Crow Cam Issues
Crow Cam Issues
Boys and Girls,
You are looking at the No 4 exhaust lobe of a Crow "medium" performance cam with a modest amount of milage.
The pictures don't do justice to the level of wear, the lobe peak is way off centre to where it is supposed to be and there is a 2mm loss of lift over all. The wear is right through the cam with variation in total lift on all exhaust lobes.
I would not call this an agressive profile by any means so the wear is surprising.
If you have one of these cams fitted you might want to check it regularly for wear.
You are looking at the No 4 exhaust lobe of a Crow "medium" performance cam with a modest amount of milage.
The pictures don't do justice to the level of wear, the lobe peak is way off centre to where it is supposed to be and there is a 2mm loss of lift over all. The wear is right through the cam with variation in total lift on all exhaust lobes.
I would not call this an agressive profile by any means so the wear is surprising.
If you have one of these cams fitted you might want to check it regularly for wear.
-
- Long Term Member
- Posts: 5903
- Joined: Sun Jul 09, 2006 6:13 pm
- Location: Albury/Wodonga
- Contact:
Unless there has been a fault in manufacture where the hard facing wasn't correctly done, it's unusual for all lobes to simultaneously suffer premature wear, that usually happens as a result of incorrect cam bedding in process.
A single lobe failing can happen from a faulty billet. I'd be contacting the manufacturer and hopefully they will change it over for you.
Check the contact surfaces of the rockers as well when changing cams.
A single lobe failing can happen from a faulty billet. I'd be contacting the manufacturer and hopefully they will change it over for you.
Check the contact surfaces of the rockers as well when changing cams.
.
I do not give permission for anyone to reproduce content from my posts.
Reposting any of my forum posts (or substantial parts thereof) breaches the copyright act.
I do not give permission for anyone to reproduce content from my posts.
Reposting any of my forum posts (or substantial parts thereof) breaches the copyright act.
A manufacturing fault in the hard facing of the cam was my thought too. Yes there is damage to the leading edge of two exhaust rockers but nowhere near the wear that is on the cam.
It might just be a one - off. I have only ever seen damage like this once before but not on a Gemini. In that case the whole lobe sheared off - it wasn't progressive wear. There is no indication of abnormal wear / lubricant problem elsewhere in the motor which has been fully pulled down.
It might just be a one - off. I have only ever seen damage like this once before but not on a Gemini. In that case the whole lobe sheared off - it wasn't progressive wear. There is no indication of abnormal wear / lubricant problem elsewhere in the motor which has been fully pulled down.
I also had a crow cam do the same thing, was on number 4 cylinder to. When i ran the cam in i took the inner valve springs out and also put a bottle of crane cams cam running in additive and the cam was fine for about 6 months then it started to score and wear away the case hardening to the point where it needed replacing. I always run penrite as i get it for stuff all from work so it was always coated in decent oil as well. I have heard of quite a few crow cams chewing out but more so in V8 with heavier duty valve springs.
- redzone (coxy)
- Long Term Member
- Posts: 1659
- Joined: Sat Jun 10, 2006 3:22 am
- Location: sunshine coast
i have also had a crow 782510 cam do the same thing, yep, you guessed it, on no 4. and they refused warranty. i dont buy crow anymore.
GARAGE REDZONE sunshine coast ph 07 54433507
1975 TX coupe 4ZD1 efi turbo 10.787 @ 123/128
1977 TC Fashion Pack sedan draw through turbo
1984 TG PF60E dohc Group A racecar
1984 TG Panelvan
2006 Crewman SS 6.0
1975 TX coupe 4ZD1 efi turbo 10.787 @ 123/128
1977 TC Fashion Pack sedan draw through turbo
1984 TG PF60E dohc Group A racecar
1984 TG Panelvan
2006 Crewman SS 6.0
-
- Long Term Member
- Posts: 5903
- Joined: Sun Jul 09, 2006 6:13 pm
- Location: Albury/Wodonga
- Contact:
Well, interesting that multiple people all have the same problem. Starts to sound like they may have a bad batch of billets. It's possible their billet has issues in that lobe which can happen. It would be interesting to have four or more people all collectively approach Crow to point out after comparing their problems they were willing to have a metallurgist inspect their dead cams and analyze to see if there is a common reason (manufacturing fault of some type) they have all mysteriously failed in similar fashion. I'm sure if Crow thought the findings could result in supporting legal action, they may just offer to replace or refund. If nothing else, hopefully they would discontinue manufacture of Gemini cams on the remaining stock of their billets.
.
I do not give permission for anyone to reproduce content from my posts.
Reposting any of my forum posts (or substantial parts thereof) breaches the copyright act.
I do not give permission for anyone to reproduce content from my posts.
Reposting any of my forum posts (or substantial parts thereof) breaches the copyright act.
