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Oil preassure problem - damage cam-follower ?

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kch

kch

Senior Member
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I have just put my engine together with new cam.
I had problemes, did not any got oil preassure afer rebuild. I run the engine without the plugs severeal times, but did not got any oilpressure on the gauge.
It turned out that I put the new spin on filer adapter the the wrong way. When I fixed it, I got full oil pressure, and the engine started.
Anybody knows what happens with the oil when the adaper is mountet the wrong way ? Does the cam followes get oil ? Will this damage the engine (camfollower-cam ). I did not use special lube on the followers - cam.
 
Re: Oil pressure problem - damage cam-follower ?

Hi Karl,
You may have damaged something, only time will tell. If valve lash has increased, or increases, it's likely that there is cam/follower damage. It is common practice to lube a new cam & the followers with a moly type grease. This is extremely important to the "health" of the cam in the first few minutes of running. Also, to assure adequate cam & lifter lubrication, keep the engine running at a fast idle for the first twenty minutes or so on the first start.
D

Added: Most spin on filters have a one way valve incorporated into the design to prevent the filter from draining when the engine isn't running. If the filter adapter was installed upside down, the valve would completely stop ALL oil flow, including to the cam & lifters.
D
 
Re: Oil pressure problem - damage cam-follower ?

kch You probably didn't damage anything because the engine was not running and there was no load on it. The big question is did you prelube the bearings etc when you assenbled the engine. The best thing to use here is a good synthetic oil [ Mobil 1, Castrol Syntec ] This would provide protection until the pump gains its prime and supplies the oil volume needed. But with no load there is really no high pressure on things.

Regards, Bob
 
Re: Oil pressure problem - damage cam-follower ?

The cam & followers have practically the same load on them whether the engine is running or just turning over.
D
 
Thanks for the answers, I think I just have top remove the rocker rack, and look at the camfollowers, to see if there is any scraches. I used plenty of oil on the bearings, but I am more worried about the surface on the cam - and cam followers.
 
Karl,
Good move. While you have the followers out, apply some moly paste to the bottoms. When you start, keep it at a fast idle for about 20 minutes.

Always use new or reground followers with a new cam. New followers are ground with a slightly radiused face (crown). Worn followers will not fit & bed correctly on a new cam surface.

Best of luck,
D
 
Good news.
I have just arrived form the garage, where the followers were inspected. No damage. Both cam and followers are new.

When adjusting the valves, I have to screw down the adjustment screws more than on the old setup (almost all the way down). Is this usual ? The cam is a fast road cam, which I belive is the BJ8 spec. Both cam, and followers are from SC parts. I have not done anything with the rocker arms(they look perfect), but the valves are new.
 
Typically, camshaft regrinds reduce the base circle diameter, and hence increase the clearance. So it is normal to have to screw down further to take up the slack.
 
I understand that a regrind will reduce diameter, but the camshaft that I bought supposed to be a brand new part.
Is that possible, that they sell regrinded camshafts without telling me ?
 
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