I Lost My First Lifter... How And Why To Break In A New Cam (And What You Don't Want To Hear)

This is what I get for saying things like "I've never lost a lifter." That'll teach me. Anyway, on today's episode, I give you some great tips for what to look for when breaking in a new engine with a fresh camshaft and lifters, and then I go ahead and give you a great example of what can happen regardless of your careful considerations and procedures.

[@iamnoone.]

This video was very lifting 😂😂😂. I cam get over it😮😮

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Careful Icarus…

[@iamnoone.]

@@DeadDodgeGarage it was just in fun

[@1RJW381]

TOTALLY AGREED✅

[@Nickthestorekeeper]

Don't be so hard on yourself. This is a problem we are all in together on. You did your due diligence and it still failed. Your honesty helps other people who are trying to navigate the minefield of garbage parts sold today. We need to see part 2 ASAP however!

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Yep - that’s what I’m here for. I know I did the best I could. I have had very good luck up until now. Part two will be coming next weekend!

[@jimbo3214]

With todays quality of parts its not suprising that a lifter was lost.

[@yurimodin7333]

don't worry the manufacturer will just blame the oils who will then blame the manufacturer who will then blame the customer for "doing it wrong"

[@russmiller7687]

Wanted to say the same thing. Since Covid, there's been a LOT of lifter/cam failures. There's been a lot of lifters that were flat faced. So much so that roller lifters and cams have been getting quite popular. Now if the bearings would just hold up.

[@Haffschlappe]

If you use a big oilflter and Block the overflow valve Nothing will Pass the filter

[@Schlipperschlopper]

@@Haffschlappe yes block the overpressure valve and use the biggest truck oilfilter that fits to the engine

[@0004612]

Don’t be hard on yourself, lots of you tubers are experiencing sub-par cams/lifters. Uncle Tony was one. Good, informative video!

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I know. It’s a big problem. I had been really lucky to this point. I have been building and breaking in engines with flat tappet cams for around a decade, and this is the first one I’ve lost. I’m not sweating it too bad.

[@gordocarbo]

@@DeadDodgeGarage Not bad! Lost a few in a row when the xe stuff came out learned my lesson. Even a HR cam went flat in less than a yr Wish the OEM big 3 would start selling those great lifters again there is a big movement/trend towards FT cams these days I mean a tenth or two between a solid FT and Solid roller...bargain if you ask me. Next cam will be a SFT i dont trust my roller setup to hold up longterm.

[@garageforcerestos]

None of us want it to happen, but it does occasionally. Don't think it was anything you did given your experience, put it behind you :-) looking forward to the next one

[@m1a1hm]

I don't think it was anything you did with how parts are made today I'll bet it's a bad lifter out of the box.

[@mylanmiller9656]

Since I started using Windowed Valve covers, I Found I can save the cam almost every time by Just Changing the lifter that don't Spin! I have had one Cam from Comp that had no Taper on one lobe.

[@gordocarbo]

@@mylanmiller9656 And that is the biggest source of flat lifters Lousy qc on machining . Better off getting Melling or ELgin they have been around the longest and known for supplying OEM with cams lifters etc

[@majortwit]

“You Lift Me Up” You’re my hero :) It’s delightful to see somebody 100x as smart and experienced as me have to tear it down again. I used to have to replace garage glass after I located the wrench I just heaved thru it.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I don’t know about that 100x stuff… I once threw a helmet through a window myself 😅 anywho… these things happen.

[@cushionface09]

What I do when breaking in a cam I put a mark on the pushrod with a paint marker so I can see if the lifter is rotating. I use breakin oil & I use an old set of valve springs until the cam is broke in. Then I put the new springs on but still watch to be sure the paint mark on pushrods are still rotating. I hope this helps someone. Thx. Keep up the great videos.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I’ve heard that a time or two now. Planning to mark them myself in the future.

[@gordocarbo]

Smart man!! Thats how ya do it!

[@bryanturner683]

You should check out Oregon Cams in Vancouver wash. I was very gunshy about all the cam failures and called and talked to them. Since my cam had been running fine and I did not have a cam related failure seems like the metal in it was fine. I had them regrind my cam. He also sold me new mellin lifters that have the oil passage machined in the side for better oiling. Took it my mechanic for engine stand start up. Bye said it ran great and cruised right through break in and oil pressure is good.. Seems like you should have a few cams that could be candidates for regrind? I think it was 130.00 for grinding and shipping to get it back to me, I dropped it off to get worked on. Good luck

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I have learned about them since this debacle and will be using them in the future.

[@trentjohnson8794]

Don’t let them beat you down Jamie , some times shit happens 🤷‍♂️ they will only have the balls to bag u when they are not face to face , learning and experiences come from good and bad experiences…. That’s what makes people experienced . Your doing a great job 👍😎😃

[@CrucesNomad1]

Oh the 198 slant six, my first car. Probably to much to try and find one. But I loved that car and engine.

[@matthewb8229]

I love all the random engines throughout the video. It takes me back to the first video of yours I watched. "Admire".

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Admire this fine pile of rusty junk 😅 I love it too.

[@wearegame777]

I always ran mine at 2500 RPM+ on cam break-in. Varied higher than that, no lower though.

[@george1la]

I am 76 and out of an ICU 2 months ago. Since then I have had 3 cam failures in a row due to bad lifters. This is an across the board problem as shown by the videos on You Tube. On one of these videos he mentioned Diamond Like Coating (DLC). It is a plasma product almost as hard as diamonds and since it is made from carbon it is super slippery. I called Summit, who has been the best possible during this nightmare, and asked them if I could send back the standard Comp Cams lifters and pay the extra about $15.00 and have them ship me the DLC lifters. It was no problem, I had them fast. I spent another week to put in these lifters. I installed the cam and DLC lifters, Comp Cams Break In Oil, and followed their valve setting procedures and break in instructions. I was losing cams and lifters, some with 1/4" ground off, in less than 30 minutes. When I started the motor with the Comp Cams cam and DLC lifters, also made by Comp Cams, the difference is amazing. The lifters just slide over the cam and merely apparently just polish the cam. The oil after now about one hour is super clear like it was just put in and not run. Previously, it was thick and dark with tons of metal in the pan, on the oil pump, and some in the lifter gallery. Comp Cams sent these lifters out for independent analysis according to this video. No matter how fast, or how much spring pressure they used, they could not make it destroy when on the spintron. They tried to abuse it during break in and it still worked. I suggest when now buying a flat tappet cam to make sure you have the DLC coated lifters. Just gaskets and oil is about $100.00. What if you do this for a living?

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Ouch. That’s not ideal. I learned about DLC after this video, and am very interested. Unfortunately they don’t seem to have them available for Mopars just yet… I am waiting with bated breath.

