Camshaft Bearings

[93Oldsdroptop]

What would be the symptoms of these wearing out? And if they go, how difficult is it to re-do them? Do they commonly go? I have a weird whine at a certain RPM that seems to be getting worse and I have tracked it to what appears to be the rear cam carrier.

[SappySE107]

You dont have cam bearings, except for the oil pump drive fake cam.

[93Oldsdroptop]

OK, I'm confused. What do the camshaft journals spin on then? Don't they have bearing inserts like a crankshaft?

[SappySE107]

The cam carriers are the bearings in that sense. There are no inserts.

[93Oldsdroptop]

Oh, I see. So if this is wearing out, do I have to replace the whole carrier/cylinder head assembly? Are they known for wearing out? The Olds has about 115K on it now. Or would the best bet be to rebuild the entire thing?

Thanks for explaining all this to me, Ben.

[SappySE107]

You can replace just the carrier if that is really what is bad. I have never heard of them wearing though so its probably something else.

[93Oldsdroptop]

Well that's good to know. I'll analyze further, maybe it's a pulley or something. I had the timing belt done when it blew at about 75K and they were all replaced new. It's weird because it doesn't really make the noise when its driving. But when you pop the hood with it running and rev it some, it does it a a certain RPM range.

[93gtpdohc]

Try changeing your oil to a thinker one, and check you timing belt for any werid wear,

[93Oldsdroptop]

I checked the belt the other day, it's fine. I don't really want to go to thicker oil, I run 5W30 as is recommended. I'll just keep an eye/ear on it, I don't beat it or anything. Although I do love to listen to that motor crank up the RPMs when I get on the turnpike.

[Zboy]

Are you sure the whine you heard is not the alternator or power steering pump? They would both make whining noises if starting to fail, and they are both close to the area you described.

[Lyle's GTP]

Same with water pump. Mine did that same thing. At certain RPM's I could here this whine, it almost sounded like a turbo. But at first it only did it when the AC was on, which really confused me. So it must have been the extra tension on belt that made the bearing whine. But when it got really bad it was an all-the-time thing. Check that, it's a cheap, easy fix. Which is highly unusual for our cars.

Lyle

[Cotton]

if the power steering fluid level is o.k., id say get ready for an alternator.