What year was the camshaft bad in the camaro?
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Joined: May 2004
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From: Kettering Ohio
What year was the camshaft bad in the camaro?
Hi guys, the IROC i wanted didnt work out but now i got the chance and the money to go after a 86 z28 with a TPI 305. It has 91k on it original, and is in pretty good shape. It runs rough, and has a code 22 in it, which is related to the TPS or Fuel pump cutoff relay circuit. Hopefully that is why it's running rough, and not a worn out camshaft. I know there was a year or two that a shotty cam was used and wore out really quick. Am I safe with this 86?
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From: Atlanta, Ga
Re: What year was the camshaft bad in the camaro?
I was not aware of there being a problem with a actually "shoddy" as in defective cam that would wear out during the 3rdgen's run. I've had 85, 86, and 87 305 TPI cars and never had any cam wear related problems that I could tell (all had over 120k miles on the original bumpstick when I had them).
What you may be thinking of is that the 86 got the "peanut cam" (so did the 87+ TPI auto equiped cars, just a roller version), which is a serious performance killing cam as it's so small. The change to that cam in 86 yielded a 25hp drop from the 85 305 TPI with no other performance impacting changes... An honest to god 25 hp drop in the ratings, WTF GM thought it was doing is beyond me, I guess emissions reasoning. Anyway, 86 was also the last year for the non-roller cam (at least in TPIs cars, I think across the board in V8 Fbodies but not sure)...
If you're worried the cam is dead it wouldn't be a bad idea to swap it out anyway to ditch the peanut cam. Summit and others sell a generic 204/214 dur @.050 cam for right around $100 that works great in the 305 TPIs (it's just a little bit hotter than the "good" factory TPI cams). Summit specifically also sells a kit with the valve springs too I believe for a little more. I stuffed that cam (left the stock valve springs) in my 86 IROC and it yielded quite an improvement...
What you may be thinking of is that the 86 got the "peanut cam" (so did the 87+ TPI auto equiped cars, just a roller version), which is a serious performance killing cam as it's so small. The change to that cam in 86 yielded a 25hp drop from the 85 305 TPI with no other performance impacting changes... An honest to god 25 hp drop in the ratings, WTF GM thought it was doing is beyond me, I guess emissions reasoning. Anyway, 86 was also the last year for the non-roller cam (at least in TPIs cars, I think across the board in V8 Fbodies but not sure)...
If you're worried the cam is dead it wouldn't be a bad idea to swap it out anyway to ditch the peanut cam. Summit and others sell a generic 204/214 dur @.050 cam for right around $100 that works great in the 305 TPIs (it's just a little bit hotter than the "good" factory TPI cams). Summit specifically also sells a kit with the valve springs too I believe for a little more. I stuffed that cam (left the stock valve springs) in my 86 IROC and it yielded quite an improvement...
Last edited by Ray86IROC; May 22, 2005 at 04:04 PM.
Thread Starter
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 439
From: Kettering Ohio
Re: What year was the camshaft bad in the camaro?
nah im sure there was a bad cam that was used for a year or two. I know of the "peanut" cam. Hopefully someone with more info can chime in. Thanks for the info though, if I get this one, I will definitely be getting rid of the stock cam.
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Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Holland, NY
Re: What year was the camshaft bad in the camaro?
Hey John, how's it going? Still shooting for a beautiful tpi IROC are you?
But I know what John is talking about; In the 85-year model 305's the cams wear out prematurely. (Maybe it's the 86's, but I think 85 is the year) The reason they wore-out so fast (i think) was because they used a special metal for some reason or another, but It ended up wearing out much faster.
Dont quote me on any of this, but this is what I remember.
But I know what John is talking about; In the 85-year model 305's the cams wear out prematurely. (Maybe it's the 86's, but I think 85 is the year) The reason they wore-out so fast (i think) was because they used a special metal for some reason or another, but It ended up wearing out much faster.
Dont quote me on any of this, but this is what I remember.
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Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 366
From: Jax, FL
Re: What year was the camshaft bad in the camaro?
GM did have problems with soft cams in the 305's I think, can't remember what year, you will have to search the net to find out. It is true though, I think they got a bad batch of cams with not the right heat treat process to the metal and had lots of failures.
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From: Kettering Ohio
Re: What year was the camshaft bad in the camaro?
Actually I know my facts, and I'll ask one of the older techs tomarrow at work. It was a while ago I found out about it, but I'm sure one of the guy's know.
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Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Holland, NY
Re: What year was the camshaft bad in the camaro?
Originally Posted by onefastgta
GM did have problems with soft cams in the 305's I think, can't remember what year, you will have to search the net to find out. It is true though, I think they got a bad batch of cams with not the right heat treat process to the metal and had lots of failures.
I dont know if they were a bad batch, or just simply bad design. I *thought* I heard that they were soft like that to make them quiter, but I am not positive which one is true.
Like John and myself said; we believe it was the '85 model year 305's with the shoddy cam.
Looks like 87DJP2001 is the one that better check his facts
What happened w/ the *soft cams* was they wore out EXTREMELY prematurely, resulting in horrible performance
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,790
From: Florida. USA
Re: What year was the camshaft bad in the camaro?
My orginal opinion was "if the engine is still running after all these years the Camshaft could not be defective". As for facts check out all the info on the Tech Site of www.thirdgen.org for all the correct facts about all your heresay info. 
Note: not one mention of a defective camshaft.
Note: not one mention of a defective camshaft.
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 252
Re: What year was the camshaft bad in the camaro?
Originally Posted by 87DJP2001
My orginal opinion was "if the engine is still running after all these years the Camshaft could not be defective". As for facts check out all the info on the Tech Site of www.thirdgen.org for all the correct facts about all your heresay info. Note: not one mention of a defective camshaft.
Note: not one mention of a defective camshaft.
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 439
From: Kettering Ohio
Re: What year was the camshaft bad in the camaro?
My hearsay info is from techs that have been in the business alot longer than you have probably been alive. I work at a GM dealership. There was a bad year for 305 cams, when I find out for sure the concrete proof, I'll post it.