[@mojunk19]

Welcome to the real life world. I to never had a cam failure till 2013 when the fun of the hobby hit and all time low. My 1969 Road Runner with a number matching 383 that when removed ran great except for a little puff on start up. Just a quick rebuild. The machine shop checked it out and gave me the new. We should replace everything. Heads totally rebuilt new bronze guides new hardens seats new valves new springs. Needs a bore job lets go 30 over so new pistons and the rods lets resize them and the crankshaft needed some love to. 45 minutes into the break in my new cam and lifters took the new build to a whole new level of my hobby. 2 bent push rods,2 lifters mushroomed. Should have left it alone.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Ouch… yeah. I’ve been really lucky to this point. I have opened a few engines that lost lobes after years of tender love and care (and probably no high zinc oil.) Now I have to sit and question my practices, even though it’s a lot more likely to be a material problem, as many other people with similar issues have tried to prove.

[@gordocarbo]

Brand was the 4 letter C word? QC is all over these days Most do crappy machining on them, taper needs to be right or they just wont spin. I only get stuff from Isky and Crower....not cheap but so far no failures since the 80s.

[@Haffschlappe]

Affordable Elgin pro Stock cams and lifters are fine also

[@VernLeRoy1962]

I learned in 2017 after to failed Cam break-in on 2 diiferent Eninges, Now I only use Roller Cams & roller lifters, good part is there is no Cam break-in any more!

[@Schlipperschlopper]

man, most roller cams and lifters are made in China too....you cant trust chinese roller lifters at all!!!

[@Anthony12valve440RB]

Very good informational video in explaining ring break in because its true no one talks about that and I’ve seen people who had someone else build their engine and tell them its good and then later on the engine is burning oil with alot of blow by. Also glad you mentioned fluctuating the throttle on cam break in i always tell people you need that oil to splash as much as you can on the cam etc, because just sitting at lets say 2000rpm the whole time doesn’t accomplish that. Btw thats a nice setup running stand.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Bingo. There are so many different things that can go wrong. All we can do is shoot for best practices and keep these things in mind.

[@gordocarbo]

Agree, 2k can be a little low. Always vary it and a light rev here and there. Make sure it fires asap instead of cranking and cranking. Lots of first start vids where its obvious whats gonna happen lol

[@704406bbl]

You know it's a darn shame the cam and lifter mfg. cant make decent parts like they used to. Heck in the 80's me and others would slam a cam in an engine and go racing with no problems. And we were young guys that knew enough to be dangerous! Not only you but I've seen guys like pro engine builders have failures. Now here I am with a couple 440s to build for my cars and it looks like if I dont use a roller cam I'm setting myself up for failure. So much for a low buck build. Good luck. Really like your channel.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Exactly! Yeah. It’s just a totally different time now and it sucks. Lots of people having problems. I’m just late to the party… I’ve also heard of roller lifters sticking - in the comments of this video even. There is no perfect answer, but I definitely feel better about the roller.

[@davidkeeton6716]

Flat tappet cams and lifters are a thing of the past, by design. Everyone is experiencing failures with them these days. Me included. Ford FE with Comp Cams Performer RPM cam. Just save up your money and get a roller cam and lifters and pushrods and roller rockers. You will be running your hotrod sooner than building it twice and all the expenses and time waiting on parts,,,, again. Trust me.

[@gordocarbo]

Yup....Id buy cheap PAW SSI cams no break in. Just fire it up time it and drive never had an issue. Eve with their cheap lifters. If the taper is wrong its guaranteed to fail . Machinist may go through 3 boxes to make 1 good set.

[@Schlipperschlopper]

They are forced by government into this to get rid of us vintage car guys

[@Schlipperschlopper]

@@gordocarbo PAW housebrand and Jegs housebrand were fine, they were all made by Melling and Melling did pretty good work during the 1980s and early 90s, sadly today they suck as Comp, Edelbrock, Lunati and most others. Good cams can still be bought at Elgin...never had a problem with their pro stock cams and lifters.

[@billymacon2274]

I know the feeling my friend worked so hard to buy something. Bought a brand new engine from O'Reilly's. Did all the breaking in process drove it next day? Went to crank it up and heard a little tapping noise but once it warms up it goes away. Still debating to pull it out or drive it. LOL. God bless my friend

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Good times…

[@bobbymuse7793]

I bought a freshly rebuilt 340 several years ago, but haven’t had the chance to run it yet. Videos like this scare me. Thank you for the involved discussion on seating the rings.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Definitely proceed with caution. I’d recommend a good pre oiling at minimum - might even be worth it to pull the intake and check things out if it’s been sitting for a long time.

[@bobbymuse7793]

@@DeadDodgeGarage everything looked lubed when I put the intake on, but after a few years of sitting I agree to pull the intake and inspect. It’s going to be sitting for another couple years while I build the car… would it be worth it to use fogging oil in the cylinders?

[@brianandglendaharkin9457]

People make juck parts now . All the best . 👍🏻🇦🇺💯⛽️

[@Schlipperschlopper]

China does! Tofu crap all around.

[@sethbarnes7608]

You actually want 2000-2500 RPM to run in a cam, and fellers, it's always a good idea to spend the extra few bucks to have your cam case hardened. Howard's Cams does it to all their cams, and most other cam companies will offer it too. Not only will it make your cam less sensitive to break in, but it'll reduce the drag coefficient down to nearly what a roller cam would have. As Wilford Brimley would say, it's the right thing to do, and the tasty way to do it😅

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Interesting. I thought all cams were hardened to some degree. I don’t know much about metallurgy.

[@bigwrenchtech]

Jamie Jamie Jamie… thank you thank you thank you. I had a lifter failure on an LA 318 2 years ago. Thank you so much for the video my man!! See you tomorrow…. I won’t forget my coffee cup this time hahahahah

[@randylear8264]

Crazy. I have built 10 plus engines over 50 years 1 Ford. 3 Chevies. The rest bb Mopar and she Mopar. Currently building a 70 440-6 Plymouth. I will be starting it up next week. I have never ran the engine at the recommended rpm 1800-2200. Never. All my engines have ran just fine for thousands of miles. I will most definitely run this 440 as required by the manufacturer. I don`T know why I didn't. Just young and impatient I guess.My last build 340 has 60000 miles on it and runs hard.Thanks for the video and I think like it has been stated in the replies. Flat tapped cams are not put together as they should. It's a crap shoot for sure. Good luck.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I’ve heard lots of stories of guys not doing it in the day. My friend told me he used to put engines together, fire them up and go do burnouts. Never had problems. We just can’t be confident that the parts are going to survive that anymore. We can’t even be confident that they will survive if we *do* follow the recommendations!

