Hi all, so I have a 318La with 73 360 heads and a mild cam is what I was told when I bought it the car sat for a couple years and was told it only had 500 miles or less on rebuild. So since I’m in the process of re-wiring the car I wanted to remove intake and heads and put new gaskets on this allowing me to see what is in the top half of the motor as well. So after removing the intake I noticed damage on the cam. Then proceed to remove lifters and the head and noticed severe wear damage to lifters pics below.
Lifter and cam damage.
- Thread starter nick0705
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That's unfortunate!
There's a lot of posts about this.
There's a lot of posts about this.
Lifters damage is caused when they don't spin in the bores. Can be caused by the engine sitting and when started they were stuck. If and engine is fresh and you get that damage it is usually caused by the placement of the lobe is centered and it does not spin the lifter. One other cause is the lifter bores are not located properly in the block or wore and loose . If you ever pull a cam out with this damage check the bores of the lifters .
Truing the lifter bores should always be done with a fixture to insure they are placed properly. This is what we use. BHJ lifter truing fixture. The only way to place them properly using the cam tunnel.
Truing the lifter bores should always be done with a fixture to insure they are placed properly. This is what we use. BHJ lifter truing fixture. The only way to place them properly using the cam tunnel.
NC Engine Builder
Grumpy Old Man
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The BIGGEST cause of this failure is incorrect machining of the lifter face. Seldom EVER is the cam the issue. Once in a blue moon you might find a lifter bore problem, but it's not common. That engine will need to come apart and be completely gone through
dano
Evil Handy Man
Are the pushrods still straight? Too much lift and stock guide height can be an issue.
You going to need to pull it, clean and go through it.
You going to need to pull it, clean and go through it.
4spdragtop
Well-Known Member
So you haven't driven or run the engine yourself? The prev owner stated a "rebuild"?
Not the blame , But should be checked, Like you said the block is "52 years old". Could they be wore?
Did he own it for 52 years?
How many cams have been replaced in this engine?
We know it has already been replaced once and look at this one.
Why did it wear this bad?
Should he take the chance installing another one without confirming the bores are not the problem?
Your condescending comments against any advise always amazes me. Instead of always putting others advise down you should list your own and let the OP decide. Checking the Lifter bores is part of a total rebuild at a good shop that actually blue prints the block. This block after seeing this replaced cam should definitely be checked.
Gator
Mopar or No Car
I feel your pain Nick. I went thru the exact same thing. I have a post on here about my cam failure.
MOPAROFFICIAL
If it has tits, it's a liabilititty.
Steve having all the BHJ fixtures for Chevy and Mopar . I see how far off some of the lifter bores are. Valve timing can be greatly affected from cyl. to cyl. due to lifter bores affecting combustion balance.
The Hemi Steve just bought was bushed. They will come out and install oversized due to a larger diameter lifter being used. We'll see how close they got them and if they had a truing fixture.
Most shops don't use a fixture they just bore the original holes where they are and install the bushing. Steve only uses stepped bushings he makes in house and always uses a truing fixture.
The Hemi Steve just bought was bushed. They will come out and install oversized due to a larger diameter lifter being used. We'll see how close they got them and if they had a truing fixture.
Most shops don't use a fixture they just bore the original holes where they are and install the bushing. Steve only uses stepped bushings he makes in house and always uses a truing fixture.
Gator
Mopar or No Car
moparmark65
Well-Known Member
Could it have been incorrect push rod length?
Thanks for all the replies and yes I really need help rebuilding this engine. The car says it has 15000 miles on the odometer now idk if that’s true or not. The engine is STB bore with some pistons they put in. The engine did run fine I was told it was rebuilt a couple years ago but the car sat bc the owner passed away. I am currently re-wiring the car due to how bad the wiring is. But as far as the engine goes the cylinders look really clean and it has low miles so I’m looking to just upgrade the top half the pistons are still clean as well now with dome pistons and STD bore I see what they were trying to do with those 1973 360 heads on it. Here’s what I wanna do but the more I read the more it sounds discouraging. I want to put a rollar cam in it but I read and say the LA isn’t made for rollers you need to do the spider drill holes all this other stuff then I see lifters that are bolted together and says just drop in no drilling required. Ugh what i would like to do it have guidance on some new aluminums heads and a nice lift rollar cam but I need to know what I need to do to get there. I wish it was as easy as order these heads order this cam, lifter rocker and pushrods and it all work together without machine shop. I don’t have the money to take the engine to someone to do all this also don’t have a cherry picker either right now the engine is in the car with the heads off the lifters and headers off and I’m close to pulling this bad cam out. I just wanna make sure the cam bearings are fine which I’m hoping and this was a issue of the wrong torque and the lifters not spinning since it sat. So I’m looking for what do I need to do to install a rollar and what heads would be the best. I like the Howard’s rollar cam I found with a .525 lift. Now it’s a matter of finding someone who can guide me in the right direction with heads rhe CC the rocker ratio explanation lol I’m just fustrated and don’t wanna give up on it bc it’s my outlet being a disabled vet.
So say I bought this upper kit set up for a rollar cam. Besides buying the rollar cam and lifters what else would I need bc it says oiling style through pushrods and from what I’m reading the LA does not oil that way ? What are retro hyd roller cams? Sorry I’m trying to do it easy by buying setups so it is a little easier. So if you use the link bar lifters you don’t need that spyder tray setup and if I’m reading correctly use a retro roller in a LA and I’ll be fine ?????
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Thank you for your service!
Thank youThank you for your service!
It certainly was not rotating at some point, but to conclude it didn’t rotate from startup is a big leap for me.
Am I reading this correctly? There’s metal all through your engine, and you’re going to put new heads, valve train and cam in it without pulling it and thoroughly cleaning it? Plus, you really don’t know the condition of the cylinders, etc.
Stop and think.
As an aside, you think the car has only 15,000 miles, but you need to re-wire it?
Stop and think.
As an aside, you think the car has only 15,000 miles, but you need to re-wire it?
No I haven’t found any metal in the oil or pan. The engine was rebuilt a couple years ago but the guy that passed away told the guy that sold it too me it’s std bore and the cylinders were cleaned and honed so they put dome pistons in. Well it’s 100 degrees where the car has been and it’s been sitting so the wiring is rotted so who knows. But it’s not the orignal engine that belongs to the car it’s a 1972 318LA my car is a 1974 body.
Well here would be the best advise from anyone who has been down this road .
With lifters wore that bad the metal that came off of them went through out the engine. The engine will always have that metal in it unless it is tore down and cooked clean.
The cam bearings are probably toast. so that means the engine will have to come out anyway because they get install from the rear of the engine.
Pull the oil filter and cut it open and spread the paper. I am sure it will be full of metal. When there is that much wear on a cam. It will need More then a cam. You can take that to the bank. Don't waist any money trying to doctor that engine up. You'll be sorry and that is a fact.
With lifters wore that bad the metal that came off of them went through out the engine. The engine will always have that metal in it unless it is tore down and cooked clean.
The cam bearings are probably toast. so that means the engine will have to come out anyway because they get install from the rear of the engine.
Pull the oil filter and cut it open and spread the paper. I am sure it will be full of metal. When there is that much wear on a cam. It will need More then a cam. You can take that to the bank. Don't waist any money trying to doctor that engine up. You'll be sorry and that is a fact.
What OMM said.
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