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How about THIS ??
Who gets nervous about breaking in a new cam?
- Thread starter Kern Dog
- Start date
F4R/T
Well-Known Member
I think it’s a great idea! Someone was thinking , I just wonder if it makes a difference not having the same bearings on the cam when reinstalled? It’s probably the most stressful part of breaking in the engine. If it’s that great maybe manufacturers will offer the pre-broke in. Of course they may sell less of them too!
Nate S
Well-Known Member
Certainly a creative way of getting the job done. The first years of no-ZDDP oil made their market exist. Probably well worth the better sleep for those who want it.
747mopar
Well-Known Member
Doubt it on the bearings, bearings are just something to spin in.. The lifters relation (angle and offset) to the cam is the important part.. that's what's getting broke in.
Pretty cool idea but doesn't look very cost effective, someone assembling and breaking that down all day? Hopefully they come up with a machine to pre test hydraulic lifters!
Mark Barnes
Well-Known Member
I have one of those! I call it "an engine".
My friend had a complete engine shop a few years back.
One of his machines was a "simtest" machine.
It would run heated oil and spin the engine assembly not run it for break in.
He built some really cool stuff and including a nice Dynomometer that he had constructed.
Just not a good buisnessman, he wanted to give everything away.
One of his machines was a "simtest" machine.
It would run heated oil and spin the engine assembly not run it for break in.
He built some really cool stuff and including a nice Dynomometer that he had constructed.
Just not a good buisnessman, he wanted to give everything away.
Nate S
Well-Known Member
That's really cool. Would be interesting to know the horsepower required just to spin one of these around at different speeds.
Montclaire
Well-Known Member
People need to start suing these companies when a brand new cam grenades itself and wipes out a whole motor. They are intentionally selling garbage. Maybe a few lawsuits will force them to start using good quality blanks, even if in the end the suits don’t go anywhere. OR maybe a nice class action suit.
Bee1971
Well-Known Member
And hopefully your engine builder , or yourself , remember to check lifter rotation inside your machined engine block before firing it up after all that work thinking everything will bee fine
Proper Lifter Rotation is everything
Proper Lifter Rotation is everything
Anyone who isn't nervous breaking in a new cam hasn't been paying attention...
Montclaire
Well-Known Member
Sure, within reason. The oil issue is one thing, but if you use proper oil and cam lube, the only other variable is the quality of what they put in the box. The blanks they buy are too soft/crap metal. Maybe the lifters are junk, too, but we shouldn’t put up with it.
I’m guessing that many of us can’t afford to eat the cost of a second full rebuild when a cam craps out at no reasonable fault of the buyer.
Bb70charger500
Well-Known Member
I'm scared shitless about cam brake in. I smoked a new cam in my early years . Haven't done a brake in since.
Good call Bee.
Lifter rotation and clearance
Lifter bore/chamfer condition
Lifter and cam lobe taper
Cam straightness/runout
#4 oiling hole clear
Casting flash between lobes cleaned
Journal sizes ok
Proper spring pressures
Proper oil
...should all be verified good before installing.
A wise builder once taught me that 99% of all failures are caused by the hands puting in the parts and turning the wrenches... with that said, I do all that stuff and I'm still nervous lol
I disagree with your statement that besides oil the only other variable is the cam itself..
Montclaire
Well-Known Member
Many of us are running blocks that are in their sixth decade of operation or more. If you are replacing one hydraulic cam with another one, designed and sold as being able to operate in a stock block, it shouldn’t require any “white glove” care. How often did you ever hear of someone wiping a cam lobe years ago?
Montclaire
Well-Known Member
I’m talking about an engine that was running fine last Tuesday and pukes out a new cam that was installed after following reasonable precautions; ie zinc rich oil, proper break in procedure, etc. The only other variable should be the cam.
If a plain old hydraulic cam needs that much attention, then production tolerances are bad and the company selling you that cam should address it.
We should really start a thread to see who has had a cam fail right off the bat, if they followed proper break in procedure, and what the brand was. Likewise, if they did NOT have an issue. Maybe we’d see a pattern.
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Montclaire
Well-Known Member
I’m also assuming basics like proper spring rate and rocker ratio. Nothing exotic.
Montclaire
Well-Known Member
I would 100% pay extra to have my cam pre-broken in. Process scares the crap out of me. Not to mention it’s a pain with dual springs to remove the inners. I’m not looking forward to the process this summer.
Montclaire
Well-Known Member
The shop in the video says they will break in any ford cam for $60. That's cheap insurance, but honestly it's something that the vendor should already be offering if you buy direct. I wonder if they have considered branching out to other makes?
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