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MG TD TF 1500 - New Camshaft Centre Bearing

Just received my new camshaft centre bearing from Brown & Gammons. The service was great, only a few days from the other side of the world. However I wasn't happy when I opened the packaging so I sent them the following pic. What you can see I can actually feel! Lets hope they come to the party. Cheers
Peter TD 5801

P Hehir

"Pre-owned" bearing or just a bad day with the lathe?
Jan Emil Kristoffersen

Either way it's unacceptable...
P Hehir

How does it fit the new camshaft? If it's tight it will need to be reamered, thus correcting this admittedly rough surface?
Willem van der Veer

I plan to check it out tomorrow Willem. I expect to have to reduce the bearing OD a thou or two to fit the housing but I don't believe it should be necessary for anyone to have to ream the face of a new centre or rear bearing, which should be in tolerance & hence would be machined to fit the cam journal precisely. IMHO
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

The center bearing should not need reaming. It's either a mfg. flaw, or the bearing has already been installed on a cam. Are there any outside marks to suggest it was installed in an engine?

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

Even the factory reamer doesn't cut anything but the front. It should be ready to use.
Steve S

Regarding the cam centre bearing, as I recall it is only the bottom half, which has the oil feed, that wears. P Hehir's image shows that half to be the one without score marks, so I suggest it will be OK to install them as a pair. I do accept it would have been better if neither had any score marks.
Roger Wilson
R A WILSON

I would insist on a replacement. It appears to me to have been used obvious by the discoloration at the base of each groove. Machine marks or reamered marks would not have a dark colour at the bottom of the groove IMHO.
Not a good advert for B&G.
John...Sydney
John Walton

I completely agree with Tom & Steve. Tom there did appear to be small recess on the outer edge almost as though it had been dropped. Perhaps this was the apprentice machinist's first attempt & it slipped through quality control. John, the black marks resulted from my attempt to unsuccessfully remove the ridge with some 1000 grit wet & dry wrapped around my finger, using kerosine as a lubricant. Roger, I'm unwilling to use the bearing with the bottom half in the condition it's in because as the cam spins in the bearing there is a very great risk that the damaged lower half will score the cam journal. The good news is I woke this morning to find a prompt response in the form of an email from Malcolm Gammons, the manager of Brown & Gammons which I've pasted/posted here.

"We are very sorry to hear you are not happy with the bearing. We have checked another one and will send it off today".

This is a good outcome & whilst I would have preferred not to have been delayed, at this point I have nothing but praise for B&G & wouldn't hesitate to use them again. It's worth noting that the bearing on its own was not available anywhere else. Cheers
Peter TD 5801



P Hehir

Yes, I should also have said that it would be better to have a replacement bearing (both halves).
Roger Wilson
R A WILSON

This thread was discussed between 20/06/2014 and 21/06/2014

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