I am putting in a hydraulic roller cam in my stroker 440 (507). I bought a cam button to put in to stop the cam walk. My question is what do I need to hold the cam button in place or does the timing cover just stop it from coming out. Also will a stock cover be strong enough to hold it or will there be to much pressure on the timing case.
Thanks in advance!

What's the button made of ? This is important.

You will need to have a suport from the water pump housing to te cam cover if you are useing a stock cover and i would weld it on the pump housing in line of were the cam button hit the cover !

We just had an 1/8" thick disc of steel cut to stiffen the timing cover and welded to the front, did a nice job of firming up the part where the button contacts.
The diameter of the disc was sized to be able to weld it onto the raised triangular emboss on the cover.

Still need to mock up the water pump housing to see if there is any interference with the added thickness. Ideally would like the housing to
butt against the weldment.

Joe

You need to set the end play so it is in spec.

The cam button is make of Aluminum.

When you check the end play see if you can move the timing cover. You should be able to clearly see the movement on your dial indicator. If you can wiggle the stock timing chain cover very much then you'll need to reinforce it somehow or buy a better cover. Lots of options exist in this area.

If you have a water pump housing in front of the timing cover, locate the spot on the outside of the timing cover where the button contacts, then mix up a blob of epoxy and sandwich it between the pump housing and the timing cover with some wax paper to allow future separation. The pump housing will reinforce the tin timing cover.

GARBAGE. Throw it away NOW !!!

The aluminum will wear where it contacts the cover and you`ll end up with filings in the motor.

You want a nylon button or a roller button.

In order to get the necessary clearance you may have to shim the back of the button (use pieces of feeler gauge in the hole before you insert the button. But most likely the button will need to be trimmed to fit. With a nylon button you can file it, grind it of whatever to take material off. But once done you have nothing to worry about as far as wear, filings, etc..

A roller button can be a bit more hassle. They can be shimmed out if need be but they cannot be shortened to fit.

You want a few thou end play with a solid button. A roller button can live with zero end play BUT you absolutely do NOT want any preload. In other words, if the timing cover bows out when you install it over the button - its too tight!!

I used a roller button on my motor. To get the proper (zero) clearance I had to use a thicker (Superformance) cover gasket and then shim behind the button.

To make sure the cover doesn't deflect, install the cover, put a blob of plasticene on the cover roughly where the cam is and install the waterpump with gaskets. Take the pump of and measure the thickness of the squished plasticene. This is the "approximate" thickness of the plate you need to weld or epoxy to either the pump or the cover.

You can also add some strength to the stock cover by adding some " bends" in it. Made this one a lot stiffer

The last, and only time, I did something like that to limit cam movement without a torrington bearing with wear washers the cam gear wore into the block a bunch :tsk :That was on my First 426 hemi motor so I stop bending the timing cover to limit the cam travel after that one

That's why I said you don't want preload !! Bin there, dun that !!

Whats the end play suppose to be normally...
about .015?.. thats what I set on my SB stuff..
I change the thickness of the washer that I use
to replace the pump eccentric

Been runnin the Isky rollerized button for about 9 years w/it touching the stock timing cover and slightly preloaded........Isn`t that the point of having rollers?

same here,never a prob.

This needs to go on myth-busters

Your talking two different worlds here boys..
a alum button VS a rollerized version.. no way
would I run a load on a alum version.. a bit
of clearance doesnt hurt anything.. even if it
is rollerized

I never said alum. I said "rollerized" cos why would one have a soft material like alum. rubbing/disintegrating into the motor..........

I'm the guy that said "no preload". However, I thought I was pretty clear that I was referring to a solid button. I guess not!

Personally, I run preload on my roller button. But very little since the cover is cast and has no play in it. But the timing sprocket also has a torrington bearing.

I'm of the opinion the less friction from parts rubbing together(preload on the thrust bumper)the better I shoot for .003 to .015 cold end play on the cam with the torrington bearings and anti wear washers behind the cam gear and the block