[@randylear8264]

@@DeadDodgeGarage true. You are not the first guy I have watched on video that has complained about inferior parts. Sad times we live in. Because they still want top dollar for said cams and lifters. I will tell you the truth about my 440 build. I took the 484 purple shaft cam from the 1980’s and lifters as numbered out of a 440 engine that was built then. It is the cam I am using on my 70 440 build. The engine after rebuild only had 20000 miles on it. That is how much confidence I have in todays parts. Also I used the melling high volume oil pump out of that engine. When I primed the new one, it pushed over 120 psi. I even tried to replace the check spring to no avail. The melling pumps 80 psi and that is it. So. A little old and a little new. Let’s see how well they play together. 🙏🏻🤞

[@vincemajestyk9497]

Sorry that you had a problem, I know it's heartbreaking. A long time ago I had an engine I paid a lot to have rebuilt by a local 'expert' develop a mild tapping. It spun a rod bearing after maybe 2 hours run time. I was in the service and didn't have the time or facilities to do it myself. It was a 440 6bbl with all original new parts about 40 years ago. There's a lot that needs to be checked during an autopsy to figure out what went wrong. As far as lube, a good non-detergent high ZDDP break-in oil and good cam lube like Isky Rev Lube. It's a paste so it stays put till you fire the engine. That red stuff is garbage and I refuse to use it. I also make sure the engine fires INSTANTLY. You can check rotation before you start it by turning the cam without the chain. Paint a stripe on the pushrods to make sure they are spinning and pop the V covers off. Sometimes you need to swap the lifters around in the bores to get all 16 to rotate. The depth of the cam in the block will impact how the lifters interact with the cam taper too. This is due to different timing sets or whether you have a washer or needle roller bearing on the end of the cam gear. The biggest thing too is I use ONLY old stock lifters made in the '70's through the early '90's. I don't trust these 'new' parts. Take it for what it's worth, it's free advice, but two points I would make are one, your RPM's were way too low. You want the revs between 2000 at the extreme low end and bursts p to 3000 with the average at around 2500. I usually go for 30 minutes now. Cams are primarily splash lubricated. Not a lot of oil splash at 1500 RPMs. In fact, it's good to over fill the crankcase by a couple quarts to get a lot of oil mist generated. The other thing is you NEVER want to stop in the middle of a break in unless there's a catastrophic fail or an emergency. You always want to press onward even if the temps rise a little bit, which is normal with the increased friction. Until the cam and lifters are well acquainted, which is the full break-in period, you always run the increased risk of a lifter refusing to spin upon restarting the process. I always pull the valve covers and crank the engine over and watch the pushrods (white paint stripe) to make sure they all spin. They will spin at different speeds, some faster or slower than others. That's OK! AS LONG AS THEY ALL SPIN. These days Moly rings seal almost right away. The old cast iron and Chrome would take forever to seat. Moly is pretty much almost instant. Those studs for the valve covers were to position the gasket and valve cover for assembly. In the end it may not be a single thing that you can point to as a cause of the failure. It's a 'stacking effect' of multiple deficiencies that in the past you might have got lucky and beat the odds but throw one more on the pile and that's it.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Excellent advice. I haven’t heard anyone advocating for that high an RPM before - or for going as long as 30 minutes - but I completely understand and agree with the reasoning. There is no way we could’ve run it that high that long on the cart with the old fan, as it was getting way too hot too fast, so I got in the habit of the five to ten minute bursts. I have read that should be fine - but I could see where it’s an unnecessary possible introduction of a failure. This case may well be a data point to suggest that. With this current setup, I’m confident I could do a complete run without issue. I thought the whole point of the comp red lube was that it stuck around… I will say, I have looked in at one that I have covered with the red stuff days later, and it sure didn’t seem to be as greasy as when I left it. I am strongly considering building a set of open / windowed valve covers for these break ins. Mark pushrods and watch. It would be easy insurance. The problem there is, with these stock type builds, we really want everything painted together, to the point that all of the bolts painted (and ideally the paint unbroken) as the factory did. But that doesn’t really work when you have to disassemble an engine and replace a cam, either… so there’s that. Thank you for your input. I will be referring back to this later.

[@vincemajestyk9497]

@@DeadDodgeGarage You're welcome! I've used that red stuff before and unless you fire it fairly quick it seems to run off. I've had great luck with the Isky lube. It's really thick and pasty and sticks. Even after months. The standard rule was always 2500 RPM for 20 minutes but since I've gotten paranoid, I've lengthened it out a little bit. Afterwards I pull the valve covers and spin the engine with the starter and watch the paint stripes on the pushrods. If the pushrods aren't turning neither are the lifters. I usually use a white paint pen and paint a cross or '+' on the top of the pushrod. I have considered what you said using 'windowed' valve covers but if they spin OK before firing they should be OK. It's just one of those things, sometimes you do all you can and stuff still happens. I honestly believe it has more to do with modern parts, mostly lifters, than anything else. It's really weird, I remember doing stuff before that would almost guarantee a failure and he stuff always survived, now unless you do everything right and even then, it's a crapshoot, there are no guarantees. I don't want to jinx myself so I'm not going to say I haven't had a problem. I feel bad for you, it always sucks when you go through that much of an effort. You'll probably never really 'know'. People can guess but after the fact especially on these cam and lifter fails it's practically impossible to know for certain.

[@MrBrombomb]

Hearing that gear-reduction starter crank that 440 into life is music to my ears. I could listen to that all day long. I’ve always preferred the Chrysler Gear-reduction starters over the Dakota Mini starters for some reason.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I’m right there with you. Haha. It’s the kind of stuff I hear in my dreams - unlike Ford starters. I hear those in my nightmares.

[@MrBrombomb]

@@DeadDodgeGarage Ha Ha Ha Ha! I agree.

[@ercost60]

Uncle Tony's Garage sent me here! Are you really his illegitimate son? :) Total bummer, this chronic cam/lifter problem is everywhere, even though you clearly know what you're doing. I've been slowly rebuilding my Corvair 140 engine over many months and this epidemic scared me into reusing my low-mileage (10-15K miles) cam & lifters since the cam is buried inside the engine... no easy swap. I'm hoping to avoid any problems. Good luck sorting out this problem, Brother!

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

🤣 I could well be his illegitimate nephew! Yeah… the good used cams and lifters are starting to seem like the way.

[@gordocarbo]

Maybe Isky or Crower could reface/harden them

[@sethbarnes7608]

Also, it can be a good idea to run a small brake cylinder hone through your lifter holes.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Absolutely. The machine shop always hones them for us.

[@moparedtn]

Lesson learned here some years ago - when Comp was bought out, QC went to crap there. To make matters worse, their customer service is one of total denial too. As a result, I won't buy another anything from that company again - ever. In fact, it's more fun finding an old (but new in box) Mopar cam+ lifters to use anyways. - Ed on the Ridge

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Yep! That’s what we’re doing for just about every build now.

[@Haffschlappe]

They are Chinese owned i think

[@Schlipperschlopper]

Same story with Edelbrock and Melling...cant buy their stuff without bad feelings

[@Schlipperschlopper]

@@Haffschlappe yes Chinese investors own them

[@christopherarmstrong2095]

You rock Buddy

[@macfranks2456]

What brand of cam and lifters was it? I'm still marking cam retailers off my ever shortening list of companies I would buy a cam and lifters from. The predominant type of failure now appears to be cam lobes and/or lifters that are being made flat for some odd reason instead of with the proper flat tappet profile. The lifter doesn't spin so it goes away rather quickly. When they are made wrong like this it doesn't matter what sort of break in that you do.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Comp. Yeah. I know, and I have seen videos about many similar failures. That’s why I’m as careful as I am with this. I am very interested to get this apart and see if it’s just the one, or if multiple were on their way.

