zipper06

If the cam was/is moving as much as .060/.080 i don't think the change would be more than 1 degree. But if you have the cover off put a button on the cam even useing a stock steel or alum cover, i would do it. I use the nylon button that Comp Cams sells (P/N CC205) and furnishes with their cam conversion kits, cost under $5.00. You may have to remove some mat'l from the front of the button to fit it, but it's the quick/cheap way to stop cam walk.
As mentioned above NO NEEDLE BEARING buttons, they do come apart.

JMO

Zip.

JEFF69Z28

it has cam cam button according to my builders invoice,that was one reason i did not think it was walking and decided to ask the cam walk question.if it was walking the timing would move more than 2-3* maybe 5-10*?.whats involved in stopping cam walk.

zipper06

The engine manufacturers put a stop to the cam walk problem when they went too hydraulic roller cams. They incorperated a bolt on plate to the front of the block and pinched the cam with the timing gear. That stopped forward and rearward movement of the cam, but they also went to a crank trigger ign.
The main problem with cam walk other than timing fluation is it with put escessive wear on the distributor gear, even more so with a bronze gear. That's another thing you need to look at for your timing problem, the gear could have some wear.
Go to Google and type in camshaft walk, there's several good reads about cam walk about the reasons and the way different engine builders have addressed the problem.

Zip.

shawnp

Jeff,

Is there any other indications you got cam walk besides the timing? What I can tell you is that David and I both experienced issues with the MSD 7al3. David may have had to throw the trigger on to solve his problem but I went back to the 7al2 and solved ours. Do me a favor, before you go tearing the motor apart, swap the ignition box and see what happens.

JEFF69Z28

Good idea,I have a 6al2 that i thought was a problem last year but ended up being a carb problem.Ill put that on and see if the problem is corrected.

wmeabates

The outer edge of a 1.25 dist. gear moves .011 each degree of rotation.So .010 in. of cam movement would equal about 2 degrees timing change at the crank.Bill Bates.

JEFF69Z28

IS THIS SOMETHING I SHOULD WORRY ABOUT AS I WOULD HATE TO DESTROY A 400.00 CAM AND 900.00 WORTH OF LIFTERS AND ROCKER ARMS.WHAT OTHER SIGNS SHOULD I LOOK FOR IF MY CAM WAS WALKING?

wmeabates

Your timing moving 2-3 deg.with a dist triggered ign.could be caused by anything between the crank gear and the pickup in the dist.I have put roller cams in sbc for more than 40 yrs using a cam button.I never seen cam walk damage any parts.Bill Bates.