Cam Bearing failure signs?
Thread Starter
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Novice
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 17
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From: Arlington , Texas
Cam Bearing failure signs?
Ive just started reading all of the different posts and of course the one thing that stands out is the Cam Bearing Failure. I have a '95 Fatboy that is approaching 32k miles. Are there any visible signs that will signify that the cam bearing is beginning to disintegrate? The reason I ask is just recently I pulled my air cleaner off to adjust my idle mixture screw. Well the 2 rubber connectors that feed the crankcase vents into the cleaner appeared to have some very fine metal particles inside.
So I figure if I see these particles on both sides the most likely place that would connect the two would be from the cam area. I cleaned them both out really well and will check again in a day or so to see if any more show up.
Could this be the cam bearing beginning to fail or could there be something else?
My lifter oil screen appeared clean but the particles I saw on the breather tubes were really fine so i may not have seen them when covered in oil?
So I figure if I see these particles on both sides the most likely place that would connect the two would be from the cam area. I cleaned them both out really well and will check again in a day or so to see if any more show up.
Could this be the cam bearing beginning to fail or could there be something else?
My lifter oil screen appeared clean but the particles I saw on the breather tubes were really fine so i may not have seen them when covered in oil?
Thread Starter
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Novice
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Arlington , Texas
Yes , it would be a great time to do cam gear, cam bearing, lifters, adjustable rods as well but, I dont want to buy all of those parts only to find out that something else is going out that I wont be able to afford after purchasing everything else 
I guess the best would be to just open it up to replace the cam bearing since I highly doubt that it is a torrington and see what I find in the process.
So aluminum flakes would suggest the INA cam bearing? and steel would suggest cam gear?
I guess the best would be to just open it up to replace the cam bearing since I highly doubt that it is a torrington and see what I find in the process.
So aluminum flakes would suggest the INA cam bearing? and steel would suggest cam gear?
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,468
Likes: 12
From: Bluffton, South Carolina
No steel would suggest something in the valve train, cam, gear, bearing, lifter, or other ferrous items.
Aluminum would suggest problems elsewhere vale spring/retainer hitting rocker box, worn rocker pivots, etc. Unfortunately steel is the most common as there are more pieces prone to wear that are steel.
Aluminum would suggest problems elsewhere vale spring/retainer hitting rocker box, worn rocker pivots, etc. Unfortunately steel is the most common as there are more pieces prone to wear that are steel.
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 537
Likes: 12
From: Chesapeake, VA.
Let me say, it will be ALOT cheaper before than after..
I went proactive on my 93 (it was good) new cam and bearing.
When I picked up my 97 RK, (which was bought new by a
mech. at Bay Side HD) I determined that he had purchsed a
new bearing at his place of employement. So I put two and two
togeether and HOPED he had replaced it.....WRONG!!!(32k miles)
And as we speak I am having the oil pump replaced now...
Money and piece of mind, just shotgun it with a new cam and
bearing.........Tenn.Vol.
I went proactive on my 93 (it was good) new cam and bearing.
When I picked up my 97 RK, (which was bought new by a
mech. at Bay Side HD) I determined that he had purchsed a
new bearing at his place of employement. So I put two and two
togeether and HOPED he had replaced it.....WRONG!!!(32k miles)
And as we speak I am having the oil pump replaced now...
Money and piece of mind, just shotgun it with a new cam and
bearing.........Tenn.Vol.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,856
Likes: 127
From: Middle of Kansas
My 99 has 24,000 miles on it, and am thinking about replacing the cam bearing only, along with adjustable push rods. Mine runs like a striped ape with what I think is the stock cam. Are the original stock cams OK to run in a new Torrington brg.? So far no valve train noise. Probably wait till next winter to do it, cause I will only have around 30 to 35,000 on it by then. In the mean time, I will continue to change oil every 2,000, and check for metal in the oil.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,877
Likes: 2
From: Hallsville, Tx.
Yes, the dimensions of the bearings are the same, the Torrington has more rollers and less cage material than the INA. If it's a Stock cam it may have a single letter stamped on it, mine was an "N".
