Anyone seem marks like this on a camshaft?

-
M

MileHighDart

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2004
Messages
4,748
Reaction score
6,017
Location
Lakeview, OR
Pulled the cam out of my 318 to make some changes,

Anyway, this cam has been in this engine for 15 or so years, but has been run very little, probably 7K miles on it.

So I've never seen this on a cam before, it has circular marks on almost every lobe, and even on a couple of the bearing surfaces. They feel smooth under your finger, but you can catch your fingernail on them. They are all along one side of the cam.

Any ideas on what this is from, or ?

IMG_20160522_143543500.jpg


IMG_20160522_143611456.jpg
 
Perhaps water or coolant or condensation hung on the underside and in the bottoms of the journals and rusted a tiny bit, and then the fine rust wore off. Are all the spots towards the rear edges of the journals or lobes, where gravity would pull it to the back with the engine sloped as normally installed?

Or small aliens made crop circles on them... LOL

Definitely unusual!
 
Only two reasons I can think of; 1)Cam-grinder, and 2) also cam grinder.
Are all the marks on the base-circle? Then I would say the cam grinder.

Oh the circular waterspots? I don't know about drip marks. Are they all on a straight line from end to end?Then I would say drip marks.
But if there is no rhyme nor reason as to their positioning, then little aliens are as good a diagnoses as any; except I no longer believe in aliens. I do however believe in inter-dimensionals. But those creatures have a different agenda.
Cam looks caput anyways from here
 
Last edited:
nm9stheham said:
Perhaps water or coolant or condensation hung on the underside and in the bottoms of the journals and rusted a tiny bit, and then the fine rust wore off. Are all the spots towards the rear edges of the journals or lobes, where gravity would pull it to the back with the engine sloped as normally installed?

Or small aliens made crop circles on them... LOL

Definitely unusual!
Click to expand...

Used oil sitting in a stored motor for extended time can do this. Contaminants in the oil separate and float to the top and etch the metal. It really shows up on an aluminum case engine at the oil top level as a line.
 
mderoy340 , okay i can see the oil separating . but how is the same etching circle get on the bearing surface ? its inside the bore of the cam bearing , that oil pattern should look way different . i've had weld up cams before , but it doesn't look like that . parkerizing on the cam cover it over on the install , i'm sure you could not see it . it could be a manufacturing fit to the blank cam rounds before grinding , maybe ? just spoke with my cam grinder about your issue and he said to show it to a cam grinder or just replace it and the lifers . and the grind will need your cams history as well . its your call .
 
Using crappy modern oil,
Spots are all in a row along the cam
And, it really doesn't matter cause I'm replacing the cam, lifters, and springs anyway,
just never saw anything like that before.
 
MileHighDart said:
Using crappy modern oil,
Spots are all in a row along the cam
And, it really doesn't matter cause I'm replacing the cam, lifters, and springs anyway,
just never saw anything like that before.
Click to expand...


Then you are going to have camshaft issues.

Modern oils are for catalytic converters. If you don't have one, you don't need modern oil.
I'm not big on additives. They are a band aid.
Buy a proper fromulated oil for flat tappet engines. A quality oil won't seperate.
 
It's moisture that's in the oil. Really easy to figure out. Put water and oil in a bucket. What migrates to the bottom? Water. The circles are all on the bottom of the camshaft where it was in the engine.

It's not alien technology or CIA secrets. It's moisture. Plain and simple. Seriously, some of yall over think everything humanly possible.
 
RustyRatRod said:
It's moisture that's in the oil. Really easy to figure out. Put water and oil in a bucket. What migrates to the bottom? Water. The circles are all on the bottom of the camshaft where it was in the engine.

It's not alien technology or CIA secrets. It's moisture. Plain and simple. Seriously, some of yall over think everything humanly possible.
Click to expand...


You are going to have to go on time out if you keep posting common sense. That is unapproved.

Never thought of moisture.

I still think it's aliens. The dirty bastids.
 
Those are alien fingertip suction cup marks from where they held onto it on assembly, DUH!
Their skin oils are corrosive to earthy manufactured metals, and our oxygen based atmosphere makes it worse so it leaves tell tale marks.
You not only have proof that aliens exist, but proof that they were either involved with the assembly process at a plant or rebuilt that motor.
They will go to great lengths to appear human, and driving a Dodge is the most human thing they know to do because of seeing Al Bundy on random RF signals they picked up.
 
Now we are getting somewhere.

But, why are the little bastids fingering the OP's cam??


Things that make you say hhhhhmmmmmmmm
 
if aliens were deep in the motor , did it run better , then before , lol . if so were can i get some , lol !
 
Sure looks like condensation collected on the bottom of the cam while sitting a long time..... Should show up on other parts too though....
 
pomonamissel said:
if aliens were deep in the motor , did it run better , then before , lol . if so were can i get some , lol !
Click to expand...

I don't know where to get motor Aliens any more but Gremlins are a dime a dozen these days.
 
darth v8r , could the sloppy thrust wear pattern come from slope angle of the lobe for lifter rotation , pushing it back and forth . without a tight enough end play thrust tolerances ?
 
pomonamissel said:
darth v8r , could the sloppy thrust wear pattern come from slope angle of the lobe for lifter rotation , pushing it back and forth . without a tight enough end play thrust tolerances ?
Click to expand...

Please explain, cause you guys are loosing me completely.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top