What causes pitting on camshaft lobes?
In many cases, pitting on the lobes is due to normal part wear from many hours of operation. Even so, it’s important to identify and replace before the camshaft fails completely or causes damage to other components due to improper operation. In other instances, the pitting might be caused from debris in the components.
What is a pitted camshaft?
Pitting / Spalling. Pitting is a surface fatigue phenomenon occurring in concentrated rolling and sliding contacts. Particles break out of affected areas, leaving surfaces pockmarked with scattered holes. Progressive macro pitting – spalling – occurs when pits coalesce and form irregular craters, cavities and cracks.
How do I know if my cam lobes are bad?
To help you prevent all of this, here are common camshaft wear symptoms to look out for:
- Active check engine light.
- Loud ticking or tapping sounds.
- Metal debris in the engine oil.
- Cylinder misfire.
- Increased emissions as a result of misfiring.
- Visible signs of damage.
What causes camshaft galling?
Galling typically occurs when a follower roller skids on the camshaft lobe surface. This damage is detectable with a fingernail.
Can a camshaft lobe be repaired?
Camshafts can be rebuilt if they have lobe wear, as long as that wear is not excessive. Certain camshafts can have more wear than others and be rebuilt, while other camshafts with similar wear cannot be rebuilt. It depends on the engine specifications and the specifications of the camshaft that fits in the engine.
What does a bad cam lobe sound like?
The symptoms of a bad camshaft include frequent backfiring and popping. You may also experience cylinder misfires at low and high speeds. Additionally, if your camshaft lobes are worn, you may hear tapping and ticking noises from the upper engine.
Can a camshaft twist?
Cams will and do twist during operation with heavy spring loads. The thing is each camshaft type is different. As a rule of thumb the smaller the core the more that it will twist, the longer the core the more it will twist, were talking front to rear. Most of the time it’s a few degrees up to about a total of 5 degree.
What causes lifter pitting?
Because the camshaft is constructed from steel and the lifter body from iron; rust and corrosion are the most common cause of spalling. Foreign material between the cam lobe and lifter can result in very high local loads on the surfaces and break down a local area of the lifter.
What does a bad cam sound like?
What causes pitting on the lobes of the camshaft?
Pitting on the Camshaft. In many cases, pitting on the lobes is due to normal part wear from many hours of operation. Even so, it’s important to identify and replace before the camshaft fails completely or causes damage to other components due to improper operation. In other instances, the pitting might be caused from debris in the components.
What causes a flat tappet on a roller camshaft?
Whether you have a flat tappet or a roller camshaft, one of the most common causes of camshaft issues is lobe wear or damage.
What causes a lifter to Goug on the lobe?
You will most likely notice gouging on the lobes, as well as damage on the lifter itself. This can be caused by a lifter being out of position and striking the lobe, weak valve spring pressure, lack of oil pressure, or from stressful operating conditions like overspeeding.
What happens if the CAM Cap is left unaddressed?
This is due to increased friction as the camshaft rotates. If left unaddressed, you run the risk of ruining your bearings, or even breaking the cam cap because of the high amount of friction and heat.
