Cam Walked, whats the damage?

[gtw940]

440, hyd roller, double row timing gear, Trick Flow Cam, Distributor has bronze gear, I installed a cam button w .005 clearance or very close to that. There is now an outward impression on the Timing cover. openening things up further today. There is carnage somewhere, while running it started knocking and then stopped. Have not tried to turn it over yet. Starter will not budge it. Hoping its just the cam and distributor gear.

 

[gtw940]

 

[Ricks72Chlgr440]

I would be very interested to know how the cam "walked" that much.

 

[gtw940]

lol, I will show you! Just got the timing cover off. Two piece button w bearing, under acceleration I think distributor gear pushed the cam forward, deceleration cam moved back and button fell off. That’s what I see anyway. Factory timing cover so that’s the weak link I think.

 

[halifaxhop]

Looks like it!!

 

[Ricks72Chlgr440]

lol, I will show you! Just got the timing cover off. Two piece button w bearing, under acceleration I think distributor gear pushed the cam forward, deceleration cam moved back and button fell off. That’s what I see anyway. Factory timing cover so that’s the weak link I think.

Was that cam button purchased from 440 Source? I know the one they sell is a two-piece and has rudimentary bearing in between.

 

[gtw940]

mancini, either way i think they source the same supplier. Anyway, cam is pushed forward and seized and i cannot turn the crank either. Depressing since i was bringing it home from the paint shop. It was a motorhome 440, cast crank and rods with icon pistons. I loaded up my 400 B block on the truck today, headed to machine shop tomorrow early and going ahead with my stroker build. Looks like i will lose the Trick Flow cam and one pair of roller lifters. Everything else of the top end will move over to the stroker. Will evaluate the RB block after the stroker build. Moving forward.

 

[Chryco Psycho]

Was the dist drive bushing sized properly ? if it was tight turning in a newly installed bushing I can see the cam struggling to turn the drive & forcing the cam forward .

 

[Mopar Nut]

Out of curiosity, do you race the motor? Reason why I ask, you don’t need a bronze gear for a driver. The weak link is the bronze gear and the factory timing cover. If you’re are sticking with a roller cam, buy yourself a melonized gear from Hughes Engine for a street driver.

 

[Mopar Nut]

If you’re gonna use the factory timing cover next time, I would reinforce it by welding some thick washers. There is another option, you can use a different cam button.

 

[Mopar Nut]

Here’s another option, using a billet timing cover from AREngineering.

BB Timing Chain Cover | AR Engineering

Billet timing chain cover with a removable center. The removable center allows a person to inspect the cam drive and adjust it if they are using an adjustable top gear. If the Cloyes Hex-A-Just 9-3125A timing set is used, then the cam timing can be adjusted with the timing cover installed. The...

arengineering.com

 

[gtw940]

I should of put a big blob of jb weld between the cover and the water pump, it works better than what i did!
leaning towards a jesel belt drive

 

[ceedog]

Amazing, we ran (raced) roller cams for years with stock cover and no button, never had a problem like that. Check oil pump for breakage

 

[Xcudame]

Did you install a new bushing and ream it with the proper tool? Sounds like something with the drive gear. Chryco and Ceedog are thinking like me.

Here's a link for the tool. A must have for your tool box.

Bushing Installer & Reamer Tool

Also, my personal opinion of roller cans for big blocks, you should find a good machine shop that can bush your lifter bores like the photo below. Anything else is a compromise.

 

[gtw940]

Hate to admit it but i did not ream the bushing! Hard lesson learned if that did it.
At the least, i will go back with the AR cover and properly fit the bushing.
I took my B block to the machine shop today and we will start planning the build later this week after it’s cleaned and checked. Everything from the top of the 440 will move over to it. He is trying to talk me into a 470 which is different than i planned when i started. I was planning a 400/500 stroker build this winter after Cruising the Coast in October. I already have the 270 tfs heads and intake, a leftover davinci dominator and it was a drag car to begin with.
I was going to put the recommended steel gear in when I got home.
Thinking about it, I will stick to my plan and build the 500 and it will be for the strip.
I will take the 440 block to the machine shop next week or so, see if it’s salvageable. I am thinking the bottom end is ok. If it is I will put the factory heads back on it, streetable hydraulic cam, not a roller cam. Factory intake and a “ThermoQuad”!!! lol and that will be the cruise motor.