Cam lobe discoloration normal?

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I’d change the oil to one of the 3, Amzoil, Penn or Driven. Yeah there’s some bluing, but the lobes don’t look warn or damaged. I’d back the adjusters off those 2, see how those two lifter feel in the bore, if nice and smooth re-lash then check your other preload/lash. Put that intake back on it and send it.
 
71DodgeDemon340 said:
What would you guys recommend?

The mobil one 15w-50 shows 1200 ppm phosphorous and 1300 ppm zinc. Also list the 15w-50 for flat tappet applications

should i be worried about it?
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I run the lucas muscle car and classic car oil. It states its 2100 ppm. I have heard ppl on here say that is way to much. Idk Imo 1200 ppm should be 0k. That to me looks like a heat issue not a zinc issue. What kind of oil pressure are you getting? Maybe the 15w50 is to thick and its to dry on the top of the engine. Depending on your bearing clearance. If you have a tight bearing clearance and you are running to thick of an oil you could be starving the top of the engine.
 
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I see blue on the spring retainers and rocker arm rollers. Have you pulled the distributor and turned the oil pump with a hand drill watching if oil is getting to the top end? Definitely would not restart the engine till you or your builder find out what is causing the discoloration.
 
dartfreak75 said:
I run the lucas muscle car and classic car oil. It states its 2400 ppm. I have heard ppl on here say that is way to much. Idk Imo 1200 ppm should be 0k. That to me looks like a heat issue not a zinc issue. What kind of oil pressure are you getting? Maybe the 15w50 is to thick and its to dry on the top of the engine. Depending on your bearing clearance. If you have a tight bearing clearance and you are running to thick of an oil you could be starving the top of the engine.
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Oil pressure is 25 at idle, around 50 psi with rpm. Standard volume oil pump
 
The engine builder is who recommended the oil weight, i figured he would know based on the tolerances but maybe not
 
I'd be concerned, but not buying a new cam yet.

Take new pics without the flash. It looks to me like the burnished areas are simply reflecting light strangely. The difference in color tone from the original pics to the next are enough that I don't think anything is blued. I think it's the flash and a dark room/garage.

With the intake off, I'd pull the rockers and then pull and inspect each lifter. Namely, the face of the lifter. Observe from a low angle with plenty of backlight, and ensure none are dished or otherwise worn. If the lifters look good, I wouldn't worry. If any lifters are cupped, you'll probably need to pull the cam. That would be my go/no-go.

You can use any number of oils, but stuff made for old flat tappets will be less of a gamble. Penn grade, Lucas, Vr, etc. Mobil had changed multiple times, and everyone had a different opinion on synthetics. I like them, but not until I've got a few hundred miles on the engine (depending on how it was built).
 
71DodgeDemon340 said:
i would assume the engine builder did
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I guess what I'm asking is there a reason your running so thick of oil? Was it recommended by the engine builder? Your oil weight is determined by your bearing clearance. If you have larger clearance 50w oil would be recommended but if you have tighter clearances than a thinner weight will be needed.
 
ch1ll said:
I see blue on the spring retainers and rocker arm rollers. Have you pulled the distributor and turned the oil pump with a hand drill watching if oil is getting to the top end? Definitely would not restart the engine till you or your builder find out what is causing the discoloration.
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the spring retainers were that color when new. This is when the engine was being built


B6118FC1-F44C-48DE-840B-1C6E095EC4A7.jpeg
 
dartfreak75 said:
I guess what I'm asking is there a reason your running so thick of oil? Was it recommended by the engine builder? Your oil weight is determined by your bearing clearance. If you have larger clearance 50w oil would be recommended but if you have tighter clearances than a thinner weight will be needed.
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yeah the engine builder actually recommended 20w-50
 
Heres some more pics with light and no light, every flashlight i have is led including my phones flash, ill have to dig out my old drop light and see if it changes. The photos start out with light, i was trying to give some light without directly shining it in the valley, then they transition to just the light in the garage

E1BBD268-55D8-442A-9FB5-C33F86D4D2BF.jpeg




973DEC81-7208-497B-8C6A-9B5134A55749.jpeg




1AE93BCC-DD46-4180-B3F6-B3518A9CCFE8.jpeg



D18BED37-D270-4685-BB94-0AE5943B290B.jpeg



9D94D86D-02C7-4897-A3F9-10F800BA56CE.jpeg



B70E4314-CCAF-4900-BB54-0FA452D78CC6.jpeg



9511D05D-0BFB-4DDB-8CAD-8BD3B4054CD6.jpeg
 
Because of cat converters, oil companies have different formulas for cars, trucks, and motorcycles. Find out your needs before you buy.

