Normal cam wear or wipeout?

[64SF]

Photos show cam/lifter tracking after the break in run. Used LOTS of assembly lube, primed the oil pump, used break in oil. Started the engine on a stand, good oil pressure, temp did climb to just under 240 at shut off. Lifters show no tracking on bottom. All lobes seem to have similar tracking. Normal or wipeout?

 

[lewtot184]

check the lifters to see if they're spinning. if so your ok. neither lobes or lifter faces are flat and there won't be a flat wear pattern until there's a lot of time on the parts.

 

[64SF]

Thank you sir your comments are always welcome.

 

[khryslerkid]

check the lifters to see if they're spinning

How do you check for this? I've been running this through my mind knowing that when just priming makes a bit of a mess, oil running over the lower part of the head. I want to be able to do this being very critical with the break in. I know it's kind of hard to see the lifter's too unless you just watch the pushrods turning.

 

[lewtot184]

How do you check for this? I've been running this through my mind knowing that when just priming makes a bit of a mess, oil running over the lower part of the head. I want to be able to do this being very critical with the break in. I know it's kind of hard to see the lifter's too unless you just watch the pushrods turning.

if the lifters are spinning there will be a smooth circular pattern on the face/foot of the tappet. if not spinning the lifter will have a noticeable wear pattern that runs the radius of face/foot of the lifter. no spinning is death of the lobe/lifter. lifters are not flat (they are convex) on the face/foot and the lobe has a taper from one side to the other. this is to create spin which keeps the parts alive. priming is more for filling the filter, passages and making for quick oil pressure (no dry starts). break-in lube is what keeps the lifter/lobe alive until enough drain back and throw off from the crank/rods begin to lube the lifter/lobe. always remember a flat lifter has to be put in motion vertically and horizontally at the same time and excess spring pressures can deter this.

 

[64SF]

I'll look at the lifter face/foot for tracking marks.

 

[khryslerkid]

if the lifters are spinning there will be a smooth circular pattern on the face/foot of the tappet. if not spinning the lifter will have a noticeable wear pattern that runs the radius of face/foot of the lifter. no spinning is death of the lobe/lifter. lifters are not flat (they are convex) on the face/foot and the lobe has a taper from one side to the other. this is to create spin which keeps the parts alive. priming is more for filling the filter, passages and making for quick oil pressure (no dry starts). break-in lube is what keeps the lifter/lobe alive until enough drain back and throw off from the crank/rods begin to lube the lifter/lobe. always remember a flat lifter has to be put in motion vertically and horizontally at the same time and excess spring pressures can deter this.

I was just wondering if you check for the rotating lifters during the 20 min break in.

Do the 20 minute break in @ 2,000 rpm
Remove valve covers.
Remove rockers assemblys
Fish out each lifter one at a time and check wear patterns. ???

 

[Cranky]

Why did it hit 240 degrees? Never had an engine do that if everything is like it's supposed to be....

 

[vintage chromoly]

The pushrods will spin with the lifters.
Some guys put a bright colored paint line on the pushrods to help you see when they spin.

 

[64SF]

Why did it hit 240 degrees? Never had an engine do that if everything is like it's supposed to be....

Not sure why...I'm thinking I may have spun a cam bearing. Had some discoloration on the rocker arm shaft.... going to pull it apart and take a look. Ugh.

 

[Garys1969RR]

Newly assembled motors sometimes run a little warm, since there is more friction from the parts wearing in. Make sure you have plenty of initial advance, like 20 degrees or more. Retarded ignition timing will cause a motor to run hotter than normal.

 

[lewtot184]

I was just wondering if you check for the rotating lifters during the 20 min break in.

Do the 20 minute break in @ 2,000 rpm
Remove valve covers.
Remove rockers assemblys
Fish out each lifter one at a time and check wear patterns. ???

if the lifters aren't spinning after a 20 minute run-in you'll know it. there will be a lot of racket. i don't take stuff apart unless i suspect a problem. of course taking things apart to make sure there isn't a problem is ok too. lifter inspection is somewhat easy with iron heads but would require removing the intake with alum heads. but, i do try to avoid lobe profiles that may have a tendency to be troublesome.

 

[bigbluedodge]

I was told to watch for pushrods spinning on startup. If they aren't spinning, spin them by hand once and see if they begin spinning by themselves.
I do this on my race motors (flat tappet solids) and every one spins the pushrods.
I put a spot of paint on the top of the pushrod so it's easily seen. When I start the motor for the first time the valve covers are off, I quickly look at EACH pushrod and install the valve covers.

 

[Ski 61701]

I just check for lifter rotation when i am mocking up the motor. Install the cam and lube the lifters with wd 40 and see if they slide in their respective bores easily. They should drop with a thunk. I put a permanent marker mark on the top of the lifter and then rotate the cam. You will see the lifters rotate. If they dont, swap lifters around until they rotate. Make sure there are no burs on the lifters or lifter bores. Once you get them all to rotate, take them out, wipe them down, put some break in grease on the face of the lifter and just oil on the sides. Assemble the motor and break the cam in. No mess no fuss

 

[Cornpatch MO]

Take an old set of valve covers and cut the tops off so you can see all the rockers and springs. That leaves a "dam" around the top of the heads so oil doesn't overflow and can run back into the drain holes instead of on the exhaust manifolds......................MO

 

[Cranky]

Newly assembled motors sometimes run a little warm, since there is more friction from the parts wearing in. Make sure you have plenty of initial advance, like 20 degrees or more. Retarded ignition timing will cause a motor to run hotter than normal.

I agree but 240 is getting pretty hot....

 

[miller]

I agree but 240 is getting pretty hot....

Yup...too hot. I'd find out why.
That one cam lobe pattern looks burnt.

 

[Ski 61701]

I forgot to mention that when you spin the cam / top gear by hand make sure its seated against the block as in normal running conditions. When you spin the cam the lifters might only turn an 1/8 of a turn, and it will take several rotations of the cam to get a good idea on how things look, hence the witness marks on the lifters. I was checking motor once and noticed quite a few werent rotating thats when i realized i didnt have the cam seated far enough back. Once I realized this, lifters started to spin, some cams have more of a taper on the lobes than others, is my guesstimation.

 

[68 HEMI GTS]

Put a picture of the bottom of the lifter up

 

[64SF]

Will do