Broken Cam Pin
06-01-2009, 06:28 PM
#1
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Northern VA
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Broken Cam Pin
What would cause the cam pin to break. I recently installed a new blower cam, Cloyes dual roller timing, and MSD Opti on my engine less than 200 miles ago. I had a header gasket blow out so at the same time I replaced the gasket and installed larger injectors. The car would not start after the injector swap so I double checked everything, and everything was good. So I decide to take the opti off to check and see if the rotor screws backed out and the cam shaft dowel pin was broken when I took the opti off. Has anybody else had this problem. Its a brand new compcams cam.
06-04-2009, 01:46 PM
#9
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Location: Chesterfield Twp, MI
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Interesting - this guy has a Comp Cams cam that had the dowel pin break too:
https://www.camaroz28.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=677037
https://www.camaroz28.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=677037
06-04-2009, 03:31 PM
#10
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Location: Kernersville, NC
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Interesting - this guy has a Comp Cams cam that had the dowel pin break too:
https://www.camaroz28.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=677037
https://www.camaroz28.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=677037
06-05-2009, 01:45 AM
#11
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Location: Lancaster, Texas
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What if the cam gear bolts were slightly too long and bottomed out inside the cam.
When tightened, they'd show the correct torque but wouldn't actually allow the back of the cam gear to fit flush with the cam.
So, if there was a small amount of gear to cam play, could that cause the pin to break?
Jake
West Point ROCKS!
When tightened, they'd show the correct torque but wouldn't actually allow the back of the cam gear to fit flush with the cam.
So, if there was a small amount of gear to cam play, could that cause the pin to break?
Jake
West Point ROCKS!
06-05-2009, 06:06 PM
#12
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Location: Northern VA
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What if the cam gear bolts were slightly too long and bottomed out inside the cam.
When tightened, they'd show the correct torque but wouldn't actually allow the back of the cam gear to fit flush with the cam.
So, if there was a small amount of gear to cam play, could that cause the pin to break?
Jake
West Point ROCKS!
When tightened, they'd show the correct torque but wouldn't actually allow the back of the cam gear to fit flush with the cam.
So, if there was a small amount of gear to cam play, could that cause the pin to break?
Jake
West Point ROCKS!
Nope the cam bolt holes go all the way to the other side. It broke at the end of the cam face. I was able to remove the old pin by drilling it out. With the cam out i put the gear back on it with the bolts loose and there it can definitely move a little bit. I am checking into installing 2 pins in the cam and gear, leaving the second one flush with the surface of the cam gear. I see several company offer a dual pin service of upgrade.
06-05-2009, 06:23 PM
#13
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Location: Lancaster, Texas
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I've never experienced it, but have read of the cam gear bolts loosening, even when Lock-Tite was used. I install the little device before starting the bolts (forgot what it's called) and bend it's tabs over the heads of the cam gear bolts. It's designed to help prevent the bolts from loosening.
Were the cam gear bolts still tight when you began to remove them from the cam gear?
If I come across a post from someone else who has experienced the same thing, I'll post the link here. I hope you do too, because I'll be swapping heads and cam on my son's 96LT1 Vette in a couple of weeks and am using a new CompCams camshaft too.
Thanks,
Jake
West Point ROCKS!
Were the cam gear bolts still tight when you began to remove them from the cam gear?
If I come across a post from someone else who has experienced the same thing, I'll post the link here. I hope you do too, because I'll be swapping heads and cam on my son's 96LT1 Vette in a couple of weeks and am using a new CompCams camshaft too.
Thanks,
Jake
West Point ROCKS!
06-06-2009, 02:02 PM
#14
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 130
I've never experienced it, but have read of the cam gear bolts loosening, even when Lock-Tite was used. I install the little device before starting the bolts (forgot what it's called) and bend it's tabs over the heads of the cam gear bolts. It's designed to help prevent the bolts from loosening.
Were the cam gear bolts still tight when you began to remove them from the cam gear?
If I come across a post from someone else who has experienced the same thing, I'll post the link here. I hope you do too, because I'll be swapping heads and cam on my son's 96LT1 Vette in a couple of weeks and am using a new CompCams camshaft too.
Thanks,
Jake
West Point ROCKS!
Were the cam gear bolts still tight when you began to remove them from the cam gear?
If I come across a post from someone else who has experienced the same thing, I'll post the link here. I hope you do too, because I'll be swapping heads and cam on my son's 96LT1 Vette in a couple of weeks and am using a new CompCams camshaft too.
Thanks,
Jake
West Point ROCKS!
Cam bolts where tight, I also used lock-tite on them also. I have seen post on broken cam bolts but not on a chevy engine, It was a ford forum and it was a big-block ford runing 8k rpm.
06-06-2009, 04:13 PM
#15
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Lancaster, Texas
Posts: 549
Any other signs of contact? I recently read a post and looked at the photos posted along with it where the timing chain interfered with the water pump drive. I didn't make a note of the Forum it was on, but I'll try to find it and post a link when I do.
I also recall a member on the CF had Cloyes double roller interference problems with his LT1's timing chain cover. He and his Dad had to do a lot of grinding on the cover to get the clearance they needed.
So I'm wondering if the Cloyes T/C set could be contributing to the failure.
I'm just brain-storming this because there has to be a cause somewhere. It would be all too easy to attribute the failure to manufacturer's defect, but I'd first look at all the other possible causes before concluding that. Besides, putting everything back together without finding the cause of the failure may result in you being right back in the same situation.
We could run a survey to confirm, but I don't believe there are very many guys who have had to resort to double pins on their LTx engines to address a pin breaking problem. Wouldn't there be more posts about this pin breakage problem on this and other Forums if breakage was happening? My thinking is there has to be an under-lying cause for the pin to break.
Just my thoughts in trying to help.
Jake
West Point ROCKS!
I also recall a member on the CF had Cloyes double roller interference problems with his LT1's timing chain cover. He and his Dad had to do a lot of grinding on the cover to get the clearance they needed.
So I'm wondering if the Cloyes T/C set could be contributing to the failure.
I'm just brain-storming this because there has to be a cause somewhere. It would be all too easy to attribute the failure to manufacturer's defect, but I'd first look at all the other possible causes before concluding that. Besides, putting everything back together without finding the cause of the failure may result in you being right back in the same situation.
We could run a survey to confirm, but I don't believe there are very many guys who have had to resort to double pins on their LTx engines to address a pin breaking problem. Wouldn't there be more posts about this pin breakage problem on this and other Forums if breakage was happening? My thinking is there has to be an under-lying cause for the pin to break.
Just my thoughts in trying to help.
Jake
West Point ROCKS!
