Cam-I-Yam...I may need a LOBE-atomy!!!

[Fat Hack]

Popped the valve cover off of the exotic, full-race overhead cam inliner today...mainly to clean the cover and paint it, then install a new gasket. Trying to head off problems (like fluid leaks!) before they BECOME problems...and that's a wee bit easier with the motor on the ground than it would be after it's nestled into the engine bay!

Anyhoo...this motor was obviously stored outside a while...the rear lobes on the cam (below the left open breather hole) are pretty rusty. The front lobes look PERFECT, and the inside of the motor is super clean other than the rust on the last four lobes.

(It may LOOK worse than it actually IS...I can nearly scrape it off with my thumbnail.)

Is the cam JUNK now? Can it be saved with steel wool and maybe super fine emery cloth?

Just wondering...if it was a Chevy V8, I'd just drop the whole motor in a dumpster somewhere...but this is a pretty COOL engine...and likely worth saving!!

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

(Just to head off any "Put a small block in it!" comments from the Peanut Gallery there! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif)

This DOES bring up the need for a decision, though...and I'd appreciate your input on it...

Do I...

1. Get a new cam, pull the head, install the new cam along with other new components and bolt on my Edelbrock intake and a header as I re-assemble the motor and have the trans rebuilt and the converter flushed BEFORE I put the motor/tranny in the car...

or...

2. Bolt the trans and motor together "as is", then dump them in the car and try to get it running. This is the "low dollar" approach, but may likely generate far MORE work and expense in the near future if I discover that the trans is shot, the converter slips and the cam wipes out the followers in half an hour!

In the past, I've always gone towards option Number One...installing all new freeze plugs, gaskets, seals and such BEFORE putting the motor into the car to make for smooth sailing and reliable cruising down the road!

But, I'd like to get this heap to where it will at least MOVE under it's own power...even if the trans doesn't work right and the motor runs like CRAP...at least the car can be driven!!!

I could go either way here...what do y'all suggest???

[Slide]

FH- your car, but for me, every time I try to do things cheap, they ALWAYS break at a bad time, causing me to spend MORE $$$ to fix it than it would have taken to do it right the first time.

my $0.02

[stealthcruiser]

exotic,aluminum blocked inliner eh.
don't you mean vega motor?
run it like it is.
just don't overheat it.

[Upchuck]

it might not be a sbc Hack but its a chevy product so it'll take more than a smidge of rust to kill it http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Hot Rod To Hell]

Yeah, what the hell.... Just run it! If it breaks, whaddya out, like $6? http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif That motor probly weighs about 17 lbs, so it's not like it'd be a big deal to yank it back out!!! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[mikes51]

[ QUOTE ]
...at least the car can be driven!!!


[/ QUOTE ]

There's alot to be said for driving a project.

Sometimes it's a milestone that's necessary to keep one going on the project.

Or two, you may discover some things from driving it that you didn't think of. That could effect how you go about rebuilding it.

[AHotRod]

FATHACK:
If the cam lobes are "PITTED" from the rust, then it will "ACT" like a grinder and take-out the followers.
The metal particals from this will be running through the oil pump, on the cylinder walls, engine bearings and crank surface.....
If, on the other hand, it is "ONLY" surface corrosion, and can be removed with a Scotch-Brite Pad, then clean it up, re-install it very well lubed, and run it.
Be certain to get a FelPro gasket kit to seal up the engine.
Glenn

[DIRTYT]

take a lesson from me. motor number 2 would have lasted and would have been able to go to billetproof with the car. but i cheeped out and didnt do new bearings and oil pump. there for 300 miles later boom! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

but hell what do i know i just want more beerhttp://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Bryan

[DIRTYT]

u know the funny thing is i have actully been thinking about it preety hard latly i like the look of yours its all crazy looking. and being born after the vega went extecnt i ddint see very many. but i do have a good 2.5 mmmmm

[FEDER]

Fathack YES it will be ok. Ive done this on a wet rusty cam http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif and it works.
Get some red scotchbrite. Like 8"x10" sheets cut them in 1" strips.Buff the cam lobes and the base of the lifters.
Keep the lifters matched to the lobes they came from and put silver neverseize on the lobes and lifters. It will work fine. I have used neverseize to break in many cams without fail. No high pressure springed race cams but many stock ones.---FEDER

[choprods]

Turn that BITCH over by hand and wire brush the rust off with a drill and cup brush till "shinier" apearance occours-THEN Spill some STP on those lobes and it will THEN run to within 15 seconds of life expectancy that a NEW one would have! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif