Hi guys.
Yeah well I've just installed a new camshaft and new bearings.
Now I put it all together chain and all, lifters etc.
With all that in I can still move the camshaft forward out of alignment about 1/8th to 3/16 outwards and back again obv.
I did not notice any play in the old warped cam that came out. and no retainer besides the lifters and fuel pump rod.
I re-installed a complete reverse from dis-assembly with no issues whatsoever except this.
Should I be worried about this or is that normal for a new camshaft to do that?
I have stopped my re-assembly for now to inquire about this.
As usual any help appreciated.

 

Perfectly normal.

 

Exactly... there's nothing holding it in, bit it just can't quite fall out.

During normal operation, it just can't quite fall out, because of the force of the oil pump on the dist gear (MASSIVE) and the fact that the lobes aren't parallel to the cam CL, but rather, for other reasons, are about .002" or so taller on the rearward edge (a MUCH smaller effect than the oil pump but still significant).

If it tries to move too far, the only thing stopping it, is each lobe hitting the side of the lifter in front of its own. Which of course would result in UNBELIEVABLE amounts of destruction and carnage. The fact youv'e never heard of that happening, is probably a good sign that it works pretty effectively.

 

What do you mean by warped cam?

 

I'm saying WARPED, which is probably wrong, because that's how it seemed.
As I freehand turned it during dis-assembly it would get tight then free up for about 320 degrees then tighten up again.
This had to be the constant tapping I was hearing from inside the engine. I had made a post a while ago and went through a bunch of lifter tests and all sorts trying to diagnose it to no avail. I had decided then it had to be the cam.
Knowing everything else is new, I deduced that the cam was making the noise.
Also one of the journals, if that's what they're called, looks way out of round. I only really noticed it on one of them though, however at that point I was already done looking because I was putting new. It was kinda one of those WTF? scenarios taking the old cam out tho...twisting and pulling.

I am glad that is normal. Now I know I done it right, and can button her up.
She feels nice and smooth in there now.

THANK YOU people here for your continued support and help throughout my whole journey over the 2 yrs of owning my TA.