COMP-Cams quality.........

[dlotz]

Well I have 130 mile on the engine (after break-in dyno) and it appears I have lost a lobe on the cam.

Fresh engine build and haven't even had the car on the road for a week and the cam breaks!

I have been hearing some bad stories about COMP Cams that I wish I heard sooner, but maybe this is just a freak acident.

As a Mechanical engineer in the manufactoring business I can't help but get upset at how we no longer make anything with quality in mind. We still charge the same price yet we take short cuts and "build to sell" rather than "Build to last"

Anyone else have issues with COMP-Cam flat tappet cams and lifters?

The pain and time it is going to take to pull the engine out and get this fixed is gonna suck; especially when I only have 4 weeks to get it done bofore the wedding. I am about ready to have it all done at a shop in order to get it done quicker and send the entire bill directly to Comp-Cams.

What is your guys experience with COMP-Cams?

[vector1]

i hope they're good cause i'm putting a comp cams flat tappet hyd in now!!!!!!!!

[madmaxx]

Well said. I do not know how you have one bad lobe, how could they make one bad and not all of them? Quality suks everywhere.

[BBfangs]

I have built my share of performance engines and have always used Comp Cams. I hope they aren't falling into that same trap as you said "build to sell not "build to last." I think they are top quality as of now but I haven't had any problems like you. You shouldn't lose a lobe that soon after by any means. I can't tell you how many issues I have had recently with workmanship across the board. It does seem that no one is taking pride in it anymore. Sad state of affairs if that is true.

[dlotz]

Originally Posted by madmaxx

Well said. I do not know how you have one bad lobe, how could they make one bad and not all of them? Quality suks everywhere.

I haven't pulled it yet to confirm, but the rocker had about a 1/4" of slop and the rocker nuts were not loose, therefore telling me it's on the cam end!

I had the tell tale GM rocker pop sound, telling me the intake valve was opening but the exhaust wasn't opening far enough. It was also hesitating like it was missing as I pulled it into the driveway.I can't think of anything else being wrong.....bent push rod maybe? Bad lifter?

Gonna have to tear it apart to find out.

Question is, can we get it all done in 4 weeks befor the wedding?

[blykins]

Have you talked to your builder?

[CobraEd]

Did u use ZDDP additive???


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[Hotfingrs]

I've wiped out two Comp Cams cams and several roller lifters. Comp Cams has done nothing but cost me money, and I've told my builder if he puts anything with the name Comp Cams in my engine, he can keep the engine. Pure crap as far as I'm concerned.

[CobraEd]

With Crane out of business, who is left besides Lunati ???


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[Rick Parker]

Isky!!!!!!!


BTW Crane is back......they were purchased by S&S Cycles.

[CowtownCobra]

CC has worked well for me, but most of my stuff is 5-6 years old. A lot of cam vendors went through a bad spell 3-4 years ago when a batch of bad chinese steel made it into the system. Not saying that is your problem, but it has happened before.

There is a special break in procedure for flat tappet solid lifters. Did you and your builder follow it?

[Excaliber]

No problems with my flat tappet Comp Cam I put in several years ago. I did take extraordinary measures to break it in. As I recall the first 20 minutes after the first start up determine whether a flat tappet cam will live or die, you usually find out in the near future following that.

I'm wondering what steps were taken during the dyno break in to assure a long life? Removal of the inner springs? Break in rocker arms? Holding the rpm at or above 2,000 rpm for those first 20 minutes? If it went straight to the dyno without any special mechanical attention to break in, there's the problem! For an engine builder, doing any of the above is a real pita, it takes up a lot of time and eats directly into the profit margin. That is why so many builders won't even offer a flat tappet anymore, just to much hassle and risk if you don't get it right.

Hotfingers, roller lifters don't generally require any special mechanical attention for break in. Wierd you had a run of bad luck, I don't know what to make of it. Some years ago ALL the cam manufacturers were having problems with flat tappets, which was eventually traced, primarily, to the changes in oil available. That remains an issue, but of far less concern with the roller lifters, then or now,,, strange. Another factor, then and it remains an issue, is low quality lifters, perhaps made in China sort of thing. A large number of cam failures, some years ago, were a direct result of readily available cheap and inferior lifters.

[madmaxx]

Lunati = I have pictures of a Lunati cam never installed make your head Then it only took 5 weeks to get my money back the whole time their genusis telling me to install. Finally they tried to grind the cracks out , wtf, there is no hope.

Originally Posted by CobraEd

With Crane out of business, who is left besides Lunati ???


