Nylon cam button
#1
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Nylon cam button
I'm looking for a nylon cam button for my sbc 400. Hard to find. Nylon cam buttons for bbc are more available. Other than the bbc button being longer will it work in a sbc?
#3
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Car: 84 TA orig. 305 LG4 "H" E4ME
Engine: 334 SBC - stroked 305 M4ME Q-Jet
Transmission: upgraded 700R4 3200 stall
Axle/Gears: 10bolt 4.10 Posi w Lakewood TA Bars
Re: Nylon cam button
Any access to a lathe? Turn it to fit.
#4
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Re: Nylon cam button
If I had access to a lathe I'd just make one. But thanks. From what I understand you have to shorten to fit the nylon buttons, so could I buy the bbc button and fit it to my sbc? My question is the center hole on the cam sprocket the same size on the sbc & the bbc? Do the nylon ones turn into a problem? But I guess that doesn't matter anymore TP convinced me to go with a steel one. Thanks
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Re: Nylon cam button
I’m having a bored out 400 built right now. My builder doesn’t recommend nylon due to heat cycles. Makes sense. I’ve see how old nylon timing chain gears disintegrate over time. I bought comp cams 210 timing cover and their kit with steel button and I think thrust washer. Also using a cloyes timing chain with washer.
#6
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Re: Nylon cam button
Yeh. I saw Cloyes. Nice but pricey. Can you use a stock timing cover with something like this? https://www.summitracing.com/parts/man-42113
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Car: Yes
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Re: Nylon cam button
On some motor I built back in the Civil War days (there's an oxymoron for ya), I used one of those nylon buttons, and whittled it down in all sorts of ways to get just what I wanted. They're REAL handy for that. Worked fine for MANY MANY miles (or was it races?) if memory serves. Happy customer in any case.
Yes you can use a Torrington style cam button behind a stock cover. All ya gotta do is, bolt it all up; observe the witness mark on the back of the cover; and bonk the cover outwards with a gentle massage of your BFH with a socket or something of a slightly larger dia than the button, and a piece of pipe or something on the outside, to produce a nice clean pocket. It's not all that critical; aim for anything over .000" to .020" of clearance, with .008 - .012" being the target, to start out. Basically just enough for the whole thing not to be in a bind. The chain will try to pull it into alignment with the crank sprocket no matter what you do anyway, all you're looking for is to give it some room to let it find its own place. Pry the cam gently from front to rear through a lifter bore or something with a piece of wood, plastic, aluminum, etc. so as not to affect the lifter bore, to measure the end play. You can use a straightedge on the sprockets to locate where it's all going to want to live when left to its own devices, and let it just be there and be happy, no matter the clearance.
I can't recall ever using anything other than a stock timing cover when dealing with this.
Yes you can use a Torrington style cam button behind a stock cover. All ya gotta do is, bolt it all up; observe the witness mark on the back of the cover; and bonk the cover outwards with a gentle massage of your BFH with a socket or something of a slightly larger dia than the button, and a piece of pipe or something on the outside, to produce a nice clean pocket. It's not all that critical; aim for anything over .000" to .020" of clearance, with .008 - .012" being the target, to start out. Basically just enough for the whole thing not to be in a bind. The chain will try to pull it into alignment with the crank sprocket no matter what you do anyway, all you're looking for is to give it some room to let it find its own place. Pry the cam gently from front to rear through a lifter bore or something with a piece of wood, plastic, aluminum, etc. so as not to affect the lifter bore, to measure the end play. You can use a straightedge on the sprockets to locate where it's all going to want to live when left to its own devices, and let it just be there and be happy, no matter the clearance.
I can't recall ever using anything other than a stock timing cover when dealing with this.
#10
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Re: Nylon cam button
Good read for sure. It's hard for me to imagine the stock cover flexing too much but a nylon button will hold up to it. I guess I could weld on a plate to reinforce the chrome cover. No one will see it behind the water pump.
#11
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Car: 84 TA orig. 305 LG4 "H" E4ME
Engine: 334 SBC - stroked 305 M4ME Q-Jet
Transmission: upgraded 700R4 3200 stall
Axle/Gears: 10bolt 4.10 Posi w Lakewood TA Bars
Re: Nylon cam button
IIRC, I have turned some cam buttons in the past from fiberglass rods, or some material similar to that.
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