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poll: comp cams "xe" cams failures.

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Old Sep 9, 2004 | 05:38 PM
  #21  
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I have 10,000 miles on a xe262 with no problems. I changed intakes a week ago and checked the lobes while it was off. They looked fine.
I just pulled another 262 from an engine that had a wrist pin back out at 600 miles. The cam was fine.
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Old Sep 9, 2004 | 05:39 PM
  #22  
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Crane has reground their PowerMax cams to get more lift with less duration. I wonder if we'll start to see reports of them failing soon? Joe
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Old Sep 9, 2004 | 06:50 PM
  #23  
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PRESSURERAT, good reply I am not sure myself who is at fault here just trying to add another view of the situation. A bad company is going to deny anything is wrong, try to cover it up etc. etc. They would also probabaly blame it on you and not refund your money. I am not seeing this. If it was the XE was a problem with agressive ramps then wouldn't most of them fail ? I see a few failures but the majority seem to be going strong, this leads me to operator error not a production problem.

My main point is that I think the CC XE cam seems to be the most widely used cam in small blocks these days especially here on this forum. I am wondering if the Magnum series were more popular we would not be seeing more failures in that line

Last edited by MotorHead; Sep 9, 2004 at 06:52 PM.
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Old Sep 9, 2004 | 08:04 PM
  #24  
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I got 4 months out of my xe268 and roughly about 5,000 miles, and then it wiped a lobe. I'm not really sure what caused it to wipe the lobe. I dropped in a completely different motor afterward anyways. This topic has sparked my interest though, so i think in the near future i'll try another company's cam and see what happens. At worst i'd be out a couple hundred bucks and a few hours of my labor. But this would also mean I have to find another car to drop this motor into
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Old Sep 9, 2004 | 08:37 PM
  #25  
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Originally Posted by MotorHead
PRESSURERAT, good reply I am not sure myself who is at fault here just trying to add another view of the situation. A bad company is going to deny anything is wrong, try to cover it up etc. etc. They would also probabaly blame it on you and not refund your money. I am not seeing this. If it was the XE was a problem with agressive ramps then wouldn't most of them fail ? I see a few failures but the majority seem to be going strong, this leads me to operator error not a production problem.

My main point is that I think the CC XE cam seems to be the most widely used cam in small blocks these days especially here on this forum. I am wondering if the Magnum series were more popular we would not be seeing more failures in that line
Yeah, anything is possible. I do make mistakes sometimes, I'll be the first to admit it. I also do not know very much about the cam manufacturing business(process). Comp has always seemed top notch and I would highly recommend them to anyone. I'm not totally against the XE's but like to share my experience with them. It's just one of those situations that made me gun shy! It was kind of a blow to my confidence to be brutally honest about it. Don't think I wasn't nervous about the next cam I broke in(after the two back to back failures)! Sweatin' bullets! I would definately buy an XE roller setup for my next personal engine,I've good stuff about those, but man oh man the non rollers scare me!.

Last edited by PRESSURERAT; Sep 9, 2004 at 08:41 PM.
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Old Sep 9, 2004 | 09:24 PM
  #26  
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I broke in my XS268S (solid lifter version of XE) in my BB in early July. I used the recommended dual springs (left the inners out for break in) and have logged about 1800 miles so far. I used the Comp Cams lube on install, but turned the engine over on the stand only to see most dripped off. I then coated the lobes with a moly cam lube I got from Napa I think. It was much thicker and stayed put. At this early stage, I haven't noticed anything to get me nervous. I hope it stays that way.
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Old Sep 9, 2004 | 11:21 PM
  #27  
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Voted other as I found my stock Chevy cam with #4 exh lobe wiped on my LM1 GM goodwrench 350. Guess the previous owner had the new crate motor installed <30K mi before me. I got the reciept and will never patronize that corvette shop. Ya really gott'a try to screw up a LM1. cardo0
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Old Sep 10, 2004 | 08:43 AM
  #28  
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It's posts like these that make me nervous to "get on it" now. Not that I would rather be ignorant on the subject, just wish now I had put in a different cam. Now I'm just waiting to begin feeling/hearing the signs of a telltale wiped lobe. And those are....?
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Old Sep 10, 2004 | 10:14 AM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by thevetterisbetter
It's posts like these that make me nervous to "get on it" now. Not that I would rather be ignorant on the subject, just wish now I had put in a different cam. Now I'm just waiting to begin feeling/hearing the signs of a telltale wiped lobe. And those are....?
Tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick............along with decreased performance, noticeable change in idle speed, 'missing' .
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Old Sep 10, 2004 | 11:18 AM
  #30  
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Originally Posted by PRESSURERAT
Tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick............along with decreased performance, noticeable change in idle speed, 'missing' .
Constant ticking? Hmmmmm, might have early signs of that....
Is it true you should not be using 1.6 ratio rockers with a XE268 cam?
Is that an increase or decrease in idle speed?

Last edited by thevetterisbetter; Sep 10, 2004 at 11:22 AM.
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Old Sep 10, 2004 | 12:49 PM
  #31  
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Okay just went out and started it. I have an audible ticking, but it is coming from where the headers meet the cylinder head. And it's just on one side. It doesn't sound metalic, more like exhaust, but I could be wrong.
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Old Sep 10, 2004 | 12:58 PM
  #32  
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Also, if I were to take off the valve cover on the cylinder head of this side of the engine, would I be able to notice from rocker arm movement if I had a wiped lobe or not?
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Old Sep 10, 2004 | 01:03 PM
  #33  
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sounds like exhaust leak

look for carbon tracking along edge of header by noise

R.
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Old Sep 10, 2004 | 02:03 PM
  #34  
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XE274 goes in 14 days from now... professional shop (with warranty) doing the work along with new heads... am sticking with it.
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Old Sep 10, 2004 | 03:19 PM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by 76REDSTINGER
sounds like exhaust leak

look for carbon tracking along edge of header by noise

R.
Stinger
Lots of tracking, all around the gasket, I am hoping it's exhaust. I have to change to metal gaskets.
Thanks
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Old Sep 10, 2004 | 07:29 PM
  #36  
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Originally Posted by thevetterisbetter
Also, if I were to take off the valve cover on the cylinder head of this side of the engine, would I be able to notice from rocker arm movement if I had a wiped lobe or not?
If you did have a bad lobe, that particular rocker will be loose. Be sure to turn the engine over and check them all.
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Old Sep 10, 2004 | 07:33 PM
  #37  
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We've NEVER had a problem w/ camp cams (knock on wood) and have one in my Vette, street Rod, Air Boazt and Speed Boat as well as customer's cars. All are currently running fine.
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Old Sep 10, 2004 | 08:22 PM
  #38  
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Originally Posted by thevetterisbetter
Also, if I were to take off the valve cover on the cylinder head of this side of the engine, would I be able to notice from rocker arm movement if I had a wiped lobe or not?
Yes, you would notice a difference in rocker arm motion on a wiped lobe vs a good lobe.
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Old Sep 10, 2004 | 08:48 PM
  #39  
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ive had good luck with percys aluminium ones

soft, seal well

if you have carbon you have a leak that is big enough to hear the TICK.......i hate that sound

R.
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Old Sep 10, 2004 | 08:59 PM
  #40  
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I also have an XE262 cam and have had no problems
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