Setting End-Play on a Hydraulic Roller Camshaft

[Spooling]

Anyone know what the endplay setting should be set when installing a billett hydraulic roller camshaft?

I am thinking between 0.005" and 0.010"

Many Thanks !!!

 

[chopped39]

Im going with the thrust plate from nick when Im ready. I didnt know they could do this on a billit cam in a 109 block. The only problem is the cam has to be machined to work with the plate.

 

[Spooling]

Hey Chopped - If you look at the pic I posted - you can see that this camshaft had to be machined as well - to accept that rollerized bearing assembly and such - which works quite well BTW !!!

Hey Nick, Kip, Lonnie, anybody else - will this assembly be "happy" with 5 ---> 10 thousands endplay?

Thanks !!!

 

[fastblackracing]

.005 to .010 Is what I have alway set them at with good results. I also use blue loc-tite on the bolt.

 

[bison]

As long as it's not binding and .010 or less. As long as there is some but not more than .010.

 

[liv4gnz]

do all roller cam buttons have a spring? when i reinstalled mine it didnt, so i figured it was like this setup just shimmed and than just sits in the end of the cam against the timing cover

 

[FASTV6HENRY]

now is it measured with or without the timing chain when checking the end play. i just did mine and got around .008 but measured it with the timing chain on.

 

[norbs]

If you silicone the timing cover gasket and measure it it will add .003 to you readings keep that in mind.

 

[earlbrown]

The timing cover is also going to move away from the cam a few thou when the engine is at operating temp.

Just make sure you don't set the end play very very tight when it's 120* outside and then cold start it in Antarctica.

 

[norbs]

That is not good, I have mine set at .010 COLD,.............should I be concerned?

 

[bison]

That is not good, I have mine set at .010 COLD,.............should I be concerned?

No.

 

[TurboBuRick]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think the idea is to give the cam room to expand.

 

[earlbrown]

It's just to make sure the cam isn't loaded against the front of the block.

As the engine heats up the cam nose does expand towards the timing cover. At the same time the cover moves away from the cam.

The reason this isn't really the place to worry is that the thermal expansion rate of aluminum is right at twice that of iron. So, on paper, for every 001" of expansion the cam does, the cover will move away .002". The oil pump keeps the cam pushed back against the block (yes, even on decel) so the button really doesn't have that hard of a job to to.

 

[Jan Larsson]

The oil pump keeps the cam pushed back against the block (yes, even on decel) so the button really doesn't have that hard of a job to to.

Just out of interest what actually keeps the cam then not traveling the otherway and "eat" into the block? Trying to learn a bit here

 

[Spooling]

what actually keeps the cam then not traveling the otherway and "eat" into the block?

--------------------
If you have the "wrong" type of retaining device - it will do exactly as you so state.

 

[Jan Larsson]

--------------------
If you have the "wrong" type of retaining device - it will do exactly as you so state.

Ouch, I know with a flat tappet cam it's kept it the right location due to the design (conical?) of the cam lobe surfaces ....

So are you saying if the wrong cam button setup being used or something else? Really interested to learn more !

 

[Spooling]

Back in the day - there was speculation about flat tappet cams wiping lobes due to inconsistant lifter bore location, agressive spring tension, poor break-in techniques, bad camshaft castings, bla-bla-bla.

It was around this time that the roller camshaft was being adopted for use for guys with the 109 blocks (~ 12 years ago) and there was a holding device that was installed from the rear which created the disaster displayed in the pics - to my shit.

There was then another method that uses a rollerized bearing assembly - which required some machining to fit the billet roller camshaft. This rollerized bearing assembly rides on the front of the block and provides a surface so the camshaft will not create such an issue. This was developed by a guy named Kip Asplund - which works quite well BTW.

I attach a couple of pics.

 

[we4Mateo]

I know the stock ft cams eventually wear into the front cover. Do roller cams not push into the front cover the same way? I don't really want to install another assembly on the front of my new motor. I was under the understanding that a roller just dropped in and end play just needed to be checked so it didn't wear the timing cover. I see full throttle kits have a shim that needs to be installed. I assume this is a wear point for the cam? I put a rollerized cam button on my ft cam. Do they make something like this for a roller cam that doesn't require major machining to the block for an additional bearing assembly? So many are using rollers I didn't think it would be this complicated.

 

[earlbrown]

The front cover wear came from the plastic disc that came stock on our cars. Once you upgrade to the roller button, that wear stops.

If you were to use a roller button and not leave any end play, it would load the cam against the block and cause wear. (on a side note, with any new cam you need to take a needle file and MAKE SURE there are no burrs on the riding surface of the cam flange. The smallest booger there will chew up the block)

 

[we4Mateo]

The front cover wear came from the plastic disc that came stock on our cars. Once you upgrade to the roller button, that wear stops.

If you were to use a roller button and not leave any end play, it would load the cam against the block and cause wear. (on a side note, with any new cam you need to take a needle file and MAKE SURE there are no burrs on the riding surface of the cam flange. The smallest booger there will chew up the block)

Thanks for the info.