JohnRR

I never realized just how dirty a brand new cam can be. I have a new Comp Cam that had lots of metal slivers hanging on to the knife edges of the ground lobe profiles. The hole thru the middle had some debris in it too. I got the slivers off by rubbing the edges with a piece of wood. Later, I went back and lightly chamfered all the edges with a little 220 grit hone stone. Otherwise, it seems like the sharp edges on the high part of the lobes will likely scratch the soft cam bearings during installation.

Do all new cams come through with hanging burrs and loose debris on them?
Is there a way to securely install a cam without scratching/damaging the bearings?

John

Dan_the_C5_Man

Sounds like crap final QA / prep by Comp to me..

If you've cleaned the cam up, it should be fine to install - just use plenty of assembly lube, and walk it in slowly.

If you are a fan of the Spike TV "Horsepower" series, you often see them scrubbing parts in their parts washer- I wish my garage had the space for one (I could make space I suppose), closely followed by I wish I had one (Harbor F. has a few - sure, cheap Chinese "junk", but for as few times as you would use it, would last several years I imagine).

TRSCobra

My Cam Motion camshaft was fine out of the box. I cleaned it with brake cleaner and paper towels before putting the assembly lube on it, but it wasn't very dirty. No burrs, either.

JohnRR

I was using a 5X eye loupe and saw lots of hanging burrs. I wonder if other cam manufacturers do a better job of deburring the cam lobes.

Michael_D

Were there burs or just sharp edges? The last two comp custom grinds I've handled had very sharp edges. The first one took me by surprise and I actually cut a couple fingers. I've never had that happen before, and I've probably stabbed 8-900 camshafts in my lifetime. So something has changed in comp's machining program.

A few minutes with a stone fixed it.

I buy electric motor cleaner by the case for cleaning parts prior to assembly. Works great.

JohnRR

I'm a retired machinist, and I can tell you that what I found were thin metal slivers created by the final grinding process. They fell right off with the touch of a wooden stick.

John

Mike44665

There is only one thing that would make me put anything Comp in my Z06. Looking down the barrel of a very large revolver.

I have Comp hydraulic cam and roller lifters with 15,300 miles on they would not stand behind, you pay the freight and I'll sent it to ya.

JohnRR

So, what is the problem that didn't get resolved?

Michael_D

I am no machinist. I am a millwrite though, and I have a machine shop in my department that falls to me to manage. So I'm understanding you, not doubting you. Some who comment on this board wouldn't know what a broach was if it was shoved up their ***, but they'll tell how to use one. Clarification is generally required prior to making reccommendations.

Comp is not what they were ten or twenty years back.

Mike44665

Why I think Comp Cams aren’t worth the money. Back in 2005 I had a really nice ¾ ton 1993 Chevy Suburban with a 454 I pulled our RV with. Well I decided the motor needed an overhaul. So it was lined honed, zero decked, .030 over with torque plates, 10.5:1 pistons, Comp hydraulic roller cam for towing, and Merlin cast iron oval port heads. It was set up with a four barrel intake and an adapter for the TBI. Well as things go my wife decided she needed a bigger and better RV, which was fine. But at the same time I decided I needed a 2011 Duramax to pull her RV. It was a win win situation. So the Suburban sits.

In October of 2012 I was unlucky or lucky to have to spend six weeks on sick leave and watch TV. Watching all of the car shows got me to thinking of putting the 454 into something that might be a little more fun. 1964 Chevelle Sport Coupe, bingo. Having the front clip removed from the car and to test fit the 454 with a TH400 I had to remove the oil pan. To my surprise I find a lot of metal around the pickup. After I get the motor on a stand I remove the intake and I see the camshaft showing wear and marks from the rollers, with 15,300 miles on it since the rebuild.

The shop that did the machine work does a ton of business with Comp. Tractor pulling motors with one of a kind roller cams from Comp for one thing besides drag racing motors. So they call Comp, the reply on the roller lifters, $500 roller lifters, ah we don’t make those so we don’t stand behind them. The cam was sent to them and well, that wasn’t our fault either. The truck sat too much. Well if you hold the cam at the correct angle you can see porosity about the entire length of it. I called Comp to try to get some information on a new cam. After much prying they finally admitted that they only machine the cams here, the cores come from China.

So the 454 has an American made cam and kit, hydraulic roller, from Straub Technologies, it really hauls a**. I don’t care for the plastic buckets so I’m going with tie bar rollers from Straub when I do the heads in the spring.

And that is why I don’t like Comp Cams.

JohnRR

Sorry to hear about the mess with Comp. This kind of information is what makes this forum such a good resource.
Straub seems to have a good reputation on the Corvette Forum. I'll be contacting him in the future.
John

Mike44665

Before I put the Chevelle away last fall I took it to the strip, didn't check anything, tires or plugs. The first pass was 13.6, the next was 13.3 and it was starting to clear out, the last pass it broke lose going into second and that was enough for me. Street tires, 3.08 gear, manual shift TH400, and a Straub cam. With a good set of slicks and a hard launch, I think it could get into the 12's easy.