Is that a .40 lift cam, Tony? OP, what total lift and rocker ratio? Do you know your open spring pressure? All that can be a factor.
I have never removed inners or dampers either, on a few .48 to .50 lift cams. But all these recent year cam break-in problems have me a bit spooked. Not sure what has changed (besides the zinc thing) unless guys are just running a lot more lift and spring pressure in general than in decades past. Cam failures happened in days gone by, but not anywhere like it seems happens in this day and age.
I'll probably go with the lighter break-in springs this time... 'just because'.