[@Schlipperschlopper]

government forces them to do so

[@rustybumperclassics6342]

Good video

[@Kevin-Murphy-007]

Hey Dead Dodge Garage. I don't feel that it was anything you did wrong. I saw a video on Uncle Tony's garage and he bought a brand new camshaft, long story short, the cam was no good, even though it was new. So new doesn't always mean better, sometimes. Hope you have a superfantastic day. God Bless You.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

He’s actually had a couple failures in the last couple years. Thanks to his videos (and others) I’m well familiar with the possibilities. This is just the first time I’ve had it happen on a new engine I put together. It was bound to happen eventually!

[@Schlipperschlopper]

They market used cam regrinds and reground lifters as new....they buy crap stuff in 3rd world countries and remanufacture in China or India and sell as "new" in USA. HORRIBLE!!!

[@richjordan9375]

As was mentioned in the livestream tonight, Johnson lifters still seem to be holding on to their quality reputation, at least compared to most others. I have heard from an old friend who gets to do this stuff a lot that Melling brand lifters are still USA made and he has been happy with them when Johnsons were unobtanium during the pandemic. But that's just one reference so take it for what its worth.

[@gordocarbo]

Correct...many failed stories are from those who wont spring for the good stuff the first time. NOthing cheap is good

[@Schlipperschlopper]

@@gordocarbo The problem the GM genuine Johnsons (aka Delphi lifters) now put you back for 300 Euro per piece (!) here in Europe

[@gordocarbo]

@@Schlipperschlopper Big & here in US too if you can find a set.

[@fieldcars3301]

I liked the video even tho it's sad. It's not like this is rare, seems all brands are selling duds.

[@davidwitts3887]

Nice to see a Poly in the video

[@dantupper1784]

Follow the correct proceedure- and sometimes still get wiped-out cams & lifters. There have been cam failures using 100% break-in oil. I have watched where the rockwell hardness of cams & lifters checked and passed. I have seen the cam lobes checked for maintaining proper taper to keep the lifter spinning in it's bore. If the Camshaft Companies are concerned about the increased failure rate of their product, they are not publicly addressing it. And some suggest it is just a ploy to get everybody to spend more and go to retrofit hydraulic and solid roller lifters & cams. Wish somebody with industry stature like Smokey Yunick was still around to iron-out this mess.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Right. So many theories, so many possible causes, so much evidence one way or the other way. It’s enough to make anyone’s head spin. I guess we just accept that failure is a possibility and move on.

[@gordocarbo]

Problem is switching to a roller isnt a guarantee either. Had one that went flat in 15k miles...warned the owner to use a reputable co for parts

[@christopher5585]

I heard a few complaints regarding Comp Cams Flat/Tap camshafts/Lifters wiping out during Break In. Also heard a rumor that they sold out to China. Don't know if it's true but I stopped using Comp Cams for one simple reason. If you use any of their Flat/Tap grinds (except for the XHL line), they are essentially grinds based on the same Chevy .842 Lifter family design. Why would you want to use a Chevy .842 inch grind on your Mopar .904 inch Lifter engine ? Hughes Engines bases their Flat Tap cams specifically on Chrysler's.904 inch wide Lifter. You will have better overall performance throughout the band and your Mopar's full potential will be properly utilized.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Oh yeah. Hughes is great. In this case we went with Comp because they had what we needed for this build on the shelf. We have Comp cams running in a lot of engines with no issues… but that one time that it bites you sort of tips the scales the other way quite a bit, doesn’t it?

[@davidkeeton6716]

Oh yeah, totally worth all the labor and expenses of having to do it again. All the bearings, maybe a crank, oil pump etc. Then having to find a crankshaft, a roller cam and lifters and pushrods and maybe rocker arms or assemblies because of all the metal that goes through the motor, just because you think that you can trust Comp Cams. You can't. They take zero responsibility for these failures. Just don't. There are other manufacturers of roller cams that will get you going.

[@brentforte5950]

Im conflicted i liked the video but hate what happened . That sucks more videos tho please i really want to see what happened .

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Really not the outcome I was expecting 🥲 but it’s all good. We’ll fix it!

[@awspartan4417]

If a college is close like the one I’m close to they have all the equipment to hardness test your cam and lifters,and compare it to the old ones. Easy test Rockwell test. One’s going to be too soft the other too hard.Most likely lack of certain elements being added to the mix.And college would be able to tell you what elements are in the shafts,and what ones are not.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I served on the advisory board for the local college’s auto tech program, so I guess I could ask the instructor there. I can’t test these parts because they were sent back to the manufacturer - and, with the face wiped out, there is no usable data to collect as far as hardness. I have heard from various sources that the hardness isn’t the problem, it’s improper machining which leads to a lack of lifter rotation, and death. In the next video where I tear the engine down, I find that three lifters were going away.

[@greghardy7239]

Would be nice if you could back charge the manufacture for time and product for inferior quality parts. Might make them rethink there products.

[@The_Painter31]

This seems to be a recurring thing with Comp Cams stuff lately for lots of people. Do you think going to the adjustable rockers with a solid cam instead would make a difference? An Oval Track grind has low lash and even on my ahem...chevy...it never needs to be lashed even if I check it. I only use Isky and never have an issue with them.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

This problem isn’t as prevalent with solid lifters. For one thing, they are not in constant contact with the lobes like hydraulic lifters are.

[@Haffschlappe]

Elgin cams are fine

[@Schlipperschlopper]

No that cam has no correct tapers so it will eat manual lifters as well as hydraulic lifters

[@mylanmiller9656]

i build ford engines and I found to make sure that the lifters are working properly, I use a Set of Valve covers with the Carb side Cut out. This way I can see if the push rods are Rotating when the engine is Fired. Since I started doing this I have Saved My self-killing the bottom end, Some lifters will not rotate at all! if you never lost a cam you are not good you are just luckey.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Yep - my luck finally ran out on this one. And I have heard that trick. I would like to make window valve covers for big and small block I think.

[@rickyteague447]

It happens to us all👍🏽🤔

[@davidkeeton6716]

There is one way to prevent the trouble and expense of a flat tappet cam and lifters failure. Save your money and buy a roller cam and lifters and roller rockers. There is technically no break in for a roller cam. Best bet is to bring it up to 800-900 rpm and watch for leaks etc. Bring it to operating temp and run it for 30 minutes. Cut it off let it cool. Change the oil and filter and then do your break in driving/running of the rest of the motor if it's fresh. You just can not count on the quality of materials or manufacture of flat tappet cams and lifters anymore.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I’m well familiar with the prevalence of this problem… Our stroker build (which is currently awaiting break-in after this nightmare is over) has a roller conversion cam - more to avoid these potential problems than the potential power gains. This build, on the other hand, is a restoration that is supposed to be as close to factory as is possible. It just isn’t a good fit for a roller conversion.

