Are my cams worn or bad?

[thecrew2999]

title says it all... i got pictures here

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/ind...&MyToken=20bf4e0b-b6a0-4ecc-a8ff-37cd10a3016a

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/ind...&MyToken=20bf4e0b-b6a0-4ecc-a8ff-37cd10a3016a

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/ind...&MyToken=20bf4e0b-b6a0-4ecc-a8ff-37cd10a3016a

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/ind...&MyToken=20bf4e0b-b6a0-4ecc-a8ff-37cd10a3016a

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/ind...&MyToken=20bf4e0b-b6a0-4ecc-a8ff-37cd10a3016a

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/ind...&MyToken=20bf4e0b-b6a0-4ecc-a8ff-37cd10a3016a

 

[rangerj]

What does the micrometer say?

 

[F-22 Raptor SHO]

The pictures you show are typical of a mistreated engine ie, infrequent oil changes as seen in the blackened chicken look of the heads. However, the cam lobes are harder than the metal of the shims so that the shims wear first instead of the lobes. Pull one of the shims and inspect them for pits. Also as my bestest moderator Ranger says, mic the lobes and compare them to spec.

 

[AREA 91]

Just by looking at the pic's, they look ok to me. Measure the lobe height, and check the shims.

 

[twr]

One word about the color... Yikes!! As has already been said, check the shims for pitting. Look closely at the cam lobes, do the have the appearance of tree growth rings and if you have access to one, mic the lobes.

 

[thecrew2999]

thanks people. those are 3.0 cams outta my donor engine so im not sure the history of the car but i know the guy did tell me the valve lashes been changed recently but who knows. im gonna mic them latyer on today after i get the rest of the car done and get ready to drop the engine in.
thanks a lot everyone for advice

 

[blue2ndgen]

Ya he might have changed the shims, but more importantly did he ever change the oil. looking at that makes my lip curl.

 

[LeddZepp8687]

Yea those heads look sickening

 

[CerberuS]

Quaker state oil does that (at least in the NorthEast area.) Im a former Saturn mechanic , ive seen that dozens of times in 60k- cars....

It has some wierd additives that does that when the car is driven for VERY short distances , and the oil didnt warmed up enough

For SHO sakes, use Castrol.

 

[thecrew2999]

the engine has 144,000 miles on it and yeah i have many run ins with quaker state and its always been a problem so i stopped using it, altho i hear the high milage stuff works good.
what oil does anyone recommend? i normally use mobile stuff.
i plan on cleaning the heads before i use them on my 3.2 but the 3.2 heads look a little sick also not as bad, and that was last time i checked them before i used some stuff thats suposed to clean the engine.
my main concern is since im on the 3.2 swap and my next step is putting the brackets, oil pan and the heads on now if the cams are good?
thanks for any input, i guess im gonna have to mic them ill have to borrow one since i dont own one.

 

[mosho93]

For SHO sakes, use Castrol.

**** yes!! When i tookmy oil pan off to inspect my rod bearings during my clutch job, there was absolutly NOO sludge whatsoever in my oil pan like ive seen in previous vehicles. Ive always used castrol Syntec blend and will always use that in any SHO that i own.

 

[blue2ndgen]

I only use mobil 1 supersyn in my SHO. I just pulled my oil pan at 106k and it was spotless. I dont know what the guy before me used but there was a couple of dirty areas in the corners and you could see where the oil was washing the spots away. I know royal purple, redline, and amsoil are good synthetics. There all expensive but, but you get what you pay for.

 

[CerberuS]

Yea ,the only 2 ill never use is those

STAY THE F%?* AWAY FROM

-Quaker state
-Pennsoil (whatever they spell that crap)