Hey everyone,
I finally fired up my engine (specs in sig).
Fired up right away. I ran it at 2000 - 2500 RPM for 25 mins to break in the cam (XE-262).
So . . . . I rode it to work today, and I started to hear a valve tap. I tried to adjust the valve (#4 Intake), but it was not adjustable. I figured, sure, a broken lifter.
Blah, I pulled the lifter out and it looks horrible, the cam ate it right up, so I'm gussing my cam is destroyed, right???

Anyway, why did this happen!!!!
I adjusted the preload (true zero + 1/2 turn), if anything the rockers should have been a little loose. I used the comp cam break in lube, the engine fired up after short cranking attempts (vaccum line loose), and the oil pressure stayed at 60psi for the 25 min break in.
I guess I'll see if summit will replace my cam, but I'm out a car until my new one gets here.

 

Just a couple of things to add . . . .
The Vortec Heads have been machined to accept .510 lift w/ heavier springs.

And another questions: Should I get all new lifters now or just replace the one that is tore up? I have to have my car running so I think I will just buy the summit cam/lifter kit since it's in my budget and will have all new lifters, but I'd still like to know if I have to just eat the $60 for my lifters (and possibly the $110 for the cam too)

 

well before you go though all the broken bolts and bloody knuckles of a cam swap, check the cam first. if the lifters collapsed, then youll need to replace them but ive seldom seen a new cam wear out. i say replace the lifters and you should be ok.

 

Tell me you didnt add a new cam and not get new lifters????

 

you shoiuld ALWAYS get new lifters when putting in a cam, unless its a used cam with the used lifters on the same lobes they were on... even with that little of run time, you should still replace them

 

Brand new lifters, everything in that motor is brand new, there isn't even a used bolt in there. I wouldn't make that mistake. I guess I'll order the summit cam/lifter kit.
But still, does anyone know how this could happen??? I don't want to tear up another cam. I've done several successful cam swaps before, but they were all in the car, I put this cam in when building the motor.

Oh, btw, the engine has 20 miles on it and runs great other then the #4 cyl. The other lifters look great, but the bad one looks terrible (See pic). I can't see that the cam survived. I'll have to dig up my dial indicator and check.

 

put in a solid lifter tighten it up and turn over the motor and see if the vavle moves very much,

thats how i would would see if the cam is ruined....

 

for some reason the lifter wasn't rotating in it's bore. the flat tappets have to spin or that will happen. either that or the valve spring pressure is too tight. most likely it's the lifter not spinning because it was the only lifter to do it.

 

What would stop the lifter from turning? Could it have something to do w/ the lifter bore or the lifter itself? Like I said, I don't want this to happen again!

Oh, another pic of the engine before dropping it in.




Edit::: I put another lifter in place of the bad one and it only has about half the lift
Time to overnight a cam
Thanks for the help everyone

 

"overnight parts from JAPAN!!!"

lol JK, Fast and furious had so many parts that cracked me up!!!

especially acting like Nitrous was dangerous...

"Youve got a heavy foot, Ive seen you....Youll blow yourself to pieces!!"


LOL

 

HAHA

I need NOS BABY!!

 

either the lifter bore too tight around the lifter. or it's too loose causing it to tilt over. if it's too loose you can get sleeves for the bores. but would require disassembling the motor to install.

one other thing just came to mind. did you use the cam lube? you must use that white/gray stuff that comes with the cam and lifters. if you look at a flat tappet cam on the lobes, there are little dots on them. it's porous metal. so you could've wiped the lobe off because of not using it or enough of it. so remember "use lots of lube before sticking your shaft in".

 

I only use that STP oil treatment stuff for break in.....man that stuff is thick...but has worked in about 20 motors between my cars and race car motors....

 

By the looks of the lifter, the cam lobe is trashed. I do not have alot of confidence in the red lube comp sends with the cams. I use the moly cam lube, 30WT oil, and a can of GM's EOS.

What are the specs of the springs?

 

hey now youre forgetting all that we learned from that movie...

1. putting spoilers over the dead wheels gives you better traction
(in our case, wed have to put them on our hoods)

2. playing videogames while you race will lower your ETs

3. outrageous decals on the doors will make your car more aerodynamic

4. if your exhaust tip isnt at least as big as your 20'' rims, youre losing power

5. a cheap graphics kit, a fake spoiler, a glow in the dark tach, and a bright orange supra will keep up with a 9sec supercharged hemi-charger




lol oh well. seriously though, back on the important topic, what kind of cam are you getting?

 

Yeah I would say also that the lifer wasn't turning properly, did they spin free in the lifter bores? If it was turning then valve spring pressure may have been too great, what was the seat pressure? Lots of racers break in there cams with light break in springs and then put in the heavy racing springs, another cause of failure is a lifter that missed the heat treat, if it's too soft it will wear out real quick, another but rare cause is a mis-machined block where the lifter bore is not square with the cam bore, it works ok with light stock springs but when you put in heavy springs it causes wiped cams and lifters.

 

I always thought "Type R" sticker gave you at least 10hp at the rear wheels! " lol

btw nice to see your not trying to over cam the car!!!

 

The big one. Better get two!

 

because the size of your tanks matters!!!

they should have added...

"I have a "friend of a friend" who can get NOS from a dentist office, that stuff make like 50 more HP!"

to go along with the 10hp "Type R" Stickers...lol

 

the "type R" stickers give you 10hp to the front wheels haaaahaha. the only time i've had a problem is to much valve spring press. . cured it by breaking it in on just the outter springs , after a couple hundred miles i put the inner springs back in

mike

 

At least 10hp, more like 12-15hp if you have a 5" or bigger exhaust tip!!


