Just starting on on the CVC's engine and before I knew much about suppliers from conversations on the forum I bought a blue bagged camshaft. Would you trust it or not?

Don't know, but I've used other blue bag stuff without problem. Depends on what, I guess.
I've just fitted a new engine oil cooler. It was ok.

It's a bit of a lottery. Some of it, such as the Dunlop air springs, are genuine items and Britpart can get them far cheaper by buying in quantity, others are from the OEM manufacturers while the cheap stuff is Chinese knock offs. It all depends on what you get and if you are lucky or not.

Having decided to trust the blue bag camshaft, thank you for all your thoughts, a new problem has arisen.

Probably just my failure to comprehend but having checked that the old and new camshaft are identical in dimensions the new one has 5mm of end float!
I've followed the workshop manual and reinstalled the old camshaft with the same result. With the camshaft thrust plate in place and no gears on, there is still 5mm of end float. The only thing that has changed is that the block has been vapour blasted.
I believe the thrust plate was a later addition but is 5mm acceptable.
Thanks

Errm, no.

From the overhaul manual:

Camshaft end-float - check

1. Remove rocker shaft assemblies.
2. Remove pushrods and store in their fitted order.
3. Remove timing chain and gears.
4. Temporarily fit camshaft gear bolt.
5. Attach a suitable DTI to front of cylinder block with stylus of gauge contacting end of camshaft.
6. Push camshaft rearwards and zero gauge.
7. Using camshaft gear bolt, pull camshaft forwards and note end-float reading on gauge.
   End-float = 0.05 to 0.35 mm (0.002 to 0.014 in)
8. If end-float is incorrect, fit a new thrust plate and re-check. If end-float is still incorrect, a new camshaft must be fitted.

So 5mm is way too much.

Thanks Richard, I was beginning to think it was just me being dim.
If the original dimensions worked what could have changed? There isn't some mounting point at the rear face of the block that got lost in the vapour blasting is there? There's no mention of it in the workshop manual.

As far as I remember, there's nothing at the back (and nothing shown in the overhaul manual either), it's just held in place by the thrust plate. If it was just the new camshaft that had the end float I'd say it faulty but as the original one is the same, that suggests the wrong thrust plate.

The existing thrust plate is an original looking "U" shape as per the parts and workshop manual although I see RPI show a completely circular retention plate.

Looking again at the RPI picture the cam has a much longer nose on it.

Possible progress!

just removed the new camshaft and checked the part number which is HRC2629!
This in spite of the box being marked ERR3720.
Would this make a difference? I think the HRC part is for a Discovery.

HRC2629 4.6

err3720 4.0

I have the 4.6 as err 5250.

The HRC part number is a bit of an oddity. A Google search comes up with a few hits but either from eBay or a supplier in the US and does indeed state that it is for a 4.0 litre Discovery. However, I though the Disco engine and the P38 engines are the same 42D prefix and searching Microcat doesn't show any hits at all.. Then I thought that it might be a cam for an earlier, Classic, engine but that has a distributor driven from a gear on the front and I think you'd have noticed if it was that different. That one uses a fully circular thrust plate next to the middle bearing.

I think the important thing is that the thrust plate should be the same thickness as the groove it sits in on the camshaft. If both have grooves of the same thickness then it still points towards the thrust plate being too thin.

I agree Richard, there are very few references to HRC.

The thrust plate though only sits at the front of the cam and there is no groove for it to run in.

Had a message back from RPi saying that the HRC is OK for a 4.0 and that that amount of movement is normal and the cam sprocket keeps it on which sounds a bit worrying with that amount of movement.

I visited RPi once and would never believe anything they told me ever again. It doesn't tally with what the overhaul manual says either.

Hi,
with out the camshaft gear bolted up there is nothing to stop the camshaft moving rearwards until it hits the rear plug. hence the 5mm of movement. Bolt the camshaft gear up tight and recheck the end float, I am sure you will find it will be with in spec.

Thanks ODB I'll try that tomorrow. Sorry to be slow responding.

I took my worn cam out yesterday, and it had the same amount of movement back/forth once the timing gear was removed.

Seemed odd... but I can see the chain keeping things in line quite well, and I guess the thrust plate stops it coming too far forward if anything (if I remember how it was all sitting... yesterday seems like ages ago).

Interestingly the cam I've taken out of my 4.6 is marked HRC 2629.

Googling is a bit vague on reliable info.