Roller cam with no button.
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Burning Brakes
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Roller cam with no button.
I bought a 350 motor that the builder had made into a roller rocker and roller cam motor. I was emailing back and forth with him about parts i needed to buy for this new motor and he informed me there was no cam button. He told me the roller cam would not walk and that the chain would keep it centered where it needed to be. This doesnt sound right and i need to know if im going to have to pull it all apart and put in a cam button. Will this turn into as problem since its an old motor that someone turned into a roller motor? He said something about a step nose roller cam and its in an old 350 block.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Beringen
I asked about cam buttons a week or so ago.
A roller cam needs a button, because the cams do not have a tapper and the action of the oil pump makes it walk to the front of the block. Maybe the chain would prevent it from coming out to far, but it all depends on the strength and tension of the frame.
The cam button mounts in the center hole of the timing sprocket. It prevents walk by thouching the timing chain cover.
The discussion I started was about the way the end play was to be controlled on the button. I had my timing cover dented and then adjusted so there was no play, but I have a rollerized button. There seemed to be no agreement on which was to be the right method. I will probably take of the oil pan and timing cover and redo things.
Yves
A roller cam needs a button, because the cams do not have a tapper and the action of the oil pump makes it walk to the front of the block. Maybe the chain would prevent it from coming out to far, but it all depends on the strength and tension of the frame.
The cam button mounts in the center hole of the timing sprocket. It prevents walk by thouching the timing chain cover.
The discussion I started was about the way the end play was to be controlled on the button. I had my timing cover dented and then adjusted so there was no play, but I have a rollerized button. There seemed to be no agreement on which was to be the right method. I will probably take of the oil pan and timing cover and redo things.
Yves
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
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Thanks. I would do the same thing but i cannot find one that will work with this combination of old engine and new cam. It looks like the step nose cams need a specific cam button retainer that wont fit or bolt to an older block.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
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Thank you, im batman, i did try using the advanced search but again my problem is that this engine has a cam that needs a certain kind of retainer for the button and im told that that kind of retainer wont fit or bolt to the block its in.
By the way im batman i have seen a lot of your posts and really like having guys like you here for when i need help.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: Forked River NJ
The other thing is you will need a cover that is reinforced or a different one than stock. The stock steel cover will flex under load from the cam allowing it to walk slightly. You do not want this. A reinforced stock cover or an aftermarket cover will work.
Some water pumps also have a threaded hole that you can put in a stud or bolt that is in the location of the cam button so this reinforces the cover.
Some water pumps also have a threaded hole that you can put in a stud or bolt that is in the location of the cam button so this reinforces the cover.
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From: Millington Illinois
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
The other thing is you will need a cover that is reinforced or a different one than stock. The stock steel cover will flex under load from the cam allowing it to walk slightly. You do not want this. A reinforced stock cover or an aftermarket cover will work.
Some water pumps also have a threaded hole that you can put in a stud or bolt that is in the location of the cam button so this reinforces the cover.
Some water pumps also have a threaded hole that you can put in a stud or bolt that is in the location of the cam button so this reinforces the cover.
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Burning Brakes
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Race Director
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From: Millington Illinois
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
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Burning Brakes
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From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
You need access to back of the cam to set endplay properly. The only way I know of to set it without a dial indicator on the back of the cam is to get a timing cover I have found recently from BLP products which has a hole in the cover for the dial indicator. I would imagine this cover is fairly expensive.
So if you can't access the back of the cam then you are going to have to guess what .006-.008" feels like when you rock the cam back and forth with a screwdriver through the lifter bore, sounds like fun ?
So if you can't access the back of the cam then you are going to have to guess what .006-.008" feels like when you rock the cam back and forth with a screwdriver through the lifter bore, sounds like fun ?
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From: Millington Illinois
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
You need access to back of the cam to set endplay properly. The only way I know of to set it without a dial indicator on the back of the cam is to get a timing cover I have found recently from BLP products which has a hole in the cover for the dial indicator. I would imagine this cover is fairly expensive.
So if you can't access the back of the cam then you are going to have to guess what .006-.008" feels like when you rock the cam back and forth with a screwdriver through the lifter bore, sounds like fun ?
So if you can't access the back of the cam then you are going to have to guess what .006-.008" feels like when you rock the cam back and forth with a screwdriver through the lifter bore, sounds like fun ?
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From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
I have had two Cloyes timing covers, I set the endplay with a dial indicatior 
This must be somethng new, probably put in because people were asking what use this timing cover was if they had to remove the motor to use it properly
This must be somethng new, probably put in because people were asking what use this timing cover was if they had to remove the motor to use it properly
Last edited by MotorHead; Mar 17, 2007 at 07:40 PM.
Race Director
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From: Millington Illinois
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
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From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
I have to tell you that would make things much easier if all you had to do was to snug it up. I really would have to research that a little more though before I went ahead and did that. There was no mention of this method in my instructions on my previous 2 purchases of the Cloyes cover.
Race Director
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From: Millington Illinois
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
I have to tell you that would make things much easier if all you had to do was to snug it up. I really would have to research that a little more though before I went ahead and did that. There was no mention of this method in my instructions on my previous 2 purchases of the Cloyes cover.
EDIT:Cloyes Quick Button Two-Piece Timing CoversEasy access to your cam.These Cloyes Quick Button two-piece timing covers have a removable center plate with an O-ring seal to allow easy access to your cam when changing timing or the cam itself. Depending upon your application, some covers feature a built-in roller cam button that allows you to adjust cam endplay with the cover in place. Precision-machined from die-cast aluminum for sure sealing, these covers fit with most water pumps and timing sets.
Last edited by 63mako; Mar 17, 2007 at 08:37 PM. Reason: Add More Information.
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From: Millington Illinois
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Here is an informative article about the importance of proper endplay: http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/te...r_cam_endplay/