Replacing cam bearings in a 3100 SFI which ones?

[Roadbastard]

Well, my new cam is on the way, and after taking out the cam, the old bearings appear to be shot to hell. Well, The two in the center are the worst. I have to install these in the car just like the cam I pulled out with the engine in the car (I'm a magician please don't ask for details).

I'm looking at bearings and I see the sealed power ones but I need an installation/removal tool for them as well. I heard that you can also install SBC bearings in the 3.1 which means I could use the SBC installation and removal tool.

I know the 3.1 bearings are different sizes and the SBC bearings are different sizes and that they go in with a certain order.

I'm just not sure of what tool to use if I get the stock replacement bearings, and if I get the SBC bearings what bearings to place where in the block since they are difference sizes.

I'm used working on SBC's and doing cam swaps but I've never had to worry about doing a bearing swap so I'm pretty grey in the area but not worried about installing them (even in the car) just want to make sure I have the right stuff to do the job.

Thanks for all help in advance.

[pocket-rocket]

If you change cam bearings, the block is going to have to come out so good thing you have that covered Mr. Copperfield.

The SBC bearings will work in your 3100 (you just leave the smallest one out, the one that goes in the center of a SBC) and you can use the SBC bearing tool. The reason the block comes out is the tool pulls the bearings into place from the opposite side the bearings go in.

Example, tool goes in the flywheel side and the bearings are pulled in from the pulley side towards the flywheel side.

You may have saved yourself some time pulling the cam with the engine in the car, but now the engine has to come out anyways, so you didn't need to do it the hard way in the first place. :/

[Roadbastard]

If you change cam bearings, the block is going to have to come out so good thing you have that covered Mr. Copperfield.

The SBC bearings will work in your 3100 (you just leave the smallest one out, the one that goes in the center of a SBC) and you can use the SBC bearing tool. The reason the block comes out is the tool pulls the bearings into place from the opposite side the bearings go in.

Example, tool goes in the flywheel side and the bearings are pulled in from the pulley side towards the flywheel side.

You may have saved yourself some time pulling the cam with the engine in the car, but now the engine has to come out anyways, so you didn't need to do it the hard way in the first place. :/

It took me a total of 30 minutes to get the cam out. 5 of which I spent eating a snickers bar. This car is my DD my other car is a race car. I'm used to tearing apart stuff only the first time is the hardest the rest is just a cakewalk. Kind of lame though I thought there was a slide hammer tool so you could could get everything in and out from one direction. Thanks for the SBC tip I"ll probably go with that since the tool for it is cheaper.

[SappySE107]

CHP-8 and CHP-8T are the 2 sets I sell on the store, both SBC. You leave the largest bearing of the set out for the 60V6 (the other 2 match each other).

[trotterlg]

But then you have to modify the new front bearing to oil the chain, because you threw away the bearing that used to be the front one in a SBC. Just buy a good set for the 3.1, find the "full circle" type and not the kind that are rolled and have a seam in them. Larry

[SappySE107]

You do not need to modify anything. The cam bearing I throw away has no grooves in it.

[Roadbastard]

Thanks for the advice. I thought about it some last night. My gut is telling me to go with the 3.1 replacement bearings. More so because I'm not all that familiar with these engines and it be easier for me.

If I use the 3.1 bearings can anyone recommend a good tool to get them off with?

[3400-95-Modified]

same deal... we share similar bores with the SBC so you need to use a SBC install tool. All the same procedure's apply using SBC berings or 3.1 bearings... the SBC ones are just wider and have more options avilable for types.

Are bores are as follows front to rear

Large---Small---Small----Large.

So you need to install one small and one large from the front and one small and one large from the rear of the motor.

SBC is as follows Front to rear

Largest---large---small---small---Large


And IIRC, even aftermarket bearing sets for the 3.1 don't even have a groove cut in them for the chain oiling.

This is a factory 05 3400 GM front cam bearing.


I didn't get pics of the Clevite ones I used unfortunately.

[trotterlg]

There is a thread here some place that shows the mod to the SBC front bearing to oil the cam chain and sproket. My new 3.1 bearings had 3 different part numbers, the front and rear ones had different numbers with the same diameter nd the center two have the same part number. The front one had a notch cut in it to oil the chain. Larry

[SappySE107]

It is not necessary.

[Roadbastard]

Thanks everyone for all the info here, a lot of good info. Seem I'm getting to becoming more intimate with this engine than I would like to because of what happened.

[trotterlg]

Probably right about the oil notch not being needed for the roller cam setup. It likely was used when the flat tappets held the cam against the thrust face of the cam gear by the taper on the lobes, this puts thrust on the cam to the rear to retain it. On the roller cam there is no thrust on the cam, and it is retained by the plate under the cam gear. Larry

[Roadbastard]

To get access to the rear of the motor, is it possible to just unbolt the engine from the tranny and slip the motor out from the spindle to lift it up while in the engine bay?

[trotterlg]

Could be, but you also have to have room to put the tool in and out plus drive in a new plug at the rear when you are done. Larry

[bszopi]

Should be able to. The 3-4 (??) times I pulled the engine out of my old Beretta, I always pulled it out the top separate from the tranny.