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[madmaxx]

1/4" that is alot. Remove your valve covers, build dams out of aluminium foil to direct oil back into the head and start your engine. If you dont rev you will be surprised very little oil will escape and the aluminium foil is very formable it that is a word. You can watch all your rockers at once, readjust the loose one.

Originally Posted by dlotz

I haven't pulled it yet to confirm, but the rocker had about a 1/4" of slop and the rocker nuts were not loose, therefore telling me it's on the cam end!

I had the tell tale GM rocker pop sound, telling me the intake valve was opening but the exhaust wasn't opening far enough. It was also hesitating like it was missing as I pulled it into the driveway.I can't think of anything else being wrong.....bent push rod maybe? Bad lifter?

Gonna have to tear it apart to find out.

Question is, can we get it all done in 4 weeks befor the wedding?

[blykins]

In general, there's nothing wrong with Comp products. Every manufacturer will have a small percentage of parts that will be defective or not up to snuff...that's just the law of tolerances and averages.

It's weird that only one lobe failed. Makes me think that the lifter in that bore wasn't spinning freely.

Again, this is the reason why I advise my customers to go with roller camshafts. If it is a cam failure and you add up the money now associated with disassembly, cleaning, replacing parts, etc., you could have went roller a lot cheaper.

Before you get too involved though, I would take a look and make sure it isn't something simple like an adjuster backing off, etc.

[undy]

Pull your oil filter and cut it open. If a lobe went away there'll be a ton of flakes in the pleats. I share the same feeling as Brent, with today's lubricants and lack of additives it's a hydraulic roller for me.

[dlotz]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

No problems with my flat tappet Comp Cam I put in several years ago. I did take extraordinary measures to break it in. As I recall the first 20 minutes after the first start up determine whether a flat tappet cam will live or die, you usually find out in the near future following that.

I'm wondering what steps were taken during the dyno break in to assure a long life? Removal of the inner springs? Break in rocker arms? Holding the rpm at or above 2,000 rpm for those first 20 minutes? If it went straight to the dyno without any special mechanical attention to break in, there's the problem! For an engine builder, doing any of the above is a real pita, it takes up a lot of time and eats directly into the profit margin. That is why so many builders won't even offer a flat tappet anymore, just to much hassle and risk if you don't get it right.

Hotfingers, roller lifters don't generally require any special mechanical attention for break in. Wierd you had a run of bad luck, I don't know what to make of it. Some years ago ALL the cam manufacturers were having problems with flat tappets, which was eventually traced, primarily, to the changes in oil available. That remains an issue, but of far less concern with the roller lifters, then or now,,, strange. Another factor, then and it remains an issue, is low quality lifters, perhaps made in China sort of thing. A large number of cam failures, some years ago, were a direct result of readily available cheap and inferior lifters.

Barry did everything to correctly break in the cam at the dyno, I was there. We used the BP break in oil and additive, we had the inner springs off, warmed it up for a good 30 minutes. Then we shut down, added the inner springs, checked/adjusted the valve lash and started again checked timing, adjusted carbs and then stated the pulls. Barry has been doing this for years and knows his stuff.

Funny thing is that the paperwork that came from the cam has a disclaimer blaming oil for flat tappet cams breaking. I sure hope this wasn't an old cam they just pulled off the shelf somewhere that was from that era. The lifters and cam came as a set so if either are junk then they are both CompCam parts.... and still under warranty!

We checked the rocker and adjuster and they are NOT loose which tells me the slop is on the cam side. Could it be anything else I can check before we pull the engine?

I am still under warranty, but as mentioned the time and labor is the pain. Especially when we were supposed to unveil it at the family reunion tomorrow! Like they say, it happens

[blykins]

Do you have a mag base and dial indicator there?

You can check lift at the valve compared to the others...this would tell you 100% for sure if a lobe is gone.

Otherwise, I would go ahead and pull the intake and take a look around.

Make sure when the engine comes out that you check some bearings. If a lobe is gone, that much metal pumping through an engine will wreak havoc on the oil pump/bearings.

You're in good hands with Barry...and this only goes to show that a cam can go out even with an experienced engine builder. And it shows why I don't use flat tappet cams.

[CobraEd]

Originally Posted by Hotfingrs

I've wiped out two Comp Cams cams and several roller lifters. Comp Cams has done nothing but cost me money, and I've told my builder if he puts anything with the name Comp Cams in my engine, he can keep the engine. Pure crap as far as I'm concerned.

Your problem could be because you are running a French engine !


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[madmaxx]

I feel everyone pain in this one, once again it must be a love of labor that people build engines as a career. Surprising it would run as long as it did and then all the sudden have an issue.