[@davidkeeton6716]

Why not, you can't see it. Just go mild. Have one custom ground to stock specs as it were, but with the lobe ramps designed for a roller.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

@@davidkeeton6716 weren't no roller cams in '70, man! I'm head to toe legitimate!

[@4speed3pedals]

Some cam suppliers are using Asian cores and lifters. The actual hardness of a camshaft should be around Rockwell 40C and lifters should be around 50C. Many off shore lifters have a chamfer on the face that is too large. Some camshafts do not have a 0.001" taper on the lobes or a mix of tapers. Some lifters have no crown or are flat with a taper of 0.003". Decent cam cores will have CWC cast into the shaft somewhere between the lobes, usually near the front or rear journals. Some blocks can experience a shift from heat, cool down cycles and add that to core shift from the foundry, angles and spacing can be off. Oils are formulated specific to engine needs to meet factory warranties and adding any additive to any oil can cause a chemical imbalance which could lead to highly increased wear. Buy oil designed for break in and don't settle for the bottle of ZDDP from the auto parts store. What is your engine worth vs the cost of an additive? Want to risk it? Check everything, micrometer, dial indicator, Japanese hardness files, Amsoil or Driven oil, all affordable if you want success.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I guess I didn’t mention that we were using Driven break in oil in this video, and maybe even the subsequent video, because many people have given me the same comment. I have used high zinc oil and an additive in the past without issues - in fact, of all of the engines I’ve broken in with success over the last 13 years, most were using that - but I understand now why that is not a good idea. The detergent type oil essentially tries to wash away the zinc additives, reducing protection of the cam and lifter surfaces at a critical time. Hardness files would be a great investment for me, I think. I didn’t know I needed to know this before. I have seen video of a machinist in the states chucking up brand new lifters in his machine, and after a quick pass, it’s very evident that the factory machining was wrong, as an oval pattern develops across the lifter. I verified that these lifters had a crown, but I certainly didn’t measure them for consistency or the amount of crown. After the failure, I did attempt to measure the taper on the surviving cam lobes, but I didn’t have anything remotely acceptable for the job… a plastic digital micrometer from Harbor Freight was all we had. In the following ‘Carnage’ video, I show the results of what happened, and in my estimation, the lifters were the culprit, and the damage to the cam was secondary.

[@davidkeeton6716]

In the immortal words of John McLane "Welcome to the party pal!" Exactly how my FE cam and lifter failure went. Comp Cams btw. Sucks don't it?

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Ouch. Yeah… needless to say I won’t be buying another Comp any time soon. Or - in the immortal words of John McLane, “Yippy ki-yay, mother fucker!”

[@SteveP-vm1uc]

It seems to be a big issue lately. Many channels have had the same outcome with breaking in cams. I'd love to know the real reason why! In the 70's, GM had a run of soft cams. Metallurgy has come a long ways since then, but that doesn't mean cams and lifters are being made from the best metals or at proper temperatures and procedures. I hope you have found the issue and will give us your best take on it. Hell, I'm sure you will!!

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Well, I haven’t gotten into it yet, but I will! I know - it’s a widespread problem. I’m just the latest to have a turn with it.

[@Haffschlappe]

Government gave Sekret Orders to destroy Gas engine builds

[@SteveP-vm1uc]

@@Haffschlappe Hahahahahahahahaaaaa...

[@Schlipperschlopper]

@@Haffschlappe they did

[@jmc6940]

Can you show us the cam lifter wear pattern?

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I did in a following video called… Lifter Failure Carnage? Something like that.

[@55gaser26]

Bullet cams and lifters been good lately , also hughs, no more comp for me.

[@Haffschlappe]

Crow cams Australia and Kent cams uk are fine also

[@johnelliott7375]

Tick was a good one,.I will vouch that you are going to have a mushroom on the bottom end of it. i know that you had to dhave heard it regardless of hearing it was liuud.😊

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Definitely. Funny enough, it is a lot more audible on video than in real life - but I heard it.

[@garageforcerestos]

I've got to break in my first hyd roller 440 build in a couple weeks, any tips?

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Hydraulic roller? That’s easy mode! Fire it up, make sure you don’t have any leaks or awful noises, and drive it! Vary engine speed and load, don’t floor it for a couple hundred miles. Get the rings cut in and you’re good to go. I’ll be breaking in one of those myself in the coming weeks.

[@garageforcerestos]

@@DeadDodgeGarage Thanks bud

[@tsmith578]

It makes you wonder, did you just not beat it enough during break in , or is it just too much crap metal in the new parts.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

That’s the million dollar question… I feel like the latter, but it could be the former. It’s just so hard to know. I’m very interested to see what the lifter looks like.

[@tsmith578]

@@DeadDodgeGarage like you said, I have never lost a cam during break in, I have ran in quite a few over the years, and many of them I never even added extra zinc to the oil, I just added some Lucas oil stabilizer to some SAE 30 wt.

[@carebear2272]

I might have to bring my charger to you if they don’t set up my engine compartment right, will see how they do, but I might need to find somebody to make it looks somewhat factory correct for 68, a mopar expert

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Well, I can’t say I’m an expert… but I’m getting there! I’m going to do that to my own ‘68 this year! And would be happy to help with yours down the line.

[@carebear2272]

Yes, I think I called you along time ago or something like a email, thought you did full restoration but you did and think you may have directed me to another place, can’t remember they did boats to or something like that probably, but remember you company name.

[@carebear2272]

Didn’t do I mean

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Where I work (Rocket Restorations) we do exactly that! Yes I probably would’ve referred you to Tom, who you can indeed reach at [e-mail]

[@josephsaucedo8691]

440 block maybe 375 HP rebuilt nice ✌️👍💯🛠️

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Well, maybe. Haha. But piles of torque.

[@josephsaucedo8691]

@@DeadDodgeGarage nice I just noticed your name my brother on year for my birthday made me a water jet cut out he made it like the monster garage tv show emblem on the tv but instead of it saying monster g he water jet the dodge garage with the monster garage emblem in the back ground it's 31/2 x2 1/2 steel cut out I have it hanging up above my 67cristine 👍🛠️💯🍻 I guess you can say Mopar or no car

[@philp9957]

what brand cam/lifters? Comp has had a bad run in the last few years and lots of people are having lifters fail on break-in.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Yep… it was a Comp. So I’ve heard!

[@philp9957]

@@DeadDodgeGarage huh . I’m 52 and built a lot of engines.. it’s only in the last few years I’m hearing horror stories .. I don’t doubt some botched break in procedures, but it does seem like there’s more to it . Which sucks because im considering a cam swap in my 57 belair to give it some better street manners..

