My 493 just lost a lobe

[Purple68]

Hey again guys, well after having a dowel pin on my first cam give up I just wiped an exhaust lobe on the Comp XE285HL. So I have spent my summer installing and removing my motor twice and only got to drive it for a few hours. So I don't know if I have the stomach to try another flat tappet cam in this engine. I'm thinking hydraulic roller and would like to hear some input on a choice that would give me good mid range power and most importantly reliability. I know that some maintenance is expected and I don't mind, I just don't want to have to pull the motor out again to clean all the metal out of it.
Here's my combo:

68 Charger
493-RPM heads and intake
10.5 compression
850 vac sec Holley carb
2" headers
727 w/ tight 10" converter
4:10 Dana

[Purple68]

Some of you will be asking how I broke the cam in so here's what I did...Made sure cam and lifters had proper break in lube, primed the oil pump till I had oil at the rockers, motor started quickly. I used Rotella T with Comp cams break in additive. Kept motor over 2 grand for first 30 minutes. Cam went south about an hour later. Oh, and the lifter on the bad lobe was collapsed but what happened first? I dunno.

[Rolling_Thunder]

Was it a Hughes or Comp cam ?   Try something like an Engle - I have never one go flat - but have had both Hughes and Comps go flat...

[Charger-Bodie]

I had the problem you described once ....pinpointed it to misaligned roller rockers that weren't letting the lifter spin. That was a mopar cam though. I personally don't think there are any brand more susceptible than any other,just something else causing it. 

[Rolling_Thunder]

I had the problem you described once ....pinpointed it to misaligned roller rockers that weren't letting the lifter spin. That was a mopar cam though. I personally don't think there are any brand more susceptible than any other,just something else causing it. 

Guess there is that idea as well - but i have done 2 hughes cams in the same engine ans both went flat...    went to an Engle stick in the engine without changing anything else and breaking them in the same way...        Hughes cam held up great...         

I have also had a mopar stick go flat as well (284 / .484) one

[Charger-Bodie]

See I think thats all just happenstance personally....I have never had a problem with a comp or a Hughes. Ive only had two hughes and quite a few comps. no problem with those anyway.

[Purple68]

Was it a Hughes or Comp cam ?   Try something like an Engle - I have never one go flat - but have had both Hughes and Comps go flat...

It was a Comp XE285HL. I'm a little suspicious of the lifters as earlier this summer when I took out the last cam (not after a lobe failure) there was a couple of pushrods that were loose because the lifter centers were down inside the lifter body .
The only thing that I may not have done right was I used the Eddy heads as thay came with the stock  Eddy springs for the break in.

[Runner]

did you make sure the lifters spun in when turning the engine over?   i always mark and check each lifter. typically i have to put a little preasure on the lifter with a push tube pressed down by hand.   sorry to hear about your bad luck.  it sure is more common now days. after the second one id be real tempted to go roller cam this time around. 

[Purple68]

did you make sure the lifters spun in when turning the engine over?   i always mark and check each lifter. typically i have to put a little preasure on the lifter with a push tube pressed down by hand.   sorry to hear about your bad luck.  it sure is more common now days. after the second one id be real tempted to go roller cam this time around. 

No, I never did that, should've though.

So does anyone have any roller cam suggestions? I'm totally lost. Whatever cam I choose needs to work with my power brakes so keep that in mind. Thanks.

[chargerbr549]

I am running the same flat tappet XE285HL cam with just a different LSA with about 500 miles and so far so good (knock on wood) I broke the cam in with the inner springs removed (924-16 Srings) and then put them in after the initial break in.

Kevin

[firefighter3931]

did you make sure the lifters spun in when turning the engine over?   i always mark and check each lifter. typically i have to put a little preasure on the lifter with a push tube pressed down by hand.   sorry to hear about your bad luck.  it sure is more common now days. after the second one id be real tempted to go roller cam this time around. 

No, I never did that, should've though.

So does anyone have any roller cam suggestions? I'm totally lost. Whatever cam I choose needs to work with my power brakes so keep that in mind. Thanks.

Checking for lifter rotation is important....especially with a fast ramped cam like the XEHL series Comp's  It's possible that you might have some lifter bore geometry issues with that block. 

As for a hyd roller.....look for something similar to the 285hl if you're happy with the street manners. Comp has several street rollers that would work fine for your application.

This is one i would strongly consider : http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CCA-23-712-9/



Ron

[Purple68]

Thanks Ron, that cam sounds pretty good, what lifters do you recommend for durability? Also do you think my Pro Magnum rockers will be ok with the increased spring pressures?

[firefighter3931]

Thanks Ron, that cam sounds pretty good, what lifters do you recommend for durability? Also do you think my Pro Magnum rockers will be ok with the increased spring pressures?

The Comp hyd roller lifters are fine....just order them when you get the cam. The Pro-Magnum rockers will also work OK with hyd roller spring pressures....no worries there. 


Ron

[Purple68]

 Ok, sounds good, at least I don't have to replace my entire valvetrain. I guess I have a plan for this winter now, thanks again.