cam bearings?

Don't know what I'm looking at? I took off the valve cover gasket and found that one of my cam bearings? or race?, i don't know what they're called,had spun out. They have, what looks like the proper tabs in place so I just removed the cap and put it back in place. What caused it to do that? Will it do it again? If so how much damage will it cause? I'm sure they don't cost as much as cams but, you know me, I won't spend it till I have to. Any help would be nice.
ThanksB)

are you sure it was ever in there?:blink:

I have never heard of that happening before. Was it in right before or have you been in there before and it was fine? They are cam bearings you were looking at. If they were locked in place with those tabs, they shouldn't have moved. That is very strange. Sounds like they weren't installed correctly in the first place. They should fit in there snug and actually feel them "click" into place. Did you feel that when you put it back in? If one of those happened to come out completely, the cam would wobble some in there and my guess would not be pretty. You can buy these things used for $10-$20 a set of 16 on E-Bay. Some will say to buy new...always...while I know lots of guys use them used. You just have to measure clearance to be sure they are the right thickness. They do vary somewhat but should generally be close.

Yea, IDK if they were in there right to begin with> I've been running it and haven't noticed any problems. It did click when I put it back. We shall see. Maybe I should start a new thread but I'll try it here. Where is the locknut for the cam chain tensioner? I can't find the location in my manual.
ThanksB)

do you mean the bolt and nut on side of stock tensioner?

I guess the stock tensioner. Forgive my ignorance but I was told i could adjust the tension without removing the valve cover. I don't know where it is.

should be on the back side of the jugs, between carb 2 and 3...

Thanks PLUMMEN, I'll check there!!

Ha! I found it!!:woohoo: Thanks again PLUMMEN . I didn't hear any thing move but I don't know whether it needed to. Anyway, that's all for now. Later this week I will be checking valve clearance, I havs to get different feller guages, mine don't go that small. I will let you guys know how it goes
ThanksB)

i've had that happen on one of my drag motors i put back in place and kept running it i never had any more problems with it it must have dislodged when i put the caps back on i checked every week after a race but i never had any more problems after that. if it didn't hurt anything i wouldn't worry two much about it just pull your valve cover off more often and check it out.as for the tension issue you don't pull valve cover to set tension get it to tdc on number 1 then set your tensioner simple as that.

i've never used new cam bearings in my own motors i've built lots for my self gas drag motors ,hillclimbers, street motors,nitrous alcohol turbo motors even customer motors if the bearings arn't torn up i reuse them.

Why tdc?