Flat cam lobe

[brianj5600]

I think I ate a cam lobe. I only ran it 25 minutes and it has a noise I can't identify. I cut open the filter and there was not much if anything in it. The oil that poured out of it was metalic looking though. Can anyone tell me of their experience with a flat lobe.

 

[ForceFed70]

If you flattened a lobe, you'd find alot of metal shavings in the filter and in the oil.

"metalic looking"... what's that? Try putting a magnet in the drained oil and see if any metal shavings stick to the magnet..

 

[madbrad]

Is this a motor that you jsut started for the first time?

 

[brianj5600]

Is this a motor that you jsut started for the first time?

Yes, you can't actually see flakes, it is just silvery, is that a word? There is no visible signs of metal in the oil collecting in the rocker area. It has been a while since I started a fresh engine and not sure what normal is. This is the first filter I have cut open and I was suprised to see no visible pieces of debris in it.

 

[1966conv]

Pull the valve covers off, pull the plug wires off and bump the solonoid and watch the lifters. If you get one that's not moving---yep you flattened a lobe. Just been there and did that.

What kind of cam, lifters, valve lash did you start with? Not that it means anything, but I ate a comp cam and comp lifters due to faulty lash settings.(by me)

 

[1320stang]

There was a rash of cam lobe problems over the past few years. Not sure if it's all the cam company's fault as the oil company's have been reducing the amount of zinc in their oils. I think the Crane cam lube is the one recommended by most of the guys I know. There was a long thread about it on the FordFE.com forum.

But it sounds like to me that it's bearing babbet.

 

[brianj5600]

But it sounds like to me that it's bearing babbet.

Should I be nervous or just keep an eye on it? It is not a knock, but not a tick either. The pistons have alot of clearance for a power adder so they make some noise. Should there be metal in a new motor? You can't see any in the oil, just what ran out of the inlet side of the filter.

 

[1320stang]

The noise I don't know, the silver I suspect is the babbet.

Where is the noise? high or low? how deep of a sound is it? loud or slight. whistle or a grind?

 

[brianj5600]

It is toward the front. I can't tell how high, could be low enough to be crank or high enough to be cam. I'll try and pull the intake tues. If it is the cam it will be obvious. I can't imagine it being a bearing, but something is making noise. It is not like anything I've heard. It is not loud like a rod bearing. It could be one on the way out. It is a crane cam and lifters.

 

[brianj5600]

Pull the valve covers off, pull the plug wires off and bump the solonoid and watch the lifters. If you get one that's not moving---yep you flattened a lobe. Just been there and did that.

What kind of cam, lifters, valve lash did you start with? Not that it means anything, but I ate a comp cam and comp lifters due to faulty lash settings.(by me)

Was there metal on top of the heads? They are all moving. If it is a lobe it is only on it's way out. Crane cam and lifters. Set the valves 3/4 of a turn tight after 0 lash. None of them were looser than that when I readjusted them at 1/2 turn in and the noise did not change. What do you mean by faulty lash setting?

 

[brianj5600]

I hate when I'm right!

 

[iskwezm]

hey that looks like the one I recently pulled from mine,ate the lifter about a 1/4 inch.I have installed a few cams and this was my first that went flat and it really bugged me for days adjusting valves and a nasty noise would return.Mine was due to the oil filter getting plugged with moly lube,but live and learn.