Camshaft bearing help

Hi all
I’m on with a build (not a bobtail )
I’m on rebuilding the engine. I took the cam out and there was wear on the front bearing so I changed them. Back and middle two went fine but the front bearing is far too tight. It’ll go in the block but The cam won’t go in. The cam will go in from the back through the other 3 fine ,but no where near the front one. The bearing seems for to thick. When it’s put over the cam the joint opens up by about 2 mm ? I’ve tried two different makes And were slightly different designs now and both the same I’ve ordered a genuine one to see if that’s any different. They have white metal on so I can’t see they would need reemed. Any advice would be much appreciated

pierreblonde said:

Hi all
I’m on with a build (not a bobtail )
I’m on rebuilding the engine. I took the cam out and there was wear on the front bearing so I changed them. Back and middle two went fine but the front bearing is far too tight. It’ll go in the block but The cam won’t go in. The cam will go in from the back through the other 3 fine ,but no where near the front one. The bearing seems for to thick. When it’s put over the cam the joint opens up by about 2 mm ? I’ve tried two different makes And were slightly different designs now and both the same I’ve ordered a genuine one to see if that’s any different. They have white metal on so I can’t see they would need reemed. Any advice would be much appreciated
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its just the standard problem now of finding a decent part, a jigsaw split used to denote proper part rather than a straight split

https://www.turnerengineering.co.uk/Article-200TDIEngineRebuild

Step 17 here mentions reaming of cam bearings

https://www.turner-engineering.co.uk/90519054-5-camshaft-bearing-set-pre-finished-c2x20823022

they also sell pre finished bearings.

The one I removed was straight and I presumed that was original. The two I got , one was a jigsaw joint and the other straight. But neither fit. It’s got me scratching my head

steve2286w said:

https://www.turnerengineering.co.uk/Article-200TDIEngineRebuild

Step 17 here mentions reaming of cam bearings

https://www.turner-engineering.co.uk/90519054-5-camshaft-bearing-set-pre-finished-c2x20823022

they also sell pre finished bearings.

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Thanks for that. If this one that’s coming is no good I think I’ll try the pre finished ones.

pierreblonde said:

The one I removed was straight and I presumed that was original. The two I got , one was a jigsaw joint and the other straight. But neither fit. It’s got me scratching my head

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try the genuine one you have coming

If you read the reviews , although reaming recommended some say fitted ok out of box

steve2286w said:

If you read the reviews , although reaming recommended some say fitted ok out of box

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Yeah I’ve read some of them. It’s a bit confusing. I can’t understand why you would ream it ? and only the one, when it’s got white metal on it.

pierreblonde said:

Yeah I’ve read some of them. It’s a bit confusing. I can’t understand why you would ream it ? and only the one, when it’s got white metal on it.

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back in the 90s you could still get real genuine parts as the engines were still produced, all those bearings fitted pre-sized, later we found similar issues as yourself,as parts became widely pattern parts

Well back to square one. Genuine bearing came. And it’s no different from the others.
This was the listed one on Britcar
Goes in the block fine but it’s no where near for the cam still. Put my callipers on and zero them the measured the cam and it’s 28 thou bigger. Am I doing anything wrong here. The last pic is one of the other bearings on the cam and it shows how much the joint is pulled apart



so do I Oder one of the sets from turner engineering . Or try another cam ? Any advice would be welcome

Id bite the bullet and order from Turners. They are very helpful in after sales also.

Rich

Not 200 tdi but the 300tdi prefinished bearings i bought from turners fitted perfectly though i did manage to muller one on installing. that was pure user error.

Gun7354 said:

Id bite the bullet and order from Turners. They are very helpful in after sales also.

Rich

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Yes I’ve ordered them. I wish I had known about turners in the first place.

Alfieslandy said:

Not 200 tdi but the 300tdi prefinished bearings i bought from turners fitted perfectly though i did manage to muller one on installing. that was pure user error.

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That’s good to hear. I’m hoping mine will be the same