[@johnelliott7375]

I like Holley carburetor for me.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

The Holley is what gave me problems to begin with…

[@jts9120]

I've been having issues with hydraulic roller lifters sticking.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I’ve heard that too. And if rollers aren’t the answer to the lifter problem… man, are we just screwed?

[@jts9120]

@Dead Dodge Garage Yes! I'm really beginning to think so. I've never had so much trouble getting an engine put together. I have a good idea it's to make us all go to electric cars.. Maybe I'm just a "conspiracy theorist"

[@tsmith578]

You can try adding some sea Foam to your oil. Or try the old timer method and add a half of quart of transmission fluid to your engine oil for the extra detergent. My brother used to always add transmission fluid to the engine oil, and whenever we had to replace any gaskets on any engines, they were always very clean inside when we would inspect anything, even after 200,000 miles.

[@jts9120]

@t Smith But the problem is.. they are brand new roller lifters. I have used transmission fluid on old ones and it does work

[@tsmith578]

@@jts9120 OH , I see,,, maybe you should disassemble them and see what is inside, because who knows these days, could be home they were assembled, or even machining, and of course they could be built with crap material. Maybe you should take the guts from some known good old lifters and install them in the new lifter bodies. Now days if you want it to be all American built, it is looking like you have to be the American building it , Because it is tough to trust a thing.

[@AverageJoeBuilds]

I'm not a mopar guy but Holy hell rocket seems like heaven

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

It is 😍 literally my dream job since I was 17. Pinch me, kick me in the balls, something. Help me make sure this is real life. Haha.

[@AverageJoeBuilds]

@Dead Dodge Garage I bought a dart from you, that has to count as one of said moves 🤣🤣🤣

[@briansignorelli7090]

Sounds like you're spiritually confused

[@AverageJoeBuilds]

@@briansignorelli7090 🤣🤣🤣

[@williamjsingleton5240]

I replaced my cam on a Ford 289 and same happened to me. They don’t make the cam and lifters together anymore. So if the lifters are 1 degree off on their slope than the cam lobes, it will fail. A roller cam is the solution.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

A roller cam is *one* solution. I’ve detailed other good ones in subsequent videos.

[@buffdelcampo]

Radiators! Brass and copper radiators! Don't ever throw those away. High performance, high density cores can make them great.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

There’s a reason they’re stacked up like firewood around these parts 😃

[@gilbertwashburn7095]

Yeah why is that that modern cams fail is it all just a bunch of junk back in my day when I was building and racing we never had this problem no matter what sign of the times junk a guy in my neighborhood made his own camshafts for Indie Motors and then he had them hardened at Allis Chalmers yeah those are awesome camshafts what a smart guy Comp Cams crap cams that's what they are so are my friends spot Comp Cams they're just junk don't ever buy one have a great day thanks for inspiration and video I can't build cars anymore but I should enjoy this you got a great attitude

[@Roosters_Restos]

We call comp cams Walmart cams for a reason

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I know. I’m coming around to that point of view… mostly thanks to Rooster 😅 the Comp cams we’ve been getting have had a weird surface finish. I think I’m about done trusting them - but hard to find another manufacturer that has exactly what we need for any given build sitting on the shelf.

[@Roosters_Restos]

@Dead Dodge Garage so did some thinking today on this and I would call 440 source Monday and order some lifters from them. I believe they use Howard's lifters with there name on them. Remember it's hard to have nice and cheap in the same sentence. If I use a Walmart cam I mic them. I have seen the lobes cut wrong too. There sposta be flat and not off from one side of the lobe to the other. Lifter failure in the time it takes to break in a motor. Or things get ugly later and ya have a bad time.

[@majorpayne5289]

👍Dang it!!

[@walterwhitaker1395]

Here's a question....Do auto manufactures break in every engine as the cars move down the assembly line????

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

The real question is what they did in the time this type of engine was used. There was a procedure used at the engine assembly plant. I have yet to get details explaining what that was.

[@walterwhitaker1395]

You're right I can't get a straight answer to this question either! Lets ask UTG?

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

@@walterwhitaker1395 I'll actually be on his Wednesday live tech talk next week (not this coming Wednesday.) I will try to remember to bring this up.

[@mopartony7953]

There are thousands of engines built monthly with flat tappet cams in new vehicle production. There is no special break in procedure or lubes used. Most engines are only cold tested in production for a few minutes. Drained and sent dry to the assembly line.

[@baerster]

I don't know anything about rebuilding in breaking in engines so no need to answer this question if it would take too long. But when you talk of losing a lifter, do you just mean that that one hydraulic lifter is not pushing up on the rocker arm the way it should be?

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

When the lifter doesn’t spin correctly, it starts to grind itself to pieces on the lobe of the cam and the two wipe themselves out quickly. This leads to a ticking noise, metal debris in the engine, and yes, an arm that does not open as far as it should.

[@baerster]

@@DeadDodgeGarage Thank you!

[@Jason-kn3tw]

It's because they make flat tappet cams and lifters out of marshmallow these days. The whole you didn't break it in right is a cop out from cam company's , back in the day you never ran cams in, you drove the car to bed the rings in , cams just worked

[@steves9905]

Parts are crap now. I have brand new lifters fail on a couple rebuilds. Frustrating

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Yep…

[@user-qr1en5ny2k]

Is this the 340?

[@kellismith4329]

He said a 440

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

No, this is the factory 440 rebuild I did in a previous video at Rocket.

[@michaelnault5905]

It won't be as bad as you think. Reason is. It wasn't raining. Good omen!

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Well it wasn’t in Grays Harbor 😅 but I hope you’re right.

[@Sludge73]

Ugh that stinks. Best of luck on the fix.

[@johnelliott7375]

They are going to be bashing for something to do. Good oa d enjoy your as long as you can.

[@Mike-xt2ot]

I found nothing wrong with your break in. I've done several in the past at 1600 to 1800 rpm. I think it's in the metallurgy. It's not consistent. I wonder if putting new lifters in dry ice would help lije cryo. I dunno. Above my brain matter.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

No I completely agree. Everything I’ve heard and seen in video agrees with that. They looked fine to me… that’s definitely above my pay grade.

[@noahknowhow318]

Ahhh, loosing a lifter... It's like loosing a child. Okay, maybe not that bad. But still, shitty. I always refer to that one time Uncle Tony showed us how to check for the taper of the lifters using a straight edge or flat surface to ensure that they'll spin on the cam. Even with that though, it's always a possibility that the cam can be machined without proper taper as well and will wipe out lifters as well. Happens to the best of us.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Right. I actually checked the crowns on these even. Dang them.

[@Ross046]

It's the cam.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

It definitely is now…

[@tonyb3864]

Bummer. This should not be happening with brand new stuff.

