Spun cam bearing?

[ncrobb]

Is a spun cam bearing a death sentence for a block? I have a 360 stripped down to the cam, pistons, rods and crank. The cam will move forward and aft maybe 1/4” but it locks up and will no longer rotate all the way forward and all the way back. My brother says spun cam bearing but I can stick a rod down through the oil feed galley off the #2 and #4 cam journals that feed the top end and feel the cam. The rod will drop into the cam’s oil hole and stop its rotation. Any words of advice on removing the cam and hopefully saving the block?

 

[69L48Z27]

I would push the cam against the freeze plug on the back an knock it out. Then tap the cam out of each ones first set of bearings. Should come out from there.

It doesn’t sound like a spun bearing if you get the rod into the cam oil hole. It would have to spin a very exact amount for it to line up with another hole.

Also, if you can’t get the cam out it’s time for new bearings anyway.

 

[33 IMP]

You are in nc, there should be lots of talented engine machinists there, and a spun cam bearing is not a death sentence to a good machinist. If it is financially a good idea, is another question. Sometimes it depends on if it is a numbers matching engine , or a hemi or cammer, or other exotic. Its not generally bothered with for a small block chevy.