Hi!
Had a cam bearing failure in my Indy aluminum block. It went so bad that the block actually have melted a little in the #3 and 4 cam bearing bores, so just can't install new bearings. Others are ok. You can't get it welded either, no room for that.

So, does someone make needle bearing cams (and bearings) for a bigblock? It could be one solution to drill the cam tunnel bigger for roller bearings.

Any other ideas?

Go to a larger bearing, either roller or babbit or have it sleeved. S/F....Ken M

I'm sure this guy could do it. Sorry, I don't have any contact info for him.

https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=581711571&rlz=1C1CHBF_enCA949CA949&q=robwendland&tbm=isch&chips=q:robwendland,online_chips:block+repair:A6GdU-cpMKU%3D&usg=AI4_-kR7ymvhENoxAr-QLs51CvOJxc2WLw&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjKw5j70b6CAxUnHjQIHe6dC_oQgIoDKAN6BAgzEB4&biw=1024&bih=700&dpr=1.25

Your choices are 55mm roller or 60mm babbit. I like babbit however there can be some caveats. Is the block standard cam height or +.250? I would give Indy a call in this one.

Rob Wendland search. -> clickable Rob Wendland Google search <-

If it were mine, I would probably attempt to sleeve it. I assume there is enough meat there for a sleeve - I would leave a slight shoulder for the sleeve to rest against. I would do it on a horizontal boring mill. Trickiest part is the setup.

Tony Bischoff (BES) is my engine builder. I would trust whatever he says. Why don't you send him an email and ask?

I agree, not a hard problem to fix with the correct equipment. But, it could be difficult to find a shop with that kind of equipment. It is more of an industrial type of problem than an engine repair issue.

Don't forget he is in Finland
I'm wondering if you could have it spray welded or not and then have it remachine back to stock
I agree with Jeremiah if you can have that machine work done there and buy another cam core for the bearings you use
I had a similar experience with a 1971 6 pack 440 motor, it spun the #4 cam bearing and cause a lot of problems getting that block fixed Dang Mopar on using five different cam bearing sizes

Can you find anyone with a portable line bore machine like this? 60mm cam bearings and cam cores are available. Or use it to overbore for sleeves.

The bore for a 60mm roller bearing is going to be 68mm from memory. A babbit bearing bore will be around 63mm. Obviously a 55mm babbit bore will be smaller, but I don't believe Cam cores to be as plentiful. If you have to replace the camshaft as well, this might be the best option??

Alternatively, you can sleeve the number 3, 4 and 5 bores to facilitate the repair. Maybe pin them with some aluminium rod to minimise the possibility of the sleeves moving.

Finland????? LOL!

I know - he was kind enough to give me a beer when I visited him........ Got nothing but the highest respect for what they do.

I'm wondering how many people on here recognize what era, years and brand block that pictures is of
Hint it isn't recent and it is not a Mopar brand block

A favourite of a lot of early Hot Rodders!

Yes, the cam is shot too, so have to get new one or two anyway. So,only the available cam core is the limit for the cam bearings that will be used.

My KB blocks didn't have cam bearings (other than the bores that had been repaired) , ran on the machined block material. An option may be to open the bores and have straight aluminum bushings pressed in and re line hone. Tap the feed hole(s) in the block, then drill out a dog point set screw as an anti rotation pin.

ford flathead, 8BA block maybe ?

Close. It's a Lincoln 337 flathead. Basically a big block version of the Ford flathead.

8 AB maybe I can't tell without seeing the top of the motor to see if it had a cam driven distributors on the front of the motor or the later top mounted distributor and I don't know how to tell the differences visibly between the Ford and Mercury blocks, let alone the bigger Lincoln blocks
I started getting interested in cars in the later 1950s, I especially liked the 1958 Chevy Impalas, still do

Seems that the camcores for BB rollerbearings is next to impossible to find. So far one offer for 54mm bearings, 1500$.

The direction I’d be leaning would be to bore & sleeve the two bad cam bores back to the original sizes.

I don't think you want roller bearings, you have enough troubles already. Look at the bright side. After you go thru all this trouble to go to 54mm babbit (or what ever the first popular size is) at least you can tell everyone you have a 54mm cam. That has to be worth something.

Ok,have zero experience with the roller bearing cams. I believe the sleeving sounds like the wisest option, could use regular cam cores. This is a drag & drive style car after all, it might make life a lot easier in the future.

Sleeving is pretty simple. You would only sleeve the damaged ones. I would use aluminum sleeves so it wouldn't loosen from dissimilar metal expansion rates. This has already been done thousands of times in bearing housings etc. Your man will bore them out to size, then make 2 sleeves which are a little small on the id, then drill the oil hole, then press them in and then bore to the proper size. It won't take him long.

From what I've found, the so-called 54mm bearings are really Ø2.125" BBF journal sizes. I spent a lot of time looking for 54mm roller bearings for my Hemi block and finally was told it was the BBF bearing size.

A local machinist said he m0st likely can line bore the cam bearing holes big enough to make them straight and round, and then make custom oversize babbit bearings so that a regular cam can be used. I think I'll go that route.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
What he said

Glad you got it on its way
The things we put ourself through for our hobbies and loves of cars

I have no help to offer but just wanted to mention your Fury is awesome and hope you make it overseas again for another drag and drive event!