I picked up a 89 Iroc. Po said it had an oil leak from the timing cover. What I found is the end of the cam made a perfect circle in the inside of the timing cover and also cracked it. That is where the oil is coming from. Engine is a L98 with the following:
http://sdparts.com/details/gm-perfor...parts/24502586
http://sdparts.com/details/scoggin-d...er/sd8060ragp2
http://sdparts.com/details/scoggin-d...-center/sd3816

Any ideas? Cam seems good, not walking. Car is at a shop. I am having him put it back together and me and a friend will start removing the cam to see if it was nstalled right.

 

Timing cover was most likely smashed in.

There's normally about .080" of clearance there, or a little more; being a roller cam, the cam can't move more than about .010" to .015"; so it's not an "engine" problem as such.

Not using a gasket (which the gasket is certainly not especially "necessary"), or using a thin one, would aggravate that.

 

Maybe the alignment pin too long?

 

Yup, could be that too; in that particular cam it's long enough to drive the water pump; maybe the PO forgot to shorten it.

 

ditto well said.In my past experiences If the lower timing chain sprocket isnt fully installed properly it can walk the cam out just a little and wear the cam holder down a bit too.add a gasket sealer gasket or dented cover to this and it will rub for sure.

 

Seen this before. Cuts a new perfect circle out of the timing cover. Also sends the knock sensor into reporting lots & lots of false knock.

RBob.