Light springs are always a good idea with any new motor, even if your cam doesnt fail, it will still add more wear than needed by breaking in the cam with full spring pressure....

 

Before you install the new cam and lifters, I'd hone out the
one lifter bore with a small brake cylinder hone.
wash any hone grit down into the pan with brake cleaners.
This will ensure the lifter bore is not scratched. Could stop it from spinning.

Change the oil before you fire it up.

Watch that you do not coat the sides of the new lifters with breakin lube. The lube can stop it from spining in the bore.
only coat the cam lobes and a little on the lifter bottoms.
coat the lifters with oil. Check to see that they will spin in the bores.

 

I lubed the lifter bore w/ gray moly lube, but the lobes w/ red moly that came w/ the cam. Also the cam had been in the engine for 3 weeks while I saved up $$$$ for the heads, so maybe the lube dripped off that lobe??

I think I will try the brake hone idea, and use STP on the lifter bores like I used to do.

Valve springs are 110lb @ 1.700", 300lb @ 1.25" . Do you think could be too tight? I could always remove the inner springs for break in.

I think I will get the 272/282 summit cam, I used the XE-262-14 because I was originally going to put fuel injection back (I have a 750 holley on top now), but that may be a ways off. Hopefully I can talk summit into taking the cam back.

Also, I don't think I will try the Type-R stickers, but I think it will help if I get a V-Tec sticker

 

HAHA

I need NOS BABY!!




you know what the sad thing is? every dumbass kid who watched that movie thinks that "nos" is actually what sprays into the motor and not just a brand name. try calling up edelbrock and ask if you can order one of their "NOS" systems. see what they tell you....

 

DO NOT put Cam break in LUBE or any thing thick like STP IN the LIFTER BORES...

Use plain jane 10w 30 oil in the lifter bores ,on the cam journals and on the lifters.

This is why your cam wiped out.
The break in lube goes on the cam lobes and a little on the BOTTOMS of the lifters.. Thats all....

 

Good news, summit is taking the old cam back. They have to do an "inspection" first, but I can't see that being a problem.

Thanks again for the help

 

Every Comp Cams brand cam I have used (2 so far) has wiped a lobe (or more) in a week or less. I do the same things you sis, but I use straight 30 wt on the lifter bores and sides, and the provided cam lube on the lifter bottom and cam lobes.

As for the "Summit" brand cams, I have had nothing but GREAT results and longevity. Same proceedure with both brands. I don't know what the problem is, but those are the results I've had.

 

After checking out the lifter bores, I notced that #4 intake (the bad one) has verticle scoring marks, so those of you that said the lifter wasn't spinning were right on the ball. I also put another lifter in that bore and found it was a little harder to remove than the rest (I could still pull it out w/ my fingers). I will try using the brake hone to fix any problems in that bore.

 

That stuff is fantastic its like liquid duct tape it works on everything.

 

Ok just don;t get too carried away honing the bore.
Cause it does make the hole bigger.
Do not try to remove the scratch completely
Just take enough out so the lifter will slide and spin smoothly.

Be sure to clean the bore well before trying the lifter.

Check the other bores too.

Usually it's just a small burr on the bottom of the lifter bore or a bit of grit stuck in the bore wall.
Again don't get carried away here. Minor scratchs don't mean anything.

 

The bad part is that all the lift/cam trash had to go somewhere. Its too late for the debris that already went through the motor, but you are going to make a little more cleaning up that lifter bore. Flush it good and drain the oil. Once it runs and seems fine, change the oil again.

 

Dunno Ive never had a problem using STP as assembly lube, havent had one engine fail, Knock on wood.

Thats cool that Summit is going to take care of the problem, hopefully. Id just smooth out the bore with emmory cloth no need to break out the hone and get more crap in the engine.

When you do get it all togather again I'd suggest using one of the larger truck 2 quart filters for a little bit just to make sure.

The vortec manifold has gotta make it easy to pull the engine apart.

 

Made it very easy, took less then 10 mins from the time I started until I had the lifter out
I am definatly going to change the oil again before restarting it and then after the cam break in to try to flush out all of that metal.

 

invest a few dollars in a Magnetic oil pan bolt to help pick up some metal for you.....

Has anyone used that magnet thing you put around your oil filter??

 

One of the cam

 

Well, I used the red lube from comp on my lobes and bottom of lifters, but my motor has yet to be fired since I put the cam in 4 months ago..... I noticed the red lube was kinda sticky, so I'm thinking it might still be coating the parts pretty good.... Any advice ...should I be concerned...

 

i put a little assembly lube on the bottom sides of my lifters... fired the motor, its ran for over an hour in the shop after proper break in with no problems, and has been driven 30 miles with no problems... should i be worried???

headers come tomorrow and im about to go off to college in a week or two

kinda worried my cam might die after seeing this... it wasnt too much on the sides... just a little smeared around the bottom of the lifters on the sides...

 

Hey! I'm one of those dumbass kids, and I don't think that

Hmm.. that could have been worded better....

 

I also got in the habit of soaking new lifters in a cup of oil for a while, before putting them in a motor. I try to get as much oil into them as possible.

Mark

 

I wouldn't loose sleep over it now.

Next time you'll know exactly what to do,, right.

What I do is dump some oil in my hand. Lube up the lifter with my hand and then coat the bottom with breakin lube.
Oil the lifter bore and slide in the lifter.

 

Well, I got the new cam in and put another 25 miles on it. It almost immidiatly started ticking, but hasn't gotten worse so "hopefully" I just need to adjust the valves (and get coated w/ oil ). Ran good though, fingers crossed.

 

To that pic above, to me it doesnt look like they use much of an anti-wear coating on their cams. On my edelbrock cam, the coating was so thick and coarse that i was afraid it would chew up the lifters before it even broke in.