What are some possible signs of wiped cam?

[DaRonne Edwards]

I may have wiped a cam. I changed my oil about a month regular conventional no additve (I know better) but its done now. Now all of a sudden my car does not respond like it use to. At a take I have no power at all not until I put my foot into it a little more but then it will level and then kind of bog down down. Whats going on?

 

[buickruss]

Easy to tell by watching your rocker arms. I think Its the rear that usually go bad. On mine it was #6

 

[Nick Micale]

................................................................. all of a sudden my car does not respond like it use to. At a take I have no power at all not until I put my foot into it a little more but then it will level and then kind of bog down down. Whats going on?

That is not a normal symptom of a bad cam.

Start first by doing a scan of engine sensors, and then make sure fuel delivery is proper.

 

[HelloBozos]

First it's power loss, next the "Taps" come if you keep driving it. All up hill from there...When you rebuild put a rollor in it(you dont have to go big,they make smaller one's),then it will never happen again!!!

 

[toomanymodz]

Vacuum gauge. The needle will quickly whip back and forth instead of showing a steady vacuum while the engine is idling.

 

[Reggie West]

Any updates?

 

[we4Mateo]

First it's power loss, next the "Taps" come if you keep driving it. All up hill from there...When you rebuild put a rollor in it(you dont have to go big,they make smaller one's),then it will never happen again!!!

Roller is not needed with zddp. Everyone says how affordable a roller is but it really isn't when you factor in pushrods, a more expensive than flat cam, more expensive lifters, and you might as well change the rockers too. I'll go roller when they finally make lifters as quiet as the stockers and I just don't think that's possible using a 109 block. Flat tappet cams are just as reliable with ZDDP. I haven't met a single person on this board that has wiped a flat tappet cam while using ZDDP regularly with ANY oil. Even if you do go roller, the ZDDP still benefits other components in the engine too, so if you should run it anyway, stay with a flat tappet. Most cam grinders reverse taper the #3 exhaust lobe now to promote the spin needed to preven wiping it as well.

 

[DaRonne Edwards]

I was looking at it today and found some vacuum hoses hooked up wrong and one of them is the one on the waste gate solenoid so I'm guessing this is my problem I just haven't got around to changing things around yet. Todays Mother's Day so I got to spend time with the Mrs.

 

[DaRonne Edwards]

Roller is not needed with zddp. Everyone says how affordable a roller is but it really isn't when you factor in pushrods, a more expensive than flat cam, more expensive lifters, and you might as well change the rockers too. I'll go roller when they finally make lifters as quiet as the stockers and I just don't think that's possible using a 109 block. Flat tappet cams are just as reliable with ZDDP. I haven't met a single person on this board that has wiped a flat tappet cam while using ZDDP regularly with ANY oil. Even if you do go roller, the ZDDP still benefits other components in the engine too, so if you should run it anyway, stay with a flat tappet. Most cam grinders reverse taper the #3 exhaust lobe now to promote the spin needed to preven wiping it as well.

Yeh to be honest I thought about a roller setup but I had a roller cam setup in one of my past GNs and I hated the way it sounded. Roller lifters are noisy. So thanks for the info because you just reminded me of that.

 

[HelloBozos]

I use thicker Oil an not at Idel much,What Sound?? heh

 

[we4Mateo]

I use thicker Oil an not at Idel much,What Sound?? heh

Using thicker oil is simply masking the problem at the sacrifice of the rest of your engine. You're giving up flow to simply keep your lifters quiet. ZDDP is easier...

 

[HelloBozos]

http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/threads/benefits-of-a-roller-cam.375422/page-2

There's a whole thread about the differances...
This thread was the sign's of whiped camshaft...
First loose power,Next the "taps' are heard...

 

[Blazer406]

Hellobozos..... IMHO, by far the most important difference between flat tappet and roller tappet is the flat tappet lobe is tapered.... that forces the lifter to spin in the bore when the engine is running. A roller lobe has no taper to the lobe..... because you really don't want a roller lifter to spin at all in the bore..... this is also why roller cams require a shimmable cam button... because with no lobe taper.... the cam wnts to "walk" in-and-out while running.... something has to keep it in the same spot....