Camshaft refitting

[MsRose]

My engine build is coming along, but slowly. I'm going to try and get the camshaft and distributor drive fitted this evening and I wondered if anyone had any hints/tips and advice?

It's a 1957 948 engine.

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[les]

It’s a while since I fitted a camshaft, when I did, I coated the bearings and shaft with engine rebuild lube. If you’ve fitted new bearings they may need reaming, although I’m not sure of the set up on your engine.

[philthehill]

If you can get the engine on its rear end it is much easier to fit the camshaft as it will drop straight down through the camshaft bearings so reducing the risk of damage to the white metal bearings.
Make sure that the camshaft journals in both block and on the camshaft are well oiled. Using engine build fluid which is sticky and holds onto the bearing surfaces longer would be a good move.
After you have fitted the camshaft and camshaft gear make sure that the camshaft has 0.003" - 0.007" end float.
Leave fitting the oil pump until you have fitted the camshaft. Any knocking of the camshaft against the oil pump may damage the oil pump.
It is better if the cam followers go back on their respective lobes. Again cover with engine build fluid or engine oil.
Better still - I would recommend fitting new cam followers as a must.

[MsRose]

Thank you so much guys.
Camshaft is now in, but after torquing the main bearing caps up the engine has gone really tight. Undid one cap at a time and found the problem one. Again, I’ve got markings on the white metal bearing, so back to stripping, cleaning and checking .

[rocco]

Has anyone ever made a manual for engine rebuilding using all of Phils' advice and comments? Every time I read them I think I must remember that but haven't gotten around to documenting them properly.

There are also some really useful things that Stephen has shared recently too. I'm going to start saving all this stuff but if someone else has already done it, in a meaningful order, I'd love a copy/access. This site obviously has it all but my search skills aren't always that good and I'd still have to sift the wheat from the chaff, so to say.

[MsRose]

Agreed, Phil and others on here give fantastic advice. Helped me no end.

[Classiccars]

What would we do without our experts I do not know.