CAM worn lobe??

[nativetalon]

hey what are the affects of a worn lobe on a cam? and how could i tell if that is what it is for sure? could it keep causing a lifter to fail or tick, or even a rocker to come aloose?

[20ws6speed01]

u could have a misfire code..running rough..a pushrod off of rocker..Do a compression test....take the valve covers off and have a look...I had 1 lobe gone on my '79 454 & it ran like poop...

[mick08]

I'd wip the valve covers off and check the valve lash if you think its worn a lobe off, why do you suspect this problem? Its not usually the first point of call.

[nativetalon]

I'd wip the valve covers off and check the valve lash if you think its worn a lobe off, why do you suspect this problem? Its not usually the first point of call.

i had a tick. kinda drove it like that for a year because there were no performance problems i could tell since it was ticking wen i bought it. then recently i changed the rockers the arms and also intake. and it still ticks!. and It sounds like something is going to come aloose now.

[mick08]

I would think you would have metal contamination in the oil if it was slowly wearing a lobe away, do you do your own oil changes? If so check both the oil and oil filter, i cut mine open and fan out the media to see exactly whats going on, or you could send a sample out for an oil analysis, that will tell you for sure what is in the oil, what type of metal and where in the engine its coming from.

[pajeff02]

A small exhaust leak will often times sound like a "tick".

[mick08]

Reading your first post again, a worn lobe obviously increases the clearance at the rocker tip and valve top, this could very well be the tick and if left unchecked will flog out the pushrod seat in the rocker, could wear the top of the valve with the constant jackhammering from increased clearance and i have had a pushrod come adrift from the rocker and smacked up against the inside of the valve cover making a horrible noise, luckily i shut it down quick,that engine was a straight six but when i had a rocker break on my 400SBC the rotating cam lobe flicked the lifter out of its bore, this could have been real bad if that lifter had made it down one of the drain back holes and 'interfered' with the crank. You won't always notice 1 cylinder down in a V8 caus the others compensate, i only knew something was up when i came to a stop and the idle was a bit fluffy, a 4cylinder with a dropped cylinder shows up much more dramatic.

[blackSS01]

Piston slap usually sounds kinda like a tick
A lifter going out sounds like a tick
Like PAJeff said, exhaust leak sounds like tick
Valve train can sound like a tick (Sewing machine)

Worn cam lopes are very uncommon in the LS1 motors. They use roller lifters which don't wear on the cam as much as older motors. I would not suspect that first. Rockers are known for losing the needle bearings, thats probably not the noise but I would suspect almost everything before a worn cam lope. Just my .02

[RedHot99T/A]

I actually found evidence of worn lobes I have 2 bad 1s on my original cam that has 130000k on it ill try n post pics up.

[blackSS01]

I actually found evidence of worn lobes I have 2 bad 1s on my original cam that has 130000k on it ill try n post pics up.

In my 6 years on this site, you are the first person I have seen say that

[RedHot99T/A]

I'm being 100%honest to lobes are noticably ruined....ever since I bought the car it had a noticable skip in the power band,when I get home and on my comp ill take a pic of the lobes,maybe there not ruined but they are deff worn looking compared to the rest.

[blackSS01]

I'm being 100%honest to lobes are noticably ruined....ever since I bought the car it had a noticable skip in the power band,when I get home and on my comp ill take a pic of the lobes,maybe there not ruined but they are deff worn looking compared to the rest.

Not calling you a liar, just saying its a first for me here.

[pajeff02]

Does it have aftermarket springs, rockers, or lifters in it? Your post said that you changed the rockers, but not with what.

[nativetalon]

yes all aftermarket new top end except for the valves and cam and heads. Comp Cams ultra gold rockers

[nativetalon]

yes all aftermarket new top end except for the valves and cam and heads. Comp Cams ultra gold rockers

decked bbk intake. 98 ss port and polished heads. custom cam. manley valves. but these were not replaced

[nativetalon]

i think I'm going to have to tear it down soon to find out.

[RedHot99T/A]

Got the pictures to show you all the cam,but my computer isn't working right now,ill sure start a thread about it when its up n running to see what all of you think could cause this.

[Firebirdjones]

yes all aftermarket new top end except for the valves and cam and heads. Comp Cams ultra gold rockers

decked bbk intake. 98 ss port and polished heads. custom cam. manley valves. but these were not replaced

Did you convert to an adjustable valvetrain??

If not, it could be an improper length set of pushrods creating too much lash.

[mark21742]

I have a regrind I got off Ebay laying in the garage for my ls1...after running it for less than a year it had VERY bad grooves worn into it

[nativetalon]

Did you convert to an adjustable valvetrain??

If not, it could be an improper length set of pushrods creating too much lash.

I'm not sure what you mean, and if so, how do i fix it?