72 302 block trick flow twist wedge heads ultradine cam, 272 in 276 ext 484 lift. cam is walking front to back...anybody know what it could be, bud of mine is loosin it??
I know there is a slight movement the cam makes but I am talkin about 1/8 inch or so movement...cam bearings still look good, this just started...motor loosing power and timing sucks.
I may be wrong but if it is in fact moving 1/8 inch I still can't see how that would affect the timing or losing of power. I think there might be another problem...
Ray I wish I knew I thought it might have slipped a cog on the timing chain but nope then I noticed the cam movin, you can move it with your fingers in and out. Jasper built the short block less than a thousand miles ago. Maybe thats the problem. but we will keep looking.
Geez, that is a lot of play, too much. The only thing that keeps the cam from walking forward is the thrust plate and rearward would be the cam sprocket. One of these parts would either have to be worn or not right. I can see if the cam is walking enough though that this may fluctuate the timing and thus affecting the power as the cam and dist gears are (ahhh ...I can't think of the proper word right now...too late) angled. Thus if the cam is walking far enough it would be like moving the distributor. Check the cam sprocket and or thrust plate, it's the only things I can think of right now. Hope this helps.
Rob thanks for the imput, dude is about ready to head bang the wall. You know these young folks, no patience...thanks...Jim
i agree with ray...walking ..front to back.. should not effect anything with the running of the motor... if the cam had ...left to right...motion then it would be ..advancing and retarting the timming...frank...
Frank I agree with you both. Something else is up. looks like we tear into the critter and check it all out...thanks for the imput guys...Jim Aug. 6th needs to hurry up, lol...I need a vacation
My son had a similiar problem on his race motor. 302 with rpm heads, ran very eradictly. Cam retainer plate was grooved on back side, allowing to much lateral moement of the cam. This also was taking it's toll on the distributor gear. Teeth were like razor blade after a few weeks of running, this allowed timing to be eraditic on the rotor position. Pull the cap and see how much the rotor can be moved in either direction before it engages the teeth on the cam gear. Should be no movement at all to keep the rotor in phase with the cap terminals. Only other issue may be the cam has walked enough to flatten some lobes and cause a rough running condition to say the least. After replacing two dizzy gears on the shaft, finally pulled the cover and found that retainer plate to be the culprit. Looked at several spare ones on hand and found some worn the same amount. Check them all now at cam installation, to be sure of flatness and wear, also put a drop of loctite on the small retainer bolts, as well as the cam gear bolt.
I was thinking the same thing as Dave-excessive lobe wear or possibly slight wipe. Could it be bad lifter(s)? Seth
just as everyone has stated already...could be the dist gear worn down.... if the wrong gear is used it could wear out in 1000 miles... that and then the thrust plate...together....1/16 each could equate to 1/8 easy.....and if a little more...then more play.... but 1/8 inch is not bad....mine moved about that much...maybe less and i have had zero problems
Cam walk could definitely cause timing to fluctuate. Maybe there was too little endplay when the engine was built leading to excess heat and wear on the retainer. Either way, good luck getting it sorted out.
I haven't looked real close at a windsor-based block lately, but I do know that many moons ago, I remember playing with a 460 and if I moved the cam one way or another (probably 1/8" or so) some of the lobes would contact different lifters than they're supposed to. Won't happen with a roller (because the rollers are much shorter) but I could see where if the cam was walking enough, it might do that...'course that would make it run a little weird. So why will cam walk affect ignition timing? Pull off the retainer plate sometime, and leave the distributor on...then pull off the cap. Then, move the camshaft back and forth...what happens? As the camshaft moves forward or rearward, the rotor turns a little bit, not much, but it does turn