[@scottwheaton9689]

My comment will be coming from 5+ decades 1st hand experience wrenching rebuilding muscle cars & motors from late 50’s-late 90’s. As soon as you said “ I USED COMP CAMS RED ASSEMBLY LUBE “ just that one thing could be the cause of your problem. I say that because I have installed new ft cams & lifters using comps Red (watery thin” assembly lube and noticed it literally drips & runs off the cam lobes in less then 12hrs which isn’t good at all. That right there could get you off on a bad foot to wiping out a ft cam & or lifter/s starting out with a basically dry cam startup to begin with & it’s a quick down hill plunge to ft cam & lifter failure from there with dry cam lobe startup! This was in a bbc When I saw that so to correct the issue I got some of crane cams much better thicker sticky grey color moly type cam lube & applied it to the cam lobes thru lifter bores & open areas of the block directly over cam inbetween lobes too. I also put some red comp lube on a used cam I had sitting around to see if it ran dripped off lobes in less then 12hrs & 85-90% of it did again run off the cam lobes. That prompted me to call comp cams tech line asking ti speak to the boss or mgr for the track Dept to express my concern seeing their thin red assembly lube running off the cam lobes in less then 12hrs(air temp affects how fast this happens too) leading to cam lifter failure. His response was we haven’t any problems with the red lube doing cam swap testing on the dyno . I again explained that’s not reality for the avg builder where motor can sit for day prior to statup & he totally blew me off again & refused to see my point. I asked to speak to his supervisor it boss & he said I was top tech man their at comp cams that day. I tried but go nowhere with comp cams & can’t believe they are still peddling that thin red cam lube to the avg builder stating it works fine doing their 1-2 hr cam swap testing on the dyno so it’s fine for when the motor sits for days wks months post building till its fired up gir cam breakin where cam will almost or fully absent if comps Ref lube that dropped ran off all cam lobes a long time ago then starting out with dry lifter the cam lobe interface scraping & gouging the cam till the motors running for a bit if time having already done damage to the lobes & lifters. Many people don’t fire up a totally rebuilt motor for days months or longer in some cases where comps thin red lube dripping running off the cam lobes in less then 12hrs would be a huge issue even when priming oil pump & oil system prior to starting the motor to breakin the cam. Happy motoring.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I’ve had the same comment once already and have given that some thought. I’ve never of that horrible sticky red goo as something thin that would run off, but I think you’re exactly right. This engine sat for three and a half months between being finished and being started. My prelude procedure seems to have worked fine for the bearings as they look good, but of course just about none of that is going to make it to the lifter faces, so you’re relying on whatever you put there to do its job until it runs and you’ve got thorough splashing action. I have used several different things over the years - I used to use that regular engine assembly goop, and I’ve also used old Mopar cam lube. I started using the red goop because it seemed like good stuff, and I had read that it was. I won’t be using it again. I plan to try and find some of the Crane stuff and give that a shot. Thank you for your input.

[@scottwheaton9689]

Iv’e been using using crane’s sticky grey color assembly lube for ft cam installs & breaking with good results every time. Before I install intake I 1st adjust valves(if applicable) so I can then reapply more crane assembly lube to cam lobes I can get to thru the engine block. I do that because quite a lot of the assembly lube is smeared off the cam lobes while spinning motor over which isn’t good needing to be reapplied where possible. Ensure lifters are turning/spinning in lifter bores & if not swap them out to other lifter bores to make it happen. If not successful chk lifter faces for proper machining & take appropriate action if needed to covert it at that point. Next I pour either gm’s EOS/ engine oil supplement or crane’s Engine SuperLube engine oil supplement onto the cam (thru slots in block),lifters,rockers & springs & install intake & v-covers after that. For ft cam breakin since I already added gm eo’s or crabs super lube to the motor I use oil with proper zddp lvl of 1300-1500ppm for ft cam breakin of stock to mild cam. But if the ft cam being broken in is hotter with more aggressive lobe design & high spring rates I use ft cam specific breakin oil with more then 1500ppm zddp. I also oil prim the motor,prime cab/fuel system if poss to reduce cranking time to start motor,dbl chk timing & firing to avoid no start cond & over cranking that wipes lube off cam lobes prior to startup that could lead to failure. I also fill cooling system thru them stat mount hole in intake (with rad cap off to release air when filling) to get most of the air out of cooling system making for a nice smooth increase in motor temp,also drill small purge/by hole in t-stat to help bleed air out of system while engines warming up too. Also,make sure to crank in plenty of initial timing (14-18deg btdc) for most mild to aftermarket cams to avoid overheating motor & oil during 20-25min breakin time (due to overly retarded initial/base timing) varying rpm between 2k-2,500rpm at times too. I also place a 20” box fan on a box in front of car grill & radiator on high speed to force cool outside air thru rad to ensure motor doesn’t overheat during breakin. Post 25 min breakin time I dump the breakin oil & filter & refill with new oil for ft cams with proper zddp lvl and another bottle of gm rod or crane superlube oil additive both rich in zddp or use ft cam breakin oil with higher zddp lvl if not using the breakin additives. I then tun that fresh oil & filter for max of 500 miles & dump it. Then after that I return to 3k oil & filter changes using std Dino or semi blend oil with proper higher zddp lvl for safe ft cams use but would wait for motor to get 4-5k miles on it before going to full syn oil to ensure cam/lifters & rings are all fully mated to each other. Hope this info helps you & or somebody else out with ft cam & lifter install & or breakin. Happy Motoring!

[@flinch622]

High "detergent" modern oils are a problem for flat tappets: they fight to keep zinc in suspension kind of like they do carbon. It needs to adhere to metal somewhat to work. They dont fully succeed in that, but maybe 1200ppm behaves more like somehing under 1100ppm or worse, Where does trouble begin? I wish I knew the number - maybe somebody out there has done a bunch of dyno testing with different oils can tell. I haven't found it yet. . Maybe the last spec we could blindly trust was the SF spec? Do your homework, and never ask a parts store for advice. Break in oils don't have the longevity of good old 10w-40 as we once knew it.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

This engine was running Joe Gibbs break-in engine oil. Ridiculously expensive, and a brand that many reputable builders swear by. I’ve always used cheaper alternatives myself, and have never had problems… yet… I really think a lot more of the problem is modern cam and/or lifter machining. The finish on the cams we’ve put in the last couple engines has had a strange appearance right out of the box. I don’t know what to think about that.

[@samhicks97]

This Cam & Lifter set being bad right out of the box, really makes me not want to rebuild the Big Block Chrysler 361 that I've got in my daily. It's leaking oil, burning a little bit of oil, low compression on some cylinders just out of spec, and dished lifters. The whole shabang. Potentially search for an old cam grind from before the Quality control went in the shitter? I'm really considering that at this point, seems like you need to scrutinize every little detail for an engine rebuild in this day and age with the poor quality control. The lifters failing could be attributed to the non existent "crown" on the lifters. The Cam not having any taper on the lobes is another recent thing that's been going on. Again, poor quality control.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Right. You really can’t blindly trust these parts anymore. We found an NOS Mopar Performance cam kit. I don’t imagine there are tons of those out there anymore. Beyond that, I’d suggest you use a brand that isn’t Comp.

