I found out my cam lobe on #1 intake was flattened. And cam lobe on #1 exhaust was partly gone.

So I picked up an MTC-5 cam. Going out to install it in about 10 min now that family left.

Should I set timing at 10, or am I reading the box to this correctly that it needs to be set to 27??

 

Go with the box hahaha

 

ahhh, that sucks, all that fiddling with the fuel and it was a damn camshaft . . . at least you got it now.

 

Also, has anyone payed attention. When the two "ticks" on the timing chain are lined up, is the dizzy on 4? Or did I re-stab it wrong even though I marked it before I pulled it.

Yea, sucky with the fuel and all the spark stuff. But I did notice some improvment with all of it. Even with a fubar cam, I was still getting some respectable mpg.

 

With the tick marks lined up that is #4 compression stroke (firing). After sprockets are on turn the crank 1 revolution. That is #1 firing (both tick marks at 12 o'clock).

Interesting about the lobes. The reason I say this is that way back when the bad running issue happened, it was within 10 seconds of fueling up. Which makes me think: did the lobes wipe then and there, or did they wipe later as a result of something else? Probably never know. How is the oil pressure, maybe put a mech gauge on it just to check it.

Here's to good luck,

RBob.

 

Now the real challenge will be to find out why that lobe got worked down like that. It would be a shame for you to install a new cam and flatten that one because of an oil delivery problem.

See what you can do about priming the system BEFORE you button everything up, just to be sure that oil is getting up to that cam lobe.

 

I have seen that several times in engines. Driving fast, racing it hard and just a bit to low on oil, to often kills them front parts.

one of the reason I run full on oil running, not off n cold. So I am full with oil in the top end. only ends up being half quart or so over after a sittin cold check.

Then some folks run only 4 quarts for extra speed but them poor poor front of the motor parts. Ill give up a few HP for good oilin, just make it up in better drivin.

 

I have read the 3.4 is known for bad cams. Also, I had found a rocker all cocked some time ago, pulled it off and fixed it. Didnt know it would cause a bad cam lobe.

I also run my engine slightly over full with oil (.5 qt or so) because of the way I attempt to sling it around cornors.

 

When I built my motor, the machinist had me run the oil pump until oil came out of the pushrods. It was easy to do, just hook a drill up to the octagonal rod that runs down to the oil pump, and spin a way (insert cam and lifters first....)

 

T, I'll give you a call later tonight to see how to do that.

 

Oh yeah, and don't forget to use GOBS of assy lube. And you also have to change the oil after the cam breaks in. I think I broke my new motor in at 3kRPM for 15 minutes, and then did another 15 at 4k or something. But I was breaking in new bearings, pistons, everything. I think the cam manu will have instructions.

Yeay! Dale got a new cam!

 

dale, let me know how the cam is, mine is going in hopefully this weekend or next. ive also mildly ported the heads and intake and bowl blended the heads. and those lovely poly motor mounts doward found for us.

 

Jay, just pull the coil wire and crank the starter until the oil pressure comes up on the gauge. Then reinstall the coil wire and fire the engine.

 

Dave, I thought you already installed it? I didnt see anything about motor mounts either. Anyway, I am not sure this cam is really what I'm looking for. It said truck/rv cam. yet when I put the profile in DDD, the peak torque is up in the 3krpm range, and peak hp is almost redline. I was looking for a tq range of approx 2500.

railroad, did that, but I was checking to make sure all my rockers were installed properly, and nothing would hit. So far so good.

Check list for tonight:
mount EGR
install vac gauge
install air intake
install injector fuses
connect battery
mount pass fan back up
install #1 plug n wire

keep fingers crossed and fire it up
check timing
install antifreeze

 

any way to improve oil delivery? maybe grind the oil galleys larger?

 

I was shown by a person who posted in this thread, that when you fully rebuild an engine, you can smooth down the vally where the lifters sit in. You start changing the dia of the oil passages, and your messing with pressure n volume.

 

I have the GM Power Book that shows the oil galley done. Another thing they did was to glue a screen down to cover the cam incase a piece of metal goes down to the galley. Check your local autocross rules, they don't allow aftermarket cams up here until you get into a Prepared class. But I think thats where you are anyways.

 

Well, got it started tonight.

Set timing, some how bumped it back down to 2deg tightening it. I said f-it and left it there and started filling coolent.

Took it for a drive, this thing revs to 4 and 5k rpms so smooth!! I wasnt even trying to do that.

Had to cancel test drive early as I have a major valve cover gasket it leak on the left side. Finding parts tommorow to fix that.

YES!!

 

awesome! get that timing back up and you should feel a lot more power too, lol.

 

no i havent gotten it in yet, working 70hrs a week has killed any progress, but thats all done with as of tonight. thursday night im going to get going on putting it all back together, and hopefully running by this weekend, seems like you like the cam, good.

 

I don't wanna rain on your parade, but every time I've wiped a cam lobe the resulting metal ended up in the bearings. How is your oil pressure?

