I have my donated motor apart, and it looks like the cam bearings could use replacement. I have the installer/removal tool on the way, and I'm looking at new bearings. My question is this: It looks like there are two different materials available for the bearings, and both are about the same price depending on where you look. One is specified as a steel backing with a b100 babbit (Lead?), and the other is a steel backing with an aluminum alloy babbit.

For street use under 5500 rpm, will I really notice a difference between the $20 bearing kit and the $60 kits? What about the roller bearings some of the companies offer, instead of the friction type?

The cam itself is a Lunati roller cam with hydraulic lifters if that makes a difference. It is just the front cam bearing that is worn. It's a nice smooth wear with a couple minor scuffs, it appears that on the lower half of the shell the first layer of the babbit is worn away. I was talking to my dad about that, and it sounds like that's just the load from the timing chain and crank driving it.

I am also going to replace the freeze plugs while it's all apart. Is there any special technique to making these more leak proof? I was just going to pull the old ones, clean their bores up, and smear some blue rtv around the outside of the plugs before I knock them in. Does that sound ok?

What's the easiest way to pull them? I was thinking that drilling a small hole in them and using a slide hammer might be the easiest. What about just knocking them sideways with a drift, and pulling them that way?

Does the rear freeze plug at the back of the camshaft bore come with the plug kit usually? Any particular brand of plugs better than others? Any certain material I should look for with these?

It'll be my first time doing either of these jobs, any help would be appreciated