[@samhicks97]

@@DeadDodgeGarageRight, the old cam grinds are far and few, it's a shame, really. I already had a cam in mind from comp, but started hearing the bad news of Cam & Lifter failure after I picked out my cam. I believe old Crane fireball cams are old grinds, otherwise if I can't find a cam grind that will suffice, I'll start considering using isky mega cams or Lunati cams. Or old Mopar performance purple cam grinds. Or worse comes to worse, I'll reuse my cam & lifters that's in the engine. Dished lifters (somehow still rotating on the cam lobes) And some good ole diesel oil with high zinc, what could possibly go wrong! Lol.

[@pracso1535]

Your only human brother rebuilt my sbc it ate it self none the less i, in no time at all during break in , back to the beginning 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️ it’s a love hate relationship as always 😥😥😥

[@OdySlim]

Sounds like a manufacturers defect to me.. Chinese made lifters probably.. Regards from Ody Slim

[@robertheymann5906]

Stuff happens... Even brand new....stuff happens

[@johnelliott7375]

For that very reason.

[@360RTZoD]

All you have to do is search lifter failure on youtube. You will get an endless lineup of videos. You are not alone apparently its a huge problem that people are dealing with. Unfortunately if you called the cam maker they would not help you out. They basically write it off as a incorrect installation or break in procedure. Well will 100's of people having cam issues it cannot be that they are messed up during cam break in. One KZbinr not going to mention his channel did a rockwell hardness test on new cams vs old cams. He said the hardness what pretty much the same as a vintage cam. He also tested lifters old and new the same way. Same outcome. But the caveat is that he did mention the surface of the cam and lifters may not be up to par. So if the cam is not ground correctly to allow the lifter to spin then guess what happens. Or vice versa the lifter is not surfaced correctly. Well the answer is 100's of videos about cam,lifter failure.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Yes… I’m aware. I have seen a video showing a clean up grinding pass on a lifter after which it’s quite obvious that the surface was not machined right. He explained that this is very common for new lifters he has seen. It’s not a hardness problem…

[@yurimodin7333]

unfortunately this is why we can't have nice things and have to just pony up for the roller setups now.

[@robertcormier242]

Stroker motors are the way...the boat ankers are the past

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

That’s silly

[@Ripsaw17]

Now days it happens there isn't much quality control going on these days hard to get good parts

[@Haffschlappe]

They want to Sabotage builts

[@brianandglendaharkin9457]

😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫🙀🙀

[@briankinnard654]

Crane cam and lifters have been problems for several years.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I haven’t heard Crane as much as I’ve heard Comp… and that’s what we just lost here.

[@dwightwaldvogel2783]

Lifter/cam failure is an epidemic in the car world I don’t think roller camming everything Is the answer either more pressure on the manufacturers to check the billets they’re using like maybe stop buying offshore steel if that’s what they’re doing

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Agreed. I have found one really good solution - make nice with your local old school cam and lifter grinders. There are two here in the Pacific Northwest, and apparently they are both excellent.

[@r.hill.2369]

The augmented narration via your left hand kills me.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

This compliment much appreciated - I far prefer it to what I’ve gotten before, which was “Derr you’re trying to be Vice grip garage because u put yer hand in front of camera”

[@chumleye1112]

Sh#t happens, its called Chinesium and seems to be an "epidemic" these days (drum roll). Yep, unfortunately buying parts these days is a crap shoot.

[@mlchristopher]

I think it's just inferior metallurgy. Nothing you can do.

[@mikemeyer1791]

Comp cams.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Only the finest…

[@briang4470]

The cams and lifters being produced and sold these days are complete junk, for a stock/low buck refresh just reuse the stock cam(obviously if in good shape), you will be better off in the long run. realistically there should not be a reason for a super complicated special break in for cams, I know plenty of people who would blindly slam cams in with incorrect pushrod length,incorrect lifter preload, wrong springs,wrong oil,no break in and still have the cam live a long life, these days even with all the precautions and careful attention and care on break-in you most likely will loose a lobe, the last couple old engine refreshes I have I done recently I have opted every time to just reuse the stock cam and lifters,don't wanna redo the job multiple times over a cheap Chinese cam or lifter. This issue is really taking a toll in the car/racing hobby, cam swaps now is like playing Russian roulette with your engine.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I completely agree. I am happy to reuse an older cam out of a different engine even. I just did this with my 360. The cam was in a box for 15 years. The lifters were in order. Good to go. In this case, the original cam wasn’t too bad, and I could have done this. We just wanted it all to be new. Because new is better… right?? Yeah…

[@briang4470]

@@DeadDodgeGarage yeah, I highly suggest keeping any good used cam and lifter sets and stockpiling them for future projects. I keep my eye out for any NOS cam kits, they are pretty much the only good option anymore unless you can get a good known used cam and lifter set from a friend or something.

[@allanperryman388]

You can't win every time. 😂

[@jeffgibson184]

🇺🇸👍 You have done nothing wrong, except believing you are buying quality new parts that are actually rebranded poor quality control cheaper part. There is a rash of this going around and there appears to be no way of telling this until failure. Solution is to get NOS PARTS but there is only so much of that left. It comes down to this company’s trying to save money by cutting the work force or rebranding cheaper inferior quality parts. Come on big companies get it together build it as if yourself where going to use it. God forbid there be a WW3 we would lose we don’t even not one steel manufacturing plant one the USA EVERYTHING IS IMPORTED. And it is due to company greed and upper management we all lose in the end !!! 👍Sorry

[@ShadsGarage0221]

Heat-treated in CHINA!😂

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Actually…

[@ShadsGarage0221]

@DeadDodgeGarage I would not want to rely on the quality these days.My 440 was an old rebuild that had about 14 thousand miles on her, but I felt good about that, and she is a runner! Cheers!

[@gordocarbo]

If the lifter face doesnt have the right taper its gonna fail Also too many cams today have way too aggressive ramps for a FT.....trying to mimic a roller giving them goofy names so they sell. Intensity factor of say 50 is a good safe number. Still run hard but wont grind themselves to pieces. I see failures in roller stuff too. Think every cam for most mfrs has already been done. So mfrs sell gimmivky names and grinds to those that just dont know any better.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Funny enough, in later videos, I touched on almost everything you just said.

[@user-cl5gd4xv9m]

Little late to the party,but don't beat yourself up,even UTG lost one ,bottom line was lifter didn't have crown on it. Flat tappit cams need zddp which they took out because of catalytic converters. Sure you know all that,you aren't stupid. Marine engines use those studs.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Yep. We were running Joe Gibbs break in oil. High dollar stuff… fancier than my usual deal for sure. Interesting - the ‘72 marine 440 I just took apart didn’t. We are doing a Daytona 440 currently, and it did have the studs. This engine is a ‘70, and apparently they had studs at those corners in some cars. This one just had one, and three incorrect bolts - so maybe someone deleted the others.

[@davidlewis2681]

Bummer just a junk lifter...😢