings that were tanked, in it and ran it that way all season....NO problems, good pressure, ran 12.90 in my 56 210 2 door wagon...............Ignorance is bliss

 

[ChuckN]

While I have the engine out- any idea for the best cleaning method of the engine bay? I’d buy a power washer but and roll it outside but unfortunately 2 feet outside the garage is a steep 10 percent grade so that isn’t an option.

Simple Green? I hate the thought of just spraying a whole bunch of brake cleaner. Just the usual years old caked on grease and dirt. Thought I’d ask here what people would suggest. Preferably something that would get me towards some paint prep too. Thanks in advance.

 

[legopnuematic]

I’d scrape the heavy stuff, then get a weed sprayer and some super clean (a little harsher than simple green in my experience), spray it on, let it sit for a little, scrub it and spray it off with a hose or another pump sprayer with clean water, dry, if pretty rusty hit with some phosphoric acid, scuff with some horsehair and once dry paint it with a coating of your choice.

 

[TotalyHucked]

I used Super Clean on mine, it worked very well. Didn't even use a pressure washer, just the hose/super clean and various wire brushes till I was happy with it. Then let it dry, gave it a quicky wipe down with some laquer thinner on a rag and then used VHT Chassis Black on the rails and crossmembers

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