-
- Long Term Member
- Posts: 1597
- Joined: Tue Jul 25, 2006 11:09 pm
- Location: Brisbane:- 1.5bar above you
ive come across this problem but i a 308 black holden in my wb statesman basically the whoe lobe was worn dow and looked similar to one of the bearings but smaller.
i was a lil shocked too when i looked at the end of it and stamped into it was "CROW"
i was a lil shocked too when i looked at the end of it and stamped into it was "CROW"
Thats Right Im a Long Term Member
WASTEGATES - WASTE 8S
IF YOU WANNA FLY, GIVE IT MORE P.S.I
WASTEGATES - WASTE 8S
IF YOU WANNA FLY, GIVE IT MORE P.S.I
- redzone (coxy)
- Long Term Member
- Posts: 1659
- Joined: Sat Jun 10, 2006 3:22 am
- Location: sunshine coast
well my cam was made in 1999 so i doubt its just a bad batch, i'd just say they're s*#t. i had mine copied and remade by redlands and never had a problem after that.
GARAGE REDZONE sunshine coast ph 07 54433507
1975 TX coupe 4ZD1 efi turbo 10.787 @ 123/128
1977 TC Fashion Pack sedan draw through turbo
1984 TG PF60E dohc Group A racecar
1984 TG Panelvan
2006 Crewman SS 6.0
1975 TX coupe 4ZD1 efi turbo 10.787 @ 123/128
1977 TC Fashion Pack sedan draw through turbo
1984 TG PF60E dohc Group A racecar
1984 TG Panelvan
2006 Crewman SS 6.0
There is a good chance that the criticism of Crow cams for thier cams falling apart might be a bit unfair.
I was talking to my engine rebuilder about a new cam grind and he made the comment that synthetic oils kill cams. They don't put zinc and also phosporous in modern oils and zinc is evidently critical to prevent cam wear.
So it likely that the previous owner of my engine ran an expensive, high performance, synthetic, cam-killing lubricant.
There are additives that you can buy if you need to run flash oil.
I was talking to my engine rebuilder about a new cam grind and he made the comment that synthetic oils kill cams. They don't put zinc and also phosporous in modern oils and zinc is evidently critical to prevent cam wear.
So it likely that the previous owner of my engine ran an expensive, high performance, synthetic, cam-killing lubricant.
There are additives that you can buy if you need to run flash oil.
- redzone (coxy)
- Long Term Member
- Posts: 1659
- Joined: Sat Jun 10, 2006 3:22 am
- Location: sunshine coast
mine didnt run synthetic, it ran penrite, and had the cam bedding in procedure followed properly. also dont believe everything you hear about the supposed low zinc oils, most of that info on the net is relevant to the USA, in australia the formulations are different to due our older vehicle fleet...
GARAGE REDZONE sunshine coast ph 07 54433507
1975 TX coupe 4ZD1 efi turbo 10.787 @ 123/128
1977 TC Fashion Pack sedan draw through turbo
1984 TG PF60E dohc Group A racecar
1984 TG Panelvan
2006 Crewman SS 6.0
1975 TX coupe 4ZD1 efi turbo 10.787 @ 123/128
1977 TC Fashion Pack sedan draw through turbo
1984 TG PF60E dohc Group A racecar
1984 TG Panelvan
2006 Crewman SS 6.0
Re: Crow Cam Issues
Revitalising an old thread, the machine shop has had quite a few engines come in with massive cam and valve train wear. Running the same brand of oil that a couple of you are speaking of.
I usually use it too, even in my Silverado but im going back to castrol
I usually use it too, even in my Silverado but im going back to castrol
Coupe rebuild number 6..
viewtopic.php?t=44564
viewtopic.php?t=44564
Re: Crow Cam Issues
Apparently these wear issues have to do with the ZDDP content of oils, or lack of it in modern oils. Most synthetics dont have it unless specifically formulated to have it as an additive. Just stick with a pure mineral oil and you should be fine; HPR30 has it etc.
Previously GeminiCoupe/GeminiRollingShell/SCAR3D/Jonnoisac#nt
78 TD Gemini Sedan - R.I.P
81 TE Gemini Sedan
78 TD Gemini Sedan - R.I.P
81 TE Gemini Sedan
Re: Crow Cam Issues
Yea, a lot of guys at the track and on other forums have been sending samples to Blackstone labs.
It's unreal the findings
It's unreal the findings
Coupe rebuild number 6..
viewtopic.php?t=44564
viewtopic.php?t=44564
Re: Crow Cam Issues
This is interesting. I just pulled a crow cam out of my G180Z after finding that a lobe was chowdered to s*#t. Been running mineral oil since I got it off of Coxy maybe 4 years ago.
troyrotor wrote:ozgem classifieds - for all your mowing needs
Re: Crow Cam Issues
Hey Javi, was that a regrind, welded regrind or billet?
Previously GeminiCoupe/GeminiRollingShell/SCAR3D/Jonnoisac#nt
78 TD Gemini Sedan - R.I.P
81 TE Gemini Sedan
78 TD Gemini Sedan - R.I.P
81 TE Gemini Sedan