 

oil pressure is fine, same as all my other 6/60's I've had.

I did have a rocker fail on here almost a year ago. Same lobe/valve. I wonder if that started it.

 

damn, that engine of yours...................

who had the lobe wipe on them earlier & finally got GM to repair under warranty? I'll put up a post in fv6 asking if any of them have had probs w/the 3.4 cams crapping out.

side note, I don't see how one rocker failing would destroy both lobes .....

 

damn the engine of mine? More like your engine!!! So what was the warranty on this thing


Offical word, bang for the buck this is a good cam. I was looking for little more low end torque. Maybe I will get that when I set it to proper timing.


Got a code 45 letting it idle in the driveway while I cleaned the garage. Kinda hoping thats it blowing all the carbon buildup in the cylinders out. If not, I'll have to work on that. Going to take it to work tommorow

 

that was my engine two engines ago and it ran (despite the fried electronics)

you'll still be able to trounce my bird, as I'll still be happy jsut to get it tagged & running, not in that order either.


How does the cam you have now compare to an S-10's spec? a bit more torque but no top end I bet.

 

s10 had alot more low end torque, but zilch for top end.

This cam is more top end/freeway speeds.

However, its a nice smooth climb(have yet to find the fall off point), where before it was a quick climb, then fell off.

 

Ok, so the forums are up now?

Yep, the MTC-5 cam, imho, was a great little add on. I noticed better power all the way up the powerband!

I set mine to 12º BTDC, btw

Don't know where they got 27º...

 

Intake valve opening point?

RBob.

 

Wow, late post.

New cam is already waxed as well. I will more then likely start parting my car out after the weekend.

 

its shot already!!??? WTF is going on w/ that thing? id check more into it before you junk it dude, dont leave us dale!!!!!!

but if youre gonna part it out, i want dibs on the suspension stuff, lol.

 

WTF man, im really sorry. Think it over man, and if your sure you want to part it out, ill do what i can to help you get a new 3rd.

 

Dave, yes the new cam is already shot. As Monte up above said, I have oil issues. As well as all the debris is in the oil system untill you clean the entire system. Since I dont have the tools to do that(hoist, tank dip clean, replace bearings n seals), I'm not going to dump more cash into this car when its not what I really want. By time I get that done I will be pushing close to 10g's in this car. Its not worth that. I've spent almost 1g trying to find out what the problem is over the past 5 months!

I will say, the 2 days it ran right, holy $hit did this thing scream I seriously think it would have kept up with my GTP

I will be keeping my suspension parts untill I find my next toy car. But you already called dibs so I'll keep you in mind


Cars I'm looking to replace it with in order provided the money person allows this. Keep in mind I really dont have any extra cash above what I can get parting it out. I have all the tools in the world to do external engine and replace body panels.
90-92 Camaro Convert
98-02 Bird/TA convert or T-top
98-02 Camaro Convert
Classic vette, pre 1973, Convert or t-top
Eclipse/Talon Convert AWD Turbo

 

Ouch (insert favorite string of 4 letter words). There has to be something binding in the valve train. Check the valve setup in the heads for clearance: retainer to guide/seal and springs for coil bind. Then the actual spring pressure, it may be excessive.

Also check the rocker slot to stud clearance at full lift. Many years ago I got caught on that one. Was a SBC I put a mild cam in (.445" lift), along with some moderate springs to match. After a while it would start tapping a little. So I readjusted the valves. Started tapping again and found that the rocker studs were pulling out of the head, just a tad.

No problem, so I pinned them. The tapping came back. But it was only after an excursion to high RPMs. Hmm, now I find that the push rods are ever so slightly bent. Replace them and later those are ever so slightly bent.

Somethings not right. With some work I found the end of the rocker arm slots with ever so slight marks in them. And the rocker studs too. replaced the rockers with a long slot version along with another new set of pushrods and all was well.


The only other issue I see is the oil system. If the filter bypass is operational (not plugged) you may need to pull the engine and clean the metal out of it.

RBob.

 

Oh hell... I know I didn't mention it before, but you DID replace the valve springs, correct? I recommended (well, Melling does, too! ) VS-380s installed @ 1.72"

If you re-used stock-style springs, without any extra coil clearance, it is very possible you wiped the lobe based on that.

Another thing to consider - what condition, and orientation, are your camshaft bearings in?

 

I have crane 99948 springs, and 99915 retainers per suggestion of a board member.

My pushrods are clear and strait, not bent or plugged.

Clearence on rocker slot, its almost identical setup to what several other board members have. Why would it not work on my car? But I do see what your talking about.

Stud shafts are not loose(checked that already).

Cam bearings. Dont know how to check them or what to even look for.

If the engine comes out, its not going back in.

 

damn dude, I'm sorry to hear that. I feel your pain on dumping too much $$$ into the car (engine mostly) .............grrrrrrr....