VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 36 Camshaft thrust plate clearance

All my manuals are lost in boxes until we move again soon so I don't know how much clearance there is supposed to be between the bronze thrust plate and the timing gear.

Also there are only three parts: camshaft, thrust plate, and timing gear correct? The guy at the machine shop said there maybe a washer in there between the camshaft and thrust bearing but wasn't sure. I don't remember anything besides those three parts though.

Lahti
My 38 manual says "free to a maximum of .003" ". I have never measured any that I have fitted but all have been about that.
Tony

The 36 manual says the same thing, "press the gear on the shaft so that the thrust plate is tight, yet free to revolve, to a maximum of .003" clearance". No mention of a washer.

Ahhh So! I didn't think there was a washer in there. Thanks for saving me from my boxed up manuals folks! Can't wait to move so I can get to everything again

They revised the area in the '60's and then used a spacer washer. Gear was pressed on until the spacer was tight.....this applied only to 1937 and later engines.I would strongly advise you to remove the engine front mounting plate and clean the sludge out of the grove on the back of the plate. It brings the oil down from the front cam bearing to the timing gear oil nozzel - by gravity. I would be willling to bet yours is restricted unless the engine was rebuilt in the last 20 years.

Did that... and it was nasty in there, the timing gears had been running dry for some time. Yikes!