Are Comp Cams really as bad as they sound?

[Mopar Hunter]

Metallurgy is NOT rocket
science.

I agree if anything, metallurgy should’ve gotten better.

 

[rumblefish360]

I head endless stories of Comp Cams with wiped cam lobes and lifters. Is there a problem with these cams or are the stories overblown? Are they just part of an overall trend of junk and crap that's produced these days?

These are my thoughts on the subject, there probably the most advertised and popular camshaft being purchase. More products sold also equal a higher chance of failure.

Being that more are sold (opinion) there is a higher chance that a rookie or novice get there hands on it and screw it up. This adds to a chance of a higher failure rate.

Case in point, have you ever heard of a Schneider racing cam failure? Or a Howards? What about a Oregon cam failure?

I have never had a Comp Cam failure. To be 100% honest, after 35 years of playing with cars and a number of cams I can not count that I have purchased and had no issue with, I just had my first failure and the cam was a Summit Racing Hyd cam for a small block.

My last Comp Cam I broke in was a year ago and there was zero issue. It is a Hyd cam for a 340.

Clean off your cam with mineral Spirts, (I use a) moo lube to coat, run the drill with the oil priming rod attached to get oil everywhere in the engine rod instant oiling on start up, (use your brain on!) setting up the ignition for an instant firing on the first start up and break that cam in for 20 minutes varying the rpm between 2000 & 2500 rpm.

NEVER an issue until last camshaft.

 

[padam]

I agree if anything, metallurgy should’ve gotten better.

It may not be rocket science, but it’s pretty fricken complicated.

Why is it that the aftermarket is unable to improve or even equal the factory cams and lifters from 50 years ago?

 

[Hemirunner]

It may not be rocket science, but it’s pretty fricken complicated.

Why is it that the aftermarket is unable to improve or even equal the factory cams and lifters from 50 years ago?

It’s the Chinesium Theorum. Everyone wants more for less. We’ve peaked the curve and we’re on the way down to less for more, lol.

 

[padam]

It’s the Chinesium Theorum. Everyone wants more for less. We’ve peaked the curve and we’re on the way down to less for more, lol.

But with all the failures, over at least the last 10 years, somebody ought to be able to say;
-These are the metallurgical properties that are required.
-These are the properties of our cams and lifters.
-This is the proper oil to use.

But instead we get a super complex break in procedure, that is difficult to perform if you have any trouble with your overall system. This puts the blame on the consumer.

They also upsell us with coatings and oil holes that may or may not work.

 

[BSB67]

……..somebody ought to be able to say;

Of course they saying what the want. Saying is easy.

 

[padam]

Of course they saying what the want. Saying is easy.

My point is, if someone can tell use what the material is supposed to be, then the product can be inspected to see if it conforms.

 

[HawkRod]

One thing that was mentioned, but I think bears repeating:
Flat tappet cam lifters MUST rotate in the lifter hole. I have seen several lifter holes in engine blocks that need a light honing to ensure the lifter moves properly. I wonder how many cases of poor block prep are then blamed on bad cams/ lifters?

Also, as mentioned above, breaking in a new cam with high performance springs is a recipe for failure too. I broke my cam in with a set of the crappiest, weakest springs I could find. After an hour of run time, I then swapped in the performance springs. I now have 15,000 miles or so on this engine without issues.

I'm not saying that there are no camshaft/ lifter manufacturing quality issues - but to blame the problems exclusively on the manufacturers is not right either.

 

[Wietse]

I am planning this winter to replace my old lifters with Rhoads lifters.
Some of the ones installed developed a tick and i have a funny feeling these are on their way out.
The camshaft is an old Hughes Engine grind with normal wear, since Hughes Engines fully utilize the diameter of the lifter i guess it is quite an agressive grind for a flat tappet lifter. (HE3844BL, probably one of those "dino" metals as they are not made anymore)
I have #150 on the base and #320-ish over the nose with .575+ lift so i will remove the inner springs for break-in.
Anyone any idea how much of the spring tension this would take out? 25%...50%
I know, need to measure, but i guess there must be a ballpark figure on that.