The cam looks great. The correct way to check the lifter bottoms has already been stated. Just do the lifters one at a time and return them. Keep the pushrods in order and return them to their original positions. ...............or............
rotate the engine to see the most of the lifter bottom. And using a dental mirror and or a camera phone should give you a good idea of what's happening underneath. Add a dab of cam lube to all the lobes. --- Run it.---
 
71DodgeDemon340 said:
hank you all for the advice, im kinda bummed now. I just dont want to have any major issues
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IIWY, I'd run a good oil as others have said..... I would NOT pull it apart if it runs fine. I would do a compression check to see if the numbers are consistent between all cylinders. Also, is this a mechanical or hydraulic cam?? If it's not hydraulic, just check your lash at the rockers on those suspect lobes against the others (and whatever you recorded when first assembled). If there's no difference, there's no problem. Keep in mind, these pics went from your camera to my computer lol.... who knows what color we are really looking at...that could be a fluke. All cams have a wear pattern to a degree. I would go up to your engine builders or whoever may have some old cams laying around and compare them to yours with your own eyes. I think theres something darker colored in your shop reflecting on the cam to look like that. Your second set of close-ups looks completely different. Play on!!
HTH, Lefty71
 
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Lefty71 said:
IIWY, I'd run a good oil as others have said..... I would NOT pull it apart if it runs fine. I would do a compression check to see if the numbers are consistent between all cylinders. Also, is this a mechanical or hydraulic cam?? If it's not hydraulic, just check your lash at the rockers on those suspect lobes against the others (and whatever you recorded when first assembled). If there's no difference, there's no problem. Keep in mind, these pics went from your camera to my computer lol.... who knows what color we are really looking at...that could be a fluke. All cams have a wear pattern to a degree. I would go up to your engine builders or whoever may have some old cams laying around and compare them to yours with your own eyes. I think theres something darker colored in your shop reflecting on the cam to look like that. Your second set of close-ups looks completely different. Play on!!
HTH, Lefty71
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Yeah im not sure if its the reflection or not. Without a light they just look polished. Im gonna see if i can find my old drop light and see if it does the same thing
 
If the lobes are shiny and not blue it’s fine. If they are blue it’s not fine. You turn cast iron blue and it’s been way too hot.

There is more to an oil than ZDDP content. Too much ZDDP isn’t good either because it affects how the oil is built.

Never use an additive because of the above. Some Tribologist spent a bunch of time selections each component for that oil in the specific percentages used so all of the other additives like the detergents, dispersants, anti foam, viscosity index improvers and such all work together.

Using an additive can, and probably will affect how the other components function. Too much of one thing (such as ZDDP) can change how one of the detergents works.

If you have to use an additive buy a better oil.

Unless your bearing clearances are from the 1970’s there is no reason to use a 50 grade oil. Chose the winter grade number based on the lowest ambient temperature you will see and the grade number based on your clearances.

There is no good reason to run bearing clearances as loose as was used in the 70’s and 80’s.

Also, if the builder used full groove main bearings and a standard pump I wouldn’t be happy about that. You can use 1/2 groove bearings and a standard pump, but not with full groove mains.
 
Rat Bastid said:
If the lobes are shiny and not blue it’s fine. If they are blue it’s not fine. You turn cast iron blue and it’s been way too hot.

There is more to an oil than ZDDP content. Too much ZDDP isn’t good either because it affects how the oil is built.

Never use an additive because of the above. Some Tribologist spent a bunch of time selections each component for that oil in the specific percentages used so all of the other additives like the detergents, dispersants, anti foam, viscosity index improvers and such all work together.

Using an additive can, and probably will affect how the other components function. Too much of one thing (such as ZDDP) can change how one of the detergents works.

If you have to use an additive buy a better oil.

Unless your bearing clearances are from the 1970’s there is no reason to use a 50 grade oil. Chose the winter grade number based on the lowest ambient temperature you will see and the grade number based on your clearances.

There is no good reason to run bearing clearances as loose as was used in the 70’s and 80’s.

Also, if the builder used full groove main bearings and a standard pump I wouldn’t be happy about that. You can use 1/2 groove bearings and a standard pump, but not with full groove mains.
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Not sure, i have no idea lol
 
71DodgeDemon340 said:
Yeah im not sure if its the reflection or not. Without a light they just look polished. Im gonna see if i can find my old drop light and see if it does the same thing
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This posted right before my first post and I didn’t see it. They can be shiny, they just can’t be blue. If it’s not blue to your eyes then send it. It can’t have many miles on it because with a hydraulic lifter there will always be a shiny line around the base circle as there is always a load on the lifter.
 
pt70 said:
check the lifter bottoms
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I agree as you are this far into it.They can tell a story.BUT you did state the engine has about 5000 miles on it.
If you had a problem, that cam would have gone flat way long ago in my book.
Is it that these lobes and cam look that dry because of you cleaning the valley ?
 
Darter6 said:
I agree as you are this far into it.They can tell a story.BUT you did state the engine has about 5000 miles on it.
If you had a problem, that cam would have gone flat way long ago in my book.
Is it that these lobes and cam look that dry because of you cleaning the valley ?
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Yes, car has been sitting for about 3 weeks before i pulled the intake, was waiting on the new radiator before i drained the system, also the valley had oil in it, it has just been cleaned as there was a little coolant that got in there from pulling the intake
 
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