Cam bearings

[Jersyboyy]

Hey guys I finally took off my harmonic balancer and took off the timing cover to remove the cam. I pulled it all the way out right up to the dist gear and had to force it out. That caused me to scratch up the cam bearing at the front of the engine.
My question is...How do you change out that cam bearing? Do I NEED to take it to a shop to do or what?

Thanks for the help guys.

[LTb1ow]

Get a bearing puller/installer and pop in a new one. You have the room I would assume due the cam being able to be pulled.

[Jersyboyy]

sweet where would I look to get one of those fancy tools?

[crainholio]

Just do a search for 'cam bearing driver' and you'll find options.

Be aware you're treading into territory a lot of folks avoid. It's not an easy process, even w/ the engine out of the car and the reciprocating assembly removed. And a mangled cam bearing will kill your oil pressure in a hurry.

The cam gear would have had to cross all but the last cam bearing, are you inspecting & replacing all of them or just the front one?

[LTb1ow]

yea how did it get caught up?

[Jersyboyy]

Just the front one. The criss cross supports connecting behind the front bumper and attaches to the top and bottoms of the radiator area wouldnt give me any room to pull the cam out. I kept jiggling it at the last(front) bearing and finally got it out after taking those supports out. Now I know but in the process I destroyed that bearing. I looked up the cam installer and its 75 bucks from summit. Why is this something people stay away from tho?

[LTb1ow]

There is no way accpeted as the "right" way I think. Like some people say to put the dot before the slot or behind it. Lots of different opinions on it.

[johnjzjz]

if you have damaged the cam bearing you have a problem - IF the bearing is driven out front to rear and will fall into the oil pan - i have never changed one with the motor in the car BUT if you could remove the front one pulling it forward NEVER tryed it that way you could just install the one - the cheap tool wont help you its just a lip sleeve that bangs the old one out - the HIGH dollar tool given to some one that does not know how to use it - well lets just say no one will rent that one anyway and it also does not remove the bearing in reverse like you need -

having said all of that i do believe it can be done its easier to install the new one than take the old one out - die grinder is out too much sand every place - maybe a small 3 finger puller on a slide hammer could be rigged interesting ideas about doing this but if your a novice - take the motor out its cheaper in the end -- jz

[Jersyboyy]

Could I drop the oil pan and push the cam bearing and let it fall into the motor an just remove it through the bottom?

O and dot before the slot wtf is that?

[GP99GT]

this is why front distributor = ftmfw