Yeah new bearings.....I picked the engine up with the cherry picker and stood the engine on end, still in the stand, to see if it might drop in and still it gets to that last journal and stops......temping to give it a nudge with a hammer.....but paralized with fear to do it.....Like I know it will drop in.....but drop in and damage the cam and or cam bearing? Too much $$$ invested to blow it on this decision.....what to do....Call the machine shop I suppose.....

 

yah if the shop put the bearings in i would sure call to do some talkin. sounds like the rear bearing is the wrong size or was damaged on install. can you get the light out and see where the cam is hitting? should show a little scrape where it hits.

 

Or slide a broomstick in and knock out the back casting plug, and you'll be able to see what's going on. You could then try the cam from the back side to see if it fits that last bearing.

 

I spoke to the machine shop.....he said it happens alot the last journal needs to be sanded with emery cloth to get it to slip in.....I tried the sand paper and it didn't work.....I gently nudged the cam with a ball peen hammer and it slid right in.......it was a pretty stiff fit....I thought it would be ok......i put the noisey gear drive on it and now I can't turn the cam.....curses! I'm wondering if a rod is in the way......so I gotta move the crank some to get it in time and see.

 

hammer is not a good idea on a cam install. i would not use the bearing/bushing thats in there now. take it back apart and start over with new bearing. cam should turn easily without the crank hooked up or lifters in.

 

I have a feeling the bearing isn't your "now I can't turn the cam" problem. Although I don't like that the cam needed a hammering and it rotated stiffly either.
Is your oil pan off where you can look at where the rods come close to the cam?
A 400 (as does a stroker sbc) needs to use either a small base circle cam, or if using a standard base circle cam, the corners of the rods need to be ground down. If you don't have either one of those setups, then the rods are whacking the cam as they come around, and stopping the engine from turning over.

 

Camaro 69 hit the nail on the head..... thanks very much.....I pulled the cam back out.....came out easy.....?....then I hooked up the cherry picker and removed the engine stand....I tried the cam from the rear technique.....it was indeed the rear cam bearing......it would try to go in just too snug.....so I did what the machine shop said to do.....polished the bearing with emery paper.....badda bing....badda boom.....the cam slid right in.....now it turns with no effort with the cam reinstalled....what a relief!....Thanks again for everyones help.....I think it will all work out now.....

 

So your rod/cam clearances are ok then?

 

Yep......I spun the cam around no problem.......do I need to turn the assembly with the timing gears meshed to the crank in time? It's not a stroker......just a stock 400 with a beefy cam......
IntakeExhaustAdvertised Duration292°302°Duration @ .050"234°244°Valve Lift w/ 1.5 Rocker Arms0.4880.510Valve Lift @ Cam0.3250.340Max Lift Angle109°119°Lobe Separation114°Cam Timing @ .050" - Opens8° ATDC61° BBDCCam Timing @ .050" - Closes46° ABDC3° BTDC

probrably too much cam.....I'm going to run a small stall to make sure it runs right.

 

If you have too much cam, which kills low end torque, you will be better off with a high stall converter to make up for the lost torque.