Wiped Cam?
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Advanced
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
From: Russellville AR
Wiped Cam?
How do you know that you have wiped a lobe on your cam? Lots of threads about the types of oil and additives to prevent this but no explaination of the symptom of the wipe cam.
Thanks
Thanks
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 9,078
Likes: 7
From: DFW TX
Cruise-In VII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '07
A miss that want go away, knocking from the valvetrain as it get worse, and I'm sure a few more. My cam went sound this summer and everything I did to try and save it made it worse. Mine even broke two lifters.
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 96
Likes: 0
From: Austin TX
When I lost the first cam, I had metal shavings in the oil. Also had a miss that would not go away especially at high rpms. In addition I could see the difference in lift with the intake manifold removed by looking at the top of the lifters.
I knew better, but made the mistake of trying to replace the cam without removing the engine and cleaning the shavings out properly. The cam bearings looked OK. So I tried to wash the metal out of the block with spray solvents from underneath with the pan removed. Apparently it was a futile attempt because the next cam failed soon after and you should have seen the cam bearings after that. They looked like someone beat them with a hammer.
During the following proper rebuild I went to a hydraulic roller cam to eliminate the failed cam issues.
I knew better, but made the mistake of trying to replace the cam without removing the engine and cleaning the shavings out properly. The cam bearings looked OK. So I tried to wash the metal out of the block with spray solvents from underneath with the pan removed. Apparently it was a futile attempt because the next cam failed soon after and you should have seen the cam bearings after that. They looked like someone beat them with a hammer.
During the following proper rebuild I went to a hydraulic roller cam to eliminate the failed cam issues.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,102
Likes: 1
From: Forsyth Illinois
I read something interesting the other day over in C1/C2 section about wiped cam lobes.If the pushrod rotates...no matter how fast,or slow,then the lobe isn't wiped.
I don't know how true,or accurate it is,but that's what a guy said.
I don't know how true,or accurate it is,but that's what a guy said.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 7,499
Likes: 1,508
From: Little Rock AR
Symptoms include repetitive backfiring into the intake manifold under load without much issue during cruise. Not to be confused with a lean backfire. You can cruise fine but when you lightly accelerate, it will start popping and continue until you let off on the gas. This will frequently get worse in just a few miles as they usualy do not last long when you begin the rapid wear process. 
-Mark.
-Mark.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 952
Likes: 0
BECAUSE the lobes are ground with a .001-.002" taper to rotate the lifter. If the taper is still there, the lifters will rotate, ergo, it's fine.
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Instructor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 159
Likes: 5
From: New jersey
i had to replace the cam at 64k, like "neverfinished" i also replaced it while the motor stayed in the car. took me five nites afther work, I replace everything that i took out with new parts, water pump, oil pump, everything. i never found any metal shavings in the oil. now "neverfinished" has me worryed...........how long did your car run, mile wise, befor the cam wiped out agian?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,152
Likes: 23
From: Kawartha Lakes and PEC, Ontario
Symptoms include repetitive backfiring into the intake manifold under load without much issue during cruise. Not to be confused with a lean backfire. You can cruise fine but when you lightly accelerate, it will start popping and continue until you let off on the gas. This will frequently get worse in just a few miles as they usualy do not last long when you begin the rapid wear process.
-Mark.
-Mark.
We tore it down last summer and put a roller in it.
