Hi Folks:
Refresh of hemi - no oil to valve train.
I have more investigation to do but I suspect that the machine shop did not install the bearing properly.
The engine is in the car.
The question is -- Can I reasonably replace the cam bearings with the engine in place?
There are two reasons for this:
One -- I'm too old to keep yanking this engine.
Two -- I'd like to make E-town.
Thanks
Tom
PS - I don't mind buying the installation tool but you will have to listen to my old B&S generator for a while longer

I have installed many a set of cam bearings. Would think it's bout impossible to do it in the car. Would also look at the cam if it's new? Seen one new cam that wasnt drilled for the top end oiling. Good luck!

Thanks Carl -- Old cam - New Bearings

are you trying to oil the rockers buy priming the motor?

YES YOU CAN
i have done it

Have you rotated the crank while priming to see if oil gets to the rockers? Remember it only oils each bank of rockers for about 15 degrees of crank rotation, and that point is different for each side. Rotate 10 degrees, run primer, rotate, and repeat.

And I think you need to go two full revolutions, since the cam turns half the speed of the crank.

Have changed the front 3 bearings in a dart chassis easily on a 440. As long as that open area in center of valley will pass a sideways bearing, you should be okay. Unless the hemi configuration is different in center.

Hi Jim:
The engine was actually fired -- run for a couple of minutes at idle. No oil in the valve train.
As soon as I get finished with work, I will try to make a final determination as to whether or not the bearings are at fault.
The rocker shaft are also a new configuration, but I can't see how they could be the problem if the clearance are correct.
Thanks all
BTW Could anyone recommend a good remover/installer?

Before you go to all the work of changing the cam bearings at least debug the problem. It isn't really that hard to figure out where you have oil pressure and where you don't.

Hi Andy
The setup:
Indy Hemi heads - MCH porting
Cometic Gaskets
Milodon dual line pump
Comp Cams Roller
The shop that dyno'd the engine originally
made the comment that he "couldn't get the
valve covers on fast enough" when he primed
the engine. I didn't get to see the
behavior, so I don't know how much oil
actually flows.
This is a refresh of the engine after some
head gasket issues.
I made a short video of the priming on #4
intake tower. I need to learn how to post a
video so the engine builders can pass
judgement on the volume of oil theat shows
up.
Thanks
Tom

First -- I hope you will forgive the amateur nature of the video - it's my first - period

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adpDMTn38OM

The scene is number four intake tower the other shafts are still on the engine.
The oil pressure as driven by this drill is ~80lbs
The oil is royal purple break-in oil 10-30.
After the video was made, I rotated the engine another 10 degrees and the flow increased slightly.
Question -- As an engine builder, does this look ok to you(or can you even tell)
Thanks
Tom

that's nowhere near enough oil. your camshaft should be grooved on #4 journal. (normal on a hemi camshaft) i would check to see if there is a restrictor in there somwhere. could be either the head or the block. a piece of stiff wire should reach all the way to the camshaft. if it doesn't, find out why. the oil should be hitting the ceiling, not dribbling out if you have 80 PSI

by the way, if you replace the cam bearings while in the car, be aware that more often than not you'll have shards of metal come off the steel back of the bearing as you drive them in.

Hi Dan:
I went and got some help to do the priming and
was able to find a "sweeter" spot.
The wire didn't do so well. The cast towers
are cross drilled and either the wire was able to
follow the turn and collapse or it was too stiff
to follow the turn.
Anyway, I have version 2 of the priming videos -
see what you think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTy8ANgiwtY

Thanks
Tom

Hemis are noted for getting air lock when priming the rockers.Loosen the shaft hold down bolts at the oil feed area and at the end of each shaft,prime till oil runs out around each loosened bolt and tighten each down.

Hi Dan
The other shafts appear to be poor as well.
The cam has a small groove on the fourth journal.
I think that I will have to pull the engine(again) and find out what the issue is.
I think that I need to find a car that is easier to work on.
Thanks for the help.
Tom

are you sure there's no restrictors in the heads? they would look like little brass jets.

Hi Dan:
No restictors - the block and heads are plain vanilla.
When I take it apart though, I am going install
some kind of continuous flow oilng to the valve
train. Will be looking additional ideas on that
later. Right now, I'm just too blankety-blank PO'd