Flat Tappet Camshaft Replacement

[RustyRatRod]

The shitty part is that when a cam/lifter fails, how do you determine the cause? It could be a number of things, or even a combination of those things. You just never know for a fact what caused it.

That's right. It sucks. It's basically a guess, pray, cross your fingers kinda thing the next go around.

 

[RustyRatRod]

It had occurred to me that it seems like the cams that go flat are the milder hydraulic cams. I forgot to mention that I only use solid flat tappet cams and maybe that’s got something to do with lack of issues with them. Or it could be the Joe Gibbs oil but I’ve heard of failures using it also.

I have no clue. The last failure I had was the biggest Comp Thumpr flat tappet hydraulic for a big block Chevy. I wouldn't call it mild. I forget the specs, but it's big for a hydraulic flat tappet.

Oh and this is only two cam/lifter failures in almost fifty years of engine building.

 

[TT5.9mag]

Get it started right up and spin it up quick. Don’t be afraid of rpm.

 

[Kern Dog]

It had occurred to me that it seems like the cams that go flat are the milder hydraulic cams.

In 2006, I lost two 545 lift Comp Cams in my 440/493.
2008, I lost a MP 292/508 in a 360.
2022 I lost a 528 Solid in my 440/493.
In between I've had similar cams, all higher performance stuff. The last cam that crapped out was determined to have failed from the use of the wrong oil.

 

[Kern Dog]

I have no clue. The last failure I had was the biggest Comp Thumpr flat tappet hydraulic for a big block Chevy. I wouldn't call it mild. I forget the specs, but it's big for a hydraulic flat tappet.

Oh and this is only two cam/lifter failures in almost fifty years of engine building.

You were 10 when you built your first engine? I thought that we were about the same age, man!

 

[RustyRatRod]

You were 10 when you built your first engine? I thought that we were about the same age, man!

Pretty close, yeah. Of course I didn't do it alone. 327 Chevy. He did one side and let me do the other.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Get it started right up and spin it up quick. Don’t be afraid of rpm.

That's the plan.

 

[jimjimjimmy]

This may sound stupid but could the cam be sent somewhere and have it case hardened or is that possible or is that the same as nitrated .

 

[RustyRatRod]

This may sound stupid but could the cam be sent somewhere and have it case hardened or is that possible or is that the same as nitrated .

Not stupid at all. This is a use cam. It was an NOS Crane Fireball when I originally installed it about three years ago. It's in excellent condition still. They were hardened pretty good back then. It's from the 1980s. I'd be kinda skeered to have it rehardened used.....plus it would probably not be cheap. Hopefully, the new refaced lifters will break in properly. Hopefully.

 

[Oldiron440]

In 2006, I lost two 545 lift Comp Cams in my 440/493.
2008, I lost a MP 292/508 in a 360.
2022 I lost a 528 Solid in my 440/493.
In between I've had similar cams, all higher performance stuff. The last cam that crapped out was determined to have failed from the use of the wrong oil.

I guess I have something out about my cams and that is that in the past forty years I have only used solid flat tappet cams with one exception. So when I said milder I was including all hydraulic cams. I’d be curious about an out of the box comparison of the two lifters side by side, crown, diameter and hardness…

 

[Kern Dog]

My 528 solid had Howards EDM lifters and ran fine for several years. I blame the oil for the failure. It was listed as being synthetic with extra ZDDP but it was also high detergent. I learned that this is totally counterproductive....the zinc gets thrown on the parts, the detergent won't let it stick and protect. What a dumb *** idea that was!