Ok, I just removed the little solid roller cam from my 406 SBC. I replaced it with a larger solid roller. There was no cam button on the motor. My question is, how important is it to run a cam button with a solid roller cam? The motor never had any issues before.

There had to be something to keep camwalk in check.

???...there wasn't a cam button. I took the whole thing apart. Nothing else was keeping it there.

If you didn't have one then your cam would be hitting the timing cover and the cam would wonder forward and backwards and wear the lobes pretty quick from the lifters not running where they should. The 3 cam bolts hold the button in place.

Here's mine. Not sure how many thou you should have before the cam moves but I remember seeing it on Horse Power. After the cam was slid in he took a screw driver and tested to see how far the cam would move forward before hitting the timing cover. He had slop, so he used a round rubber hammer and pounded the outside of the cover in on a bean bag inward to tighten up the gap between the button and inside timing cover.

http://www.nastyz28.com/~copo/cam1.JPG

I know how they install. I am just saying that there wasn't one on when I pulled it apart. The cam looks fine and nothing was hitting the inside of the timing cover. It just made me wonder how necessary they really are. You generally don't see them on flat tappet cams.

Don't know who told you that you don't need them. But you need it.
If you don't believe us then run it without and tell us how many miles you get before your cam is trashed.
Time for bed...ttul

A flat tappet cam has the cam lobe ground with a taper to keep if from moving forward. Totally different lobe design. You need "it" for a solid roller.

You also need a water pump with the boss on the bottom that you install a bolt in to stop the cover from flexing.I always installed buttons on roller cams,I thought it was a must because they don't have the taper to hold the cam back.What kind of timing chain did you have, did it feel loose?

I've torn down a few engines where the button was not installed. The only thing that kept the cam in was the timing chain. Usually was a double roller. I found that after these tear downs the chain had more side flex in them. Hold the cam gear horizontal with the chain on it as it should be, and you should see what I'm talking about.

Also check your distributor gear and the gear on the cam. It should have wear on it. Depending on the amount of mileage, the teeth on that gear can sharpen up. This is due to the cam sliding back and forth in the block.

Remember that the timing cover gasket is about .010 thick. I usually install them with very little play without the gasket, then the cover installed will give you the clearance needed. I've never seen those timing covers flex. Its a bit of a task getting the dent in it to clear the button. You could always get the $5 nylon and shave it as needed.

I assume that this is the cam that you have listed for sale?

Yes, its the cam I have listed. It has less than 1000 miles on it. I looked it over again. It looks almost new. I will be running a cam button. Never said I wasn't going to. It was just odd that it didn't have one there when pulled apart.