# Engine Camshaft Bearing Replacement, Upland > Camshaft bearing replacement explained for cam-in-block and overhead cam engines, including low oil pressure checks. Every step is on your estimate. Source: https://route66autorepairshop.com/engine-services/engine-camshaft-bearing-replacement Updated: 2026-09-17 Business: Route 66 Auto Repair, 1775 W Foothill Blvd, Upland, CA 91786, (909) 608-7699 Hours: Monday to Friday 8 AM–5 PM, Saturday 8 AM–2 PM, Sunday closed **TLDR:** **Cam-in-block** engines have replaceable cam bearings. Many **overhead cam** heads do not. Worn cam bearings can cause **low oil pressure**. Engine camshaft bearing replacement at Route 66 Auto Repair in Upland depends on how your engine is built. Cam-in-block engines use thin bearing sleeves pressed into the block. Many overhead cam engines have no separate bearings: the cam rides directly in the aluminum head. We explain which design you have, what worn cam bearings do to oil pressure, and what fixing them involves. Your written estimate shows every step. ## Does your engine even have cam bearings? Pushrod V6 and V8 engines, common in older trucks and some SUVs, carry the camshaft in the block on round bearing sleeves. Those sleeves wear and can be replaced, though it is typically done with the engine out and apart, often during a rebuild. Most overhead cam engines run the cam journals directly in machined saddles in the head, with bolted caps on top. If those saddles are scored, the fix is usually a replacement head or cam carrier, not a bearing. Some designs do use bearing inserts, and we check the service information for your engine. ## What points to worn cam bearings? - Low oil pressure, especially hot at idle, with healthy main and rod bearings - Bearing-colored flakes in the oil filter - Valve train noise that grows with oil temperature - Scoring found on cam journals during other work ## Why do cam bearings affect oil pressure? Oil flows through the bearings on its way to the valve train. Worn bearings leave wide gaps, and oil escapes faster than the pump can keep pressure up. We confirm low pressure with a mechanical gauge, then check the pump and pickup, covered on [engine oil pump replacement](https://route66autorepairshop.com/engine-services/engine-oil-pump-replacement), before blaming the cam bearings. If the main and rod bearings are also worn, [engine bearing replacement](https://route66autorepairshop.com/engine-services/engine-bearing-replacement) or a [rebuild](https://route66autorepairshop.com/engine-services/engine-rebuilding) may be the better plan. ## Our cam bearing replacement process 1. **Confirm the pressure loss:** Mechanical gauge readings and a filter inspection come first. 2. **Identify the design:** We confirm whether your engine uses replaceable bearings. 3. **Disassemble:** The camshaft comes out, and in block designs the engine usually comes apart. 4. **Replace and align:** New bearings are installed with oil holes lined up to the passages, as listed on your estimate. 5. **Verify oil pressure:** Pressure is checked at start-up and again hot on a road test. ## What's included in cam bearing replacement - Mechanical oil pressure test before and after - Oil filter debris check - New cam bearings with oil hole alignment check - Camshaft journal inspection - Every step listed on the written estimate ## Need-now or need-later? **Need now:** - Oil pressure warning at idle or below spec on the gauge **Need later:** - Slight pressure drop within spec, tracked at each oil change ## How pricing and timing work Because cam bearings in the block usually require engine removal, this job is priced alongside rebuild options. On overhead cam engines, head replacement is priced instead. Timing is set by the board and parts, and we text you if it slips. ## Aftercare Watch the oil pressure gauge or light for the first few weeks, and keep the oil at full. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can cam bearings be replaced without removing the engine? On most cam-in-block engines, no. The crankshaft and camshaft have to come out. Your estimate lists every step. ### My overhead cam journals are scored. What now? Usually the head or cam carrier is replaced, along with the camshaft if its journals are damaged. We show you photos and options. ### Is low oil pressure always the bearings? No. A weak pump, a clogged pickup, a faulty sender or thin oil can all cause it. We test those first. --- Call (909) 608-7699 or visit https://route66autorepairshop.com/contact for a written estimate.