Opened up the cam chest on my '98 Evo to look everything over while my heads are off. Noticed what I think is the pinion race walked out quite a bit, enough to have some marks on the snap-ring (from the innermost cam lobe?). The roller bearing around it is still in place and doesn't seem to have any damaged rollers or signs of wobbling.

As far as I can tell there is supposed to be a lip on the back side of these races to keep them from walking out? Otherwise how does it stay put.

I could be way off but please fill me in on what is happening here. Thank you all!

 

Were exactly did you get that part from??
From what I could tell on an exploded parts diagram it shouldn't be in there.

 

I don't think the cam lobes can reach that retainer clip ring. Is this #32 in the picture? or number 9 on the crank shaft itself?

 

I could have the name wrong. Spacer, Race, whatever it is called it's the same issue from this thread, though the OP stopped posting so I don't know what solution was found:

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/evo-c...k-bearing.html

 

I thought it was the former originally, but I think it's actually #9 on the crank. This thread from a few years ago had the same issue but he never posted his solution.

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/evo-c...k-bearing.html

 

You could try to send the OP of that thread a PM to find out what he did.

 

See
answer
#23

 

He may not have been here but if he still has the sight linked to his e-mail then he will get a notification of a message and hopefully will respond.

 

Is there really any option but to split the cases and send the crank out to have it trued and checked out?

Maybe it will run another 100k like that, but I know I wouldn't trust it too far from home knowing whats going on in there.

Just my 2 cents....

 

looking in the service manual this looks like the best option, you might get by with pressing it back but I doubt it would stay. Looks like the work is best done with crank out and by a machinist. That snapring is the thrust washer for the bearings, something caused this. Removal . And installation.
#5 in this diagram.
There are different sizes dependent on bearings.