Would you use these cams - damage pics
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,788
Likes: 4
From: Here
I used to work for a company producing high performance camshafts for all sorts of vehicles and the golden rule was; NEVER fit secondhand cams or lifters. Reason being once fitted, the cam and lifters wear together and become 'matched' . If I was forced to I might risk a very good used cam with NO signs of wear but ALWAYS fit new lifters.
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 323
Likes: 2
From: Central Pennsylvania
I agree the marks are not even where the bearing rides.and todays roller lifters will never know that they are running on a differant cam lobe.I would run them and never think twice about it.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 4,999
Likes: 55
From: Bay Area
I used to work for a company producing high performance camshafts for all sorts of vehicles and the golden rule was; NEVER fit secondhand cams or lifters. Reason being once fitted, the cam and lifters wear together and become 'matched' . If I was forced to I might risk a very good used cam with NO signs of wear but ALWAYS fit new lifters.
Oh and on the nicks, those are hammer marks from installation, probably used to install the inner bearing. How much did you really save? Sorry, but thats my professional opinion.
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 323
Likes: 2
From: Central Pennsylvania
That makes no sense.I doubt that anyone would install bearings with the cams much less with a hammer.and the lifters are held in place with pins under the lifter blocks they have no choice but to run straight.I bet many cams have marks on them right out of the box but no one looks.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 4,999
Likes: 55
From: Bay Area
Its a short cut to install a new cam bearing. One would place the bearing on the end of the cam and tap it in, this way you dont need to buy an installer, but youre supposed to ise the old cam and a dead blow hammer not a steel one.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,615
Likes: 50
From: Baton Rouge, LA
So if you have a collapsed lifter, you would replace the stock cam too? I can see your point on a flat tappet cam/lifter combo that requires the initial 2000 rpm break in period, but that's really not the case on roller cams/lifters. I would agree if these were very high mileage parts, but low mileage used cams are nothing to be concerned about.
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Road Master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,196
Likes: 14
From: connecticut
Agree 100+%! For what you saved and the headache you now have to live with thinking if the bike they came from had a lifter out of line, causing a untrue wear surface pattern, and now assuming you install them correctly will there be accelerated wear?
Oh and on the nicks, those are hammer marks from installation, probably used to install the inner bearing. How much did you really save? Sorry, but thats my professional opinion.
Oh and on the nicks, those are hammer marks from installation, probably used to install the inner bearing. How much did you really save? Sorry, but thats my professional opinion.
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