Camshaft Question

[davbell22602]

What are these spots on my camshaft? Is it ok to still use cam or should I replace.

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[J Knight]

Possible sign of a lob starting to wearing out. Cam shafts are realy cheap, this is the best time to replace it before its all put together in the truck.

 

[davbell22602]

Possible sign of a lob starting to wearing out. Cam shafts are realy cheap, this is the best time to replace it before its all put together in the truck.

I have to anyway. The PO throw all the lifters and pushrods in a box and didnt mark them on which lobe they go to. PO should have bought these when he took the 390 apart.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-CSUM2600/

 

[davbell22602]

So can I really just buy new lifters? The HP Books on Ford big block says not to use new lifters on a old camshaft that it will wear down the cam lobes. I can get new cam and lifter kit for the 390 for $150. So if I go that route should I go ahead and replace the cam bearings too?

 

[HotRodPC]

You CAN buy just new lifters and it be just fine. Its just that you can't put the wrong USED lifter on the wrong USED lobe. It distrupts the wear pattern and causes quick almost immediate wear on the lobes. So you use new lifters that don't have a pattern yet and they will wear and break in to the cam lobe wear pattern.
Yes, that pic does show a sign of cam wear or possibly a chip off of the lobe surface. Depending on the history, use of the vehicle, life expectancy of what you want out of the motor, I'd probably just go with a set of new lifters and run with it. If you don't drive it alot, or just need it running ASAP for as cheap as possible, I'm sure it still has some usuable miles left on the cam. If you do indeed decide to go with a new cam, then I'd also go ahead and do a new timing chain set and lifters of course too.

 

[HotRodPC]

And NO, shouldn't be necessary to replace the cam bearings. Normally cam bearings don't need replaced until time for motor rebuild. Of course its possible with dirty as hell oil, low oil pressure or severly overheated oil and lack of oil flow the cam bearings could be marred up a bit, but even then for a patch up job, I'd rum them. Cam bearings normally don't have a wear problem and can last a long time and handle some neglect and abuse without having a major issue on oil pressure loss, although it can affect it just a bit. I wouldn't worry to much about the cam bearings at all.

 

[davbell22602]

I already have to replace the timing set. I'm gonna take this into school and clean it up for the following week. Then I'll plastaguage all the bearings and go from there. Were gonna take them apart and leave apart over christmas winter and the teacher wants to see what remember on putting the engines back together.

 

[davbell22602]

Here's a picture of the hydraulic lifters. They dont look worn or cupped to me. I guess I'll put a dial caliper on the and what gap is with a feel gauge.

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[crazy4offroad]

I see a couple dished lifters there Dave. Back row, 2nd from the right. Back row, both on the left look dished. Plus with them upside down like that I'm sure they dont have oil in them anymore (if they're hydraulic).

 

[davbell22602]

I see a couple dished lifters there Dave. Back row, 2nd from the right. Back row, both on the left look dished. Plus with them upside down like that I'm sure they dont have oil in them anymore (if they're hydraulic).

Must be seeing something that I'm not used to seeing yet. They look flat to me.

Here's pic of the other side.

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[HotRodPC]

If you have to do the timing set anyway, and going to do lifters, then at that point, its a no brainer for the cost of the stock regrind camshaft, I'd go with the new cam just for insurance purposes if anything else to know for a fact, its all new and its all good.

 

[davbell22602]

Here's pics of the timing set.

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[HotRodPC]

That's actually not all that bad, but yeah, while the cover is off, motor is out and easy to get to, I'd do it, and the camshaft. The other tell tale sign a chain is bad is to look at the teeth on the gears. On a very bad chain you will see grooves where the chain has hammered on the gears.

 

[davbell22602]

That's actually not all that bad, but yeah, while the cover is off, motor is out and easy to get to, I'd do it, and the camshaft. The other tell tale sign a chain is bad is to look at the teeth on the gears. On a very bad chain you will see grooves where the chain has hammered on the gears.

That chain is too loose for me. I can almost pick it up off the gears. There's surface wear marks on the teeth but nothing deep. I was wondering if the PO bought a set for a 360 instead of a 390.

 

[HotRodPC]

The chains should be the same if the motor generations and family are the same. If its starting to show wear marks on the gears replace it while you got it apart, but really, its got many miles left on it even with that much slop in it. You'd be amazed at how much slop it would have after about 5000 miles.