camshaft end play?

[NJ2000R]

what is the normal camshaft end play supposed to be in an FE motor?

[cobra427mnsi]

NJ2000R

According to Steve Christ's FE book, crankshaft end play should be 0.004 - 0.010, with 0.014 inches maximum. This is for a stock FE. He says "less clearance is desirable" (stay towards the 0.004 end of the tolerance) especially for racing engines which should have a tolerance of 0.004 - 0.008 inches.

Hope this helps.

Paul

[NJ2000R]

Thanks Paul....I dont have any books with the specs, and I have a 390 motor in my 66 fairlane squire wagon that was making a ton of valve train noise, so I pulled the valve cover off, and there was a pushrod hanging out in the lifter bore, number 6 cylinder, but no lifter in sight.... after I pulled the pushrod out, I got the shop light and saw the lifter in the valley....got a magnet, and pulled pieces of it out....a broken lifter - make that shattered lifter - never saw that before....pulled the intake, got about 4 top pieces out and the plunger, but the bottom of it is probably down in the pan....I noticed the lobes were offset from the lifters, so I stuck a screwdriver down in the distributor hole, and the cam has about 1/4" of end play, so I'd say the cam bearings are shot....time for this motor to come out for a rebuild....

[RICK LAKE]

NJ2000R Blueprint motor cam shaft end play, iron motor is .003-.005. Ford racing makes a thrustbearing and retainerplate part #M-6269-A460. This is for steel camshafts. Hope this helps Rick Lake