Re: How Can You Tell If A Cam Lobe Is Wasted?
[Re: landon1]
#347208
06/15/09 07:51 AM
06/15/09 07:51 AM
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 12,675 Columbia, CT
moper
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I Live Here
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Posts: 12,675
Columbia, CT
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The best way is to visually inspect each lobe whiel it's apart. If you dont think it looks good, post a pic...
Well, art is art, isn't it? Still, on the other hand, water is water! And east is east and west is west and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does. Now, uh... Now you tell me what you know.
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Re: How Can You Tell If A Cam Lobe Is Wasted?
[Re: moper]
#347209
06/15/09 08:50 AM
06/15/09 08:50 AM
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Use a dial indicator or other measuring device "in the car" to measure lift, most accurate at the lifters.
If the cam is out just caliper them. You'll have to visually ID the intake from the exhaust, because they'll be different
Lifter condition is a fairly good indicator. If the lifters all show similar wear patterns, chances of one flat lobe are slim
I'm a BIG believer in keeping old lifters with the original lobe, so if you remove the cam and re-use it, lay out the lifters in order
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Re: How Can You Tell If A Cam Lobe Is Wasted?
#347210
06/15/09 09:40 AM
06/15/09 09:40 AM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 403 NE Ohio
71 FJ6 Charger
OP
mopar
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OP
mopar
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 403
NE Ohio
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Awesome responses and pics thanks. Gonna start pullin lifters here in a few. I'm feelin lazy,I'll have to think about the pics.........
'71 383HP FJ6 Charger SE
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Re: How Can You Tell If A Cam Lobe Is Wasted?
[Re: WILD BILL]
#347214
06/15/09 11:05 AM
06/15/09 11:05 AM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 403 NE Ohio
71 FJ6 Charger
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mopar
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OP
mopar
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 403
NE Ohio
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WILD BILL,wuzz up!! No card,virgin 71 383HP motor,stock cam. If all checks out good I'm gonna degree it once I get a new chain for it.Gonna pull some lifters here soon and compare to some pics the guys put up for me(thanks!). I'm still gonna hold ya to that trans rebuild!
'71 383HP FJ6 Charger SE
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Re: How Can You Tell If A Cam Lobe Is Wasted?
[Re: 71 FJ6 Charger]
#347216
06/15/09 01:58 PM
06/15/09 01:58 PM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 403 NE Ohio
71 FJ6 Charger
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mopar
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OP
mopar
Joined: Jul 2008
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NE Ohio
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OK,I pulled a few lifters,and they have some wear,but NOTHING like the pic of the above lifter. It just has a slight concave to it,but dont look burnt,and its not as deep as the one pictured above. Is this normal wear? Should they be replaced? The lobes also look all about the same. Nothing like the lobe pictured here above.
'71 383HP FJ6 Charger SE
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Re: How Can You Tell If A Cam Lobe Is Wasted?
[Re: 71 FJ6 Charger]
#347217
06/15/09 02:06 PM
06/15/09 02:06 PM
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,759 So Cal
HealthServices
Why would you even post that?
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Why would you even post that?
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,759
So Cal
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I recommend replacing the cam and lifters if you have any concave lifters. They should all be convex when you put a straight edge on them. A little extra money here will save you a lot of money later.
Convex lifters rotate. Concave do not. This is what kills cams and lifters. If the lifter is slightly concave now, expect it to go bad in the future! This can be in 500 milies or 5000 miles but it will happen.
Sometimes you can get away with just replacing the lifter but just make sure the cam lobe is good by using a dial indicator to check lift and compare it to the others. This is preceded by a visual check for cam wear.
Last edited by HealthServices; 06/15/09 02:55 PM.
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Re: How Can You Tell If A Cam Lobe Is Wasted?
[Re: HealthServices]
#347218
06/15/09 03:07 PM
06/15/09 03:07 PM
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 10,542 BROOK PARK, OH
WILD BILL
Senior Member of the Junior Dragster Club
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Senior Member of the Junior Dragster Club
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 10,542
BROOK PARK, OH
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I don't know how you would degree the cam without having the card. All you could do at this point is use a dial indicator to look for differences in lobe lift of all the lobes. Compare intake to intake and exuasht to exuahst. The intake and exhaust lifts could be different.
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Re: How Can You Tell If A Cam Lobe Is Wasted?
[Re: WILD BILL]
#347219
06/15/09 04:43 PM
06/15/09 04:43 PM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 403 NE Ohio
71 FJ6 Charger
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mopar
Joined: Jul 2008
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NE Ohio
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I dont have a card,but I do have the factory specs on the cams. The same as a card I would think.
'71 383HP FJ6 Charger SE
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Re: How Can You Tell If A Cam Lobe Is Wasted?
[Re: 71 FJ6 Charger]
#347220
06/15/09 05:46 PM
06/15/09 05:46 PM
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 12,481 Chino Valley
RodStRace
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I Live Here
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Chino Valley
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Here's a shade tree way to check the lifter surface. Remember, keep them in order! Take one lifter and hold it horizontal. The bore surface is as flat as you can get, since these are not tapered on the sides. Touch the base of a suspect lifter to the side of the horizontal lifter, trying to contact the highest edge evenly. It should have a very slight bit of light between each edge while touching in the middle. If not, it could be worn. If there is light in the middle, it's time for new lifters!
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Re: How Can You Tell If A Cam Lobe Is Wasted?
[Re: 71 FJ6 Charger]
#347222
06/16/09 07:18 AM
06/16/09 07:18 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,123 Grand Haven, MI
patrick
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I Live Here
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Grand Haven, MI
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can't reuse used lifters on a different cam, they are broken in to that specific cam.
1976 Spinnaker White Plymouth Duster, /6 A833OD 1986 Silver/Twilight Blue Chrysler 5th Ave HotRod **SOLD!*** 2011 Toxic Orange Dodge Charger R/T 2017 Grand Cherokee Overland 2014 Jeep Cherokee Latitude (holy crap, my daughter is driving)
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Re: How Can You Tell If A Cam Lobe Is Wasted?
[Re: patrick]
#347223
06/16/09 09:23 AM
06/16/09 09:23 AM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 403 NE Ohio
71 FJ6 Charger
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mopar
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OP
mopar
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 403
NE Ohio
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Done it 100 times through the years,it'll be fine. It's not a race motor,wont hurt anything. As long as I treat it like a fresh cam and lifters,they'll wear in to this cam just fine.
'71 383HP FJ6 Charger SE
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