Cam and lifter

[Pete Kerns]

I have had this happen twice, #7 intake lifter and cam lobe are wasted any ideas or suggestions 350 small block 010 block.

[Grumpy Bear]

Not enough information. Lifter type? Cam factory? This a simple cam swap situation or a rebuild? Assembly lube used? What oil? How is it being broken in? Is the system primed before fire up. How many miles to failure. See where this is going? 

[Pete Kerns]

Engine only has 3k miles since build.First time had engine miss, tore down and found #7 intake lobe and lifter rounded. Checked head, springs, roller rockers, performance push rods, and lifter journal.  All looked good. Replaced cam with a slight performance cam and all new lifters. Used black paste on all lobes and lifter bottoms also used break in additives. #7 lobe and lifter rounded again before break in was done. Appeared all rockers were getting good oil. I'm lost.

[Grumpy Bear]

It's odd that it's the same place twice. Did you do an interference check? How? 

[Pete Kerns]

Not sure what ya mean. I had the head checked for coil bind.

[Grumpy Bear]

What I meant was did you roll the motor over by hand checking everything that can make contact. Not just does it have clearance but is it enough. Your cam manufacture will have minimums. Also as it is the same position did you check the spring pressures. Weak spring. Enough spring. You changed to a 'performance' cam. Matching springs? Clay the pistons? Is there something funky with that lifters bore? Oil feed or clearance? BTW, what oil are you breaking this motor in with? 

 

Yea, I'm fishing as I'm not there and can't see what you see and don't know this build or the builder.  

 

 

 

 

 

[Pete Kerns]

All clearances look good. I'm still thinking oiling issue with that lifter bore. All springs are for the cam and were double checked at the machine shop after it happened the second time. Do the lifters get there oil from the hole inside the lifter bore?

[Grumpy Bear]

3 minutes ago, Pete Kerns said:

All clearances look good. I'm still thinking oiling issue with that lifter bore. All springs are for the cam and were double checked at the machine shop after it happened the second time. Do the lifters get there oil from the hole inside the lifter bore?

Yep. The lobe however is mainly splash. 

 

[Pete Kerns]

I'm sure confused.  I'm about ready to get another block and start over.

[Grumpy Bear]

Tell me about the cam. Hydraulic? Solid? Mild as in used OEM springs mild?

 

And again what oil are you trying to get this bird off the ground with.

[Pete Kerns]

I understand al the questions,  but all of them answers won't explain why it happened twice in the same spot. 

[Grumpy Bear]

Okay