Cam gear doesn't want to seat??!

[e30is4me]

Hey guys. So I overheated on the track at Chuckwalla in March, causing a crack in the head.

I have a re-manufactured head from Clearwater Cylinder Head that I've now mounted to the block. I'm at the point of installing the cam gear from the old head, to the remanufactured head (which has a different cam - should be stock), and the cam gear doesn't want to fit onto the end of the cam as it should. The guide pin on the cam gear is clean and free of dirt and grime, and it fits fine on the old cam. When tapping it lightly with a hammer on the middle of the cam gear, it fits better, but still not right. Hand screwing the cam gear in, it stays straight and there is no resistance, until using the wrench to tighten further, and the cam gear pushes towards the intake side of the motor, causing it to mount off-kilter. I'll have a video of all this later tonight, and will post it here for further clarification.

Note the picture below shows light metal shavings on the end with the cam gear pin, leading me to believe that the end of the cam, or the hole that the pin goes into is too large.

Any thoughts?? This is driving me insane, and I need to get the core head back before I'm charged.

Thanks,
Jason

[e30is4me]

Here's the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VP8zDO_fKKM

[jlevie]

My guess is that the problem is with the index pin hole in the cam. Check it's diameter with an inside mike and compare that to the pin diameter.

[e30is4me]

Called the shop I bought the head from, and apparently the cam is brand new, which may have not been machined down enough. They offered to machine it on, but this means shipping it back to them in Florida, and waiting at least two weeks to get it back, plus a new headgasket. So... I'll try removing some material from the side of the cam gear first and see if I can properly mount it to the cam.

[paperplane94]

How about a bit of emery cloth around the indexing pin. That's what I did